Euphoria Retreat, an SLH Hotel

Euphoria Retreat

"Set the scene The beautiful Peloponnese, a few hours from Athens and near sacred Mount Taygetos. Surrounded by fragrant pine and lemon trees, Euphoria is tucked into the hillside beneath 13th-century Mystras and its fresco-filled Byzantine churches. The joy-filled, sunny, wellness experience is in deliberate contrast to the chilly clinics of northern Europe, pulling in repeaters who come not only for the considerable healing experience but also to feel uplifted and cared for. Expect your companions to be intellectual spa obsessives who understand the breadth of founder Marina Efraimoglou’s vision, and sun-loving Europeans in need of a post-Covid reset. What's the backstory? Founder and owner Marina Efraimoglou was hit by cancer during her time as the first woman to run one of Greece’s major banks. Her own journey to restore her health through Western medicine and Eastern wisdom and love of alternative therapies led her to abandon her successful banking career and retrain in the Traditional Chinese Medicine which had helped her. She was then inspired to create a retreat that would help others in a similar position to her. Her desire to bring happiness and health to those she meets in life is perfectly captured in the atmosphere of Euphoria Retreat, where her staff follow in her footsteps exuding warmth and wisdom. Working with Marina are highly acclaimed nutritionist Dr George Leon and Mary Vandaorou, whose soothing voice leads the retreat’s many meditation classes. What’s the wellness concept? This destination spa marries east with west in the same uniquely harmonious manner that it blends medicine for the mind as well as the body. Here you can look at the big picture and get yourself back on track, whether it is a physical or psychological tweak that is needed. It is a brilliantly balanced retreat in terms of what it offers for the body and soul, resulting in a rebalance for those who flock here. Among the many other programmes, the three-day Feel Alive Again programme is suited to those suffering the after effects of the pandemic or generally burnt-out from the pace of 21st-century life. It aims to release negative emotions, stress and anxiety felt by participants through laughter yoga, breathwork and dance, meditation and music  – all resulting in a new sense of energy. What are the signature treatments? Apart from the Feel Alive Again programme, do take time to book some of the signature treatments from Gua Sha with the brilliant Vladia, to life-changing Watsu, and the Euphoria Byzantine Hammam Ritual. There is also a homoeopathic doctor who can give you a thorough analysis and prescribe treatment. A core part of the retreat is the beautiful winding stairwell which starts from the Kniepp foot bath area and finishes with a window to the blue Greek skies, with treatment rooms radiating off, while the indoor pool leads to the outside pool which is backed by pine trees and surrounded by flowers.  Which therapist should I book? They are all good, but carve out time to spend with Mary, whose gentle wisdom and insightful comments help to put life’s obstacles in perspective. What makes it different? Most programmes here include having a 3GL test upon arrival, to show how your body is metabolising its food which then allows the nutritionist to tailor make your meals which include two snacks between breakfast, lunch and dinner. This speedy analysis means you really hit the ground running in terms of getting the most out of your time here. The difference here is in the equal importance given to body and mind in terms of treatments and the overall enveloping warmth with which the place is run. It is that warmth and the re-energising heat of the sun which makes it such a restorative place to be. What else do they offer? Food here is seasonal and local and measured carefully in antioxidants and nutritional values to ensure that your tailor-made meals deliver the desired effect. Personalised menus are delicious with lots of fresh fish, Greek cheeses and salads. Breakfast might be  buckwheat pancakes with berries one day, scrambled eggs the next. Lunch often starts with a soup – carrot and ginger, flavoured with citrus and served with pumpkin seeds and prawns – followed by sea bream with grilled vegetables. Dinners include a fish saffron soup with freshly ground lemon pepper and a lentil salad. Wine – and coffee – is allowed, if not necessarily encouraged. There are guided hikes up to Mystras with varying levels of difficulty as well outdoor exercises and fitness trails. There is an extensive library from which you can borrow books to read further on one of the many topics that might have come up during your retreat.Where do you stay? There are 45 rooms beside and above the spa, all clad in Byzantine colours of muted gold and deep red. Some have baths, others showers, most have an outside terrace or balcony. They are supremely comfortable without being cutting edge in any way. Anything else to mention? Euphoria Retreat brims with a sense of place from the Greek mountain herb tea to the lemon trees in the garden, but its medicines and its wisdom has a truly global embrace. Final word This is the kind of place you could go to on your own when in need simply of some downtime in a pleasing environment, but it is also where you could find yourself after years of being lost or get on track with weight loss in a way a more rigorous regime fails to do."