If you were to conjure the image of the perfect Tyrolean hotel, the Mirabell almost certainly would be it. In the village of Valdaora, it’s all steep, pitched roof, white walled, deep wooden balconies with overflowing scarlet geraniums. There’s a lovely garden with views of the mountains, a generous pool and outdoor tables for the light lunch that comes as part of the traditional ¾ board. It’s just as well that lunch is light because it is swiftly followed by tea (from 3pm) and a five-course dinner. This is not the spa to come to, then, if your aim is to lose weight (though more on this later). If you want a beautiful setting, great treatments (and all that superb food, of course), though, this could be just what you’re looking for.
The Mirabell’s Aurora wellness area encompasses a wide range of hydrotherapy including several saunas (some with herbal infusions and aromatherapy), whirlpools, Kneipp therapy foot pool, a cold water swimming pool and an indoor/outdoor pool with a more comfortable temperature. There are several classes – aqua fitness, yoga of various kinds, Qigong – as well as a gym. And then there are the treatments – and this is a spa with some very unusual approaches.
One is a focus on Ayurveda, the traditional Indian approach to health that divides us into three doshas (Pitta, Vata, Kapha) and treats according to both your type and your imbalances. There’s a questionnaire (I was predominantly Pitta) but also the resident Ayurveda practitioner, Alex Kirchler, can do a more in-depth diagnosis involving your iris, pulses and tongue and give advice on your particular health questions and needs.
There is an extensive Ayurveda treatment menu including various massages, Shirodhara (where oil on the forehead induces a state of deep relaxation), sound baths and eye treatments. There are Ayurveda packages and you can do this in conjunction with the Logi Diet which appears each night as an option on the menu. Its underlying aim is to keep the blood sugar level in balance – so less carbs and less pounds.
Side by side with Ayurveda, the spa has VegetoDynamik, a biodynamic treatment that takes its inspiration from neuroscience and quantum physics – there’s also aloe vera involved. So, I think a little explanation is needed here. The idea is to work on the nervous system, thereby enabling the body’s own energy to flow freely. This has an effect, however, not just on the body but the mind – just as the body habitually produces cocktails of hormones that affect our thinking and emotions, it can relearn and replace old pitfalls with more positive outcomes. It’s a big ask and I was curious to see what happened.
It turned out to be more like a dance than a massage – albeit I was on the massage couch. Let me give you a sketch. Not symmetrical at all, it is a treatment full of unexpected twists and turns – sometimes quite literally as therapist Sabine pushes against one side of my head while extending the opposite arm. She begins with my feet as a kind of examination or perhaps inspiration is more the word. My left foot and leg are given some strong pressure, kneaded and pressed, then wrapped up in a warm damp towel. My right foot is treated more briefly and gently but then as Sabine works up the length of my leg, she bounces (I can think of no other way of describing it) my knee then holds a deep pressure right in the hip bone. The left shoulder is arched upwards – almost taking my breath away – but the right one not at all. Interestingly, the left one is quite stiff and a bit sore and needs that attention.
Much of the time she just holds the pressure on one area and at other times there is equal and opposite pressure. Frequently, she extends an arm under my shoulders in a cradling movement and then uses her other hand to press down on the breast bone or the abdomen, taking my breath away.
There are two applications – one is a combination of lavender oil, carrier oil and lotion, the other is aloe vera. This is not a concoction made from the plant but the plant itself (organic and flown in from Mexico). It’s icy to the touch and emits a gel-like sap that comes as a shock when it is applied every now and then, first to the temples, then later to my neck and shoulders, later still to my throat. It’s a contrast to the warmth of the oil mixture and I never know when it’s coming.
Sabine is extremely intuitive and feels her way through the treatment guided by both physical signs of tension but also my responses, including my breath. Sometimes, it feels like she can control my breath with her ever-changing pressure and she sighs with me. There are, of course, lots of reactions including the kind of murmurings you’d normally expect from the stomach (they’re there too) but I’d swear an area close to my heart made a noise and at some point (she wasn’t touching it) my foot seemed to sing with energy. It was, as I say, more of a dance than a massage. A lot of what happens is about trust as she explains and, because there’s no symmetry here, you don’t know what to expect other than the unexpected. Afterwards, I feel very still in my body and clear in my head. And, later still, I sleep for an unprecedented nine hours. I can’t wait for tomorrow.
I am not disappointed. First of all, there’s a facial and it’s another case of aloe, aloe everywhere. Fresh aloe is used in the arm and hand massage while the mask is in place and the products she uses are Pharmos Natur where they substitute aloe for water in all their preparations. Sabine makes her own mask from vitamin oils, a rich moisturiser and fresh aloe juice. But this is no surprise as she tailors everything to my individual needs (including tinting my too-blond eyebrows!).
By the time we get to the final abhyanga massage, not only does Sabine know me quite well, she also takes into account the cool weather. So, whereas normally Pitta massages would not use a sesame oil, in this case she feels it would be advantageous, particularly as she wants to continue the detoxing from the previous day’s treatment. There are two sesame oils used here, one for the face and one for the body. There are herbs in each that induce further detoxing or are restorative (and very kind to the skin). Sesame oil itself is known for its rich mix of healthy fats, antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as being beneficial for digestion and blood sugar management.
And Sabine uses plenty of it. I am so awash with hot sesame oil, I have a sudden feeling that really I’m a mackerel. Much more of a massage than the previous day, it is nevertheless not as you might expect it. For a start, it begins with the head rather than the usual starting point of the feet. My face and scalp are massaged with quantities of oil before Sabine moves on to my shoulders and arms, gradually working her way footwards with long, sweeping and circular strokes as my skin soaks up more and more soothing sesame. There is a lot in common here with lymphatic massage and this is indeed part of the detoxifying process, working on the lymph glands and encouraging drainage from the system. Even when working on my back and shoulders, there is no painful kneading or pummelling. Instead, you reach a state of total relaxation achieved by heat and a gently soothing process. Blissful.
My verdict? Mirabell’s treatments are second to none and you could spend a week here trying something new every day and go home feeling like a new woman (or man, of course). Recommended.
Mirabell Dolomites is a member of Belvita group of hotels. Mirabell is currently running an Autumn Special, with 2 nights from 328€ per person. For more information, please visit www.mirabell.it.
Fly from London Gatwick to Bolzano with SkyAlps. Prices start from €173. For more information, including details of routes and current deals, please www.skyalps.com.
