Leading Hotels Offer Yoga Experiences for Luxurious Relaxation

At Grand Hotel Heiligendamm on Germany’s Baltic Sea coast, guests experience authentic yoga from the Himalayas with yoga master Sanjay Vyas. Qualified in yoga meditation and Ayurvedic treatment as well as in Thai massage, he comes from Rishikesh, the birthplace of Himalayan yoga. To help guests get the most benefits, the hotel has created a five-night “Yoga with Sanjay” package which includes daily breakfast buffet; a 330-minute wellness package comprising two hours private training with Sanjay (available Wednesday to Sunday), a 60-minute Thai massage; 90-minute Ayurvedic full-body massage; 60-minute Ananda facial; and access to the 3,000-square-meter spa with swimming pool, Jacuzzi, gym and saunas; as well as participation in the hotel’s cultural programs; tax and service charge. Rates for the five-night stay start at EUR 800 per person sharing in a double room, and EUR 1,150 for single occupancy.

Along a seemingly infinite stretch of sand, amidst Vietnam’s rich cultural heritage, a strand of sophisticated, visually striking villas lines the dramatic beachfront. Inspired by 2,500 years of history, The Nam Hai’s architecture and interior design presents a dramatic play on wind and water inspired by ancient feng shui philosophy and the grandeur of the Tu Doc royal tombs of Hue. In this inspiring setting, guests can make mornings count even on vacation with The Nam Hai’s complimentary outdoor yoga overlooking the South China Sea or stretch into lotus anytime with private in-villa sessions led by yoga instructor Giri Raj Timshina. Guided meditations are offered from 7:00 to 8:00 a.m., followed by Hatha flow yoga session, combining a series of poses with breathing exercises, from 8:00 to 9:00 a.m. All classes take place at the resort’s open lounge, a spacious pavilion above the main swimming pools.

To celebrate the sumptuous refurbishment of the Spa de Constance at Constance Le Prince Maurice on Mauritius, the resort recently engaged world-renowned fitness guru Isabelle Lamant. Inspired by her love of graceful movement, Isabelle’s classes are based around her philosophy of balance integrated into fitness, dance and yoga. Isabelle has a background in gymnastics and classical dance, which she has since combined with intensive yoga and Pilates training. Based around ‘control and fitness’ and ‘sculpt and balance’, Isabelle’s aim is to help her clients exercise their way to a more healthy, balanced lifestyle. Each session also shows guests they can integrate practical exercises into their daily life when they return home. Cultivating the next generation of healthy travelers, Isabelle has also designed a fun-filled program for younger guests called ‘Yoganimals’ to help children improve motor skills, concentration, posture and breathing through simple, fun exercises.

The spa staff at Llao Llao Hotel & Resort, Golf-Spa in Bariloche, Argentina, believes that encouraging children to develop a healthy lifestyle when they are young will pay off later in life. The hours they spend in front of their computers or playing video games produce tension in their backs and have an impact on their body posture. Besides, the responsibilities of school work, together with the large number of activities that children and adolescents perform during the year, become a heavy load. At "Llao Llao Kids Spa", children between 6 and 12 years of age enjoy a Wellness Area offering exercise routines that induce relaxation, and various therapies adapted to the ages and needs of children. Programs are designed to incorporate yoga exercises and other techniques with massages to help youngsters achieve balance and well-being. Yoga classes for adults are also available.

Where better to engage in the practice of yoga than in India? At Rambagh Palace in Jaipur, there is a dedicated yoga pavilion where guests can immerse themselves fully in a variety of exercises and meditations. Jiva Spa continues the time-honored tradition by abiding by the rules and practices of the Bihar School of Yoga – a holistic form of yoga that integrates physical, psychological and spiritual dimensions equally. Catering to guests at all levels of aptitude, Jiva Spa offers a comprehensive range of practices, including classic poses or asanas; abhilaya, to diminish the effect of jet lag; breathing exercises or pranayama; sun salutations to energize the body; shatkarma or purification rituals; as well as meditation, inner silence and psychic sleep sessions.

Capitalizing on its brilliant location along the Atlantic Coast of Florida, Canyon Ranch Hotel & Spa in Miami Beach makes all of its yoga offerings available on the beach at sunrise or sunset times. September is an ideal time to visit the resort and take part in a range of specialty classes during National Yoga Month. During this month-long yoga marathon, sessions include meditation; experiential workshops, enabling guests to avoid injury by focusing on alignment; arm balance basics; backbends, to loosen the spine and improve circulation to the internal organs; and hand postures to improve meditation and promote focus. Guests can also learn about yoga for a restful night’s sleep, focusing on mindfully releasing tension from the body; and yoga for the office, offering techniques to increase circulation to avoid chronic patterns of holding and tension in the body.

With its exceptional location in the city where Europe meets Asia, Swissotel The Bosphorus in Istanbul, Turkey, is home to an equally exceptional spa and health facility. Amrita presents a yoga program for guests’ physical and mental health with Asthanga yoga lessons. Ashtanga yoga involves synchronizing the breath with a progressive series of postures – a process producing intense internal heat and, purifying perspiration that detoxifies muscles and organs. The result is improved circulation, a light and strong body and a calmer, more serene mind. The trainer of Ashtanga yoga lessons is Petek Küçüktüzen, one of the most prominent names of this field. Classes are offered every Thursday morning at 7:30 and Friday evenings at 6:15.

Yoga as practiced at Shanti Maurice – a Nira Resort on the island of Mauritius is completely traditional, with adaptations to suit individual needs. Experienced yoga masters create personalized programs designed to assist guests through their personal journeys. Components can include an hour-long Hatha yoga session, to help regulate breathing by exercises consisting of postures and stretches intended to sustain healthy bodily functions and induce emotional calm. A more intensive version - Iyengar Yoga - is based on the principles of Hatha Yoga using high energy, dynamic movements and props to achieve total body alignment, core strength and improved mental capacity. Guests can dial it down a notch with Tartak, a half-hour session based on an ancient form of meditation involving concentrated focus on the flame of a candle, to promote energy, clarity and intuitive capabilities. Or they can go all-out with a two-hour Shankaprakshalana procedure guided by an Ayurvedic doctor and yoga master which involves drinking saline water followed a session of yoga postures to cleanse the digestive system and balance the endocrine and respiratory systems.

For reservations, visit www.LHW.com. In the USA & Canada please call 1-800-223-6800 or contact a travel professional.