Botanic Sanctuary Antwerp is an opulent, five-star destination built on the site of a 13th Century monastery.

Botanic Sanctuary Antwerp is an opulent, five-star destination “hidden away” in the heart of the city offering an exceptional level of luxury hospitality that combines a profound sense of history with modern comfort and convenience. The hotel is Antwerp’s first member of the Leading Hotels of the World, and the site’s history dates back nearly 800 years.   

Historic records show that in 1238 an order of monks set up a monastery and the St Elisabeth hospital for the local sick and poor on the grounds. An infirmary and chapel were added in the 1400s, and in the 16th century an onsite apothecary and medicinal garden followed. In 1798, the hospital was taken under the management of Antwerp’s Board of Almshouses, and the premises underwent further construction over the coming years and centuries. Today, the monastery has been converted into a hotel.  

Botanic Sanctuary Antwerp opened its doors in 2022. The botanical garden and apothecary are still operational, the infirmary and chapel have been beautifully restored as event and wedding spaces, and the property features tranquil gardens, five restaurants, and a spa. The recent restoration, which began in 2017, preserves the legacy of historic buildings and breathes new life into the property with a focus on its tradition of botanical study. 

Besides 108 rooms and suites, all located in five old original buildings, Botanic Sanctuary Antwerp has five gourmet restaurants with four Michelin stars, a three-story Botanic Health Spa & Club, a 14-room conference center, a restored 19th century apothecary, a wedding, classical concert and event venue in the 15th century chapel, and a “secret venue” for VIP members’ devoted to Scotch whisky. 

Each of the 108 rooms is unique – no two are alike and the modern additions meet strict standards of sustainability. The Spa Suites have their own private spa treatment spaces plus a Finnish sauna, whirlpool, Technogym bike, treatment table, and separate shower.  

Botanic Health Spa 

The sleek and luxurious Botanic Health Spa is a leading destination spa in an oasis of calm offering sophisticated next-gen technology. Traditional hands-on treatments, provided in 10 treatment rooms by a team of therapists using a range of healing modalities, are complemented with state-of-the-art cellular analytic equipment that allows guests to quickly access a detailed physical assessment. 

The spa operates in partnership with the apothecary, just across the courtyard, which stocks a variety of tried and tested herbal and plant-based remedies. 

Spread over three floors, the 1,000 square-meter spa features a panoramic swimming pool, panoramic Finnish sauna, Kneipp walk, ice fountain, Himalayan salt-stone sauna, infrared sauna, steam bath, reflexology basins, infinity whirlpool, herb and vitamin bar, and relaxation area. Treatments, services, and experiences include cutting edge cellular-analysis, traditional European medicine, traditional Chinese medicine, yoga, meditation, and mindfulness classes, manicures, pedicures, and waxing, massages and full-body treatments. 

The holistic focus of the Botanic Health Spa is on a mix of healing and preventive methods, while the “synergistic combination of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Traditional European Medicine (TEM) that is the quintessential expression of the spa. 

Spa Executive is published by Book4Time, the leader in guest management, revenue and mobile solutions for the most exclusive spas, hotels, and resorts around the globe. Learn more at book4time.com.

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Ocean Spa BVI, the only floating spa in the British Virgin Islands, was built out of lumber from the wreckage of Hurricane Irma.

Ocean Spa BVI is a floating spa, anchored off the coast of the island of Jost Van Dyke in White Bay, in the British Virgin Islands. Rocking gently on the serene, salty waters, it is the only floating spa in the BVI and one of the only floating spas in all of the Caribbean. 

The 550 square-foot structure was created by Dale Mapp, a 25-year veteran of the hospitality industry. It took 10 years for Mapp to realize his dream of opening a spa, and Ocean Spa BVI is his third try. The first attempt was vandalized, and the second was destroyed by Hurricane Irma, which swept through the open Atlantic region in September, 2017. 

The most powerful hurricane on record in the area at the time, Irma caused catastrophic damage and killed more than 130 people. The British Virgin Islands were hit hard. The island of Tortola bore the brunt of the core, suffering damage to structures and seeing residential areas left in ruins. And almost all of the homes and businesses on Jost Van Dyke, the smallest of the BVI’s four main islands, were destroyed. The restoration of electricity alone took five months. 

“I had no choice but to rebuild”

“After the hurricane struck, I felt I had no choice but to rebuild and not give up, so I continued,” Mapp told Spa Executive. He rebuilt the spa, this time with lumber salvaged from Irma’s wreckage, sourcing materials from the dump — “wooden gates, storage boxes, closet doors, and bits of people’s roofs.” He and one other person built the spa over four months, and it now sits on the water on a pontoon, supported by aluminum, and boasting a five-star rating on TripAdvisor. 

Windows beneath the massage tables allow guests to gaze into the water below

Access to the spa is by water. Mapp provides a complimentary dinghy taxi to and from, but more adventurous guests choose to boat, paddle board, kayak, or swim their way there. There are four treatment rooms, where guests can enjoy spa treatments and, as Mapp told Spa Executive, “the feeling of floating on the Ocean with the gentle sway, reminiscent of being rocked in a cradle while inhaling the most revitalizing sea air.” Rectangular windows under the massage tables, inspired by glass bottomed boats, allow people to gaze into the water and watch the colorful fish swimming around below.

“A dolphin even swam under once while I was giving a massage,” said Mapp.

Ocean Spa BVI offers a simple menu, consisting of seven massage options, provided by Mapp and one other employee. These include a 75-minute Sunset Couples Massage with two glasses of sparkling wine, a 60-minute Ocean Bliss Aromatherapy Massage, and a 30-minute Ocean Head Massage.

Mapp said of his finally realized dream, “It feels as if it has a soul. Pieces of BVI homes and lives created this memorable and unique floating spa.”

Take a look inside the Spa at the Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi

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