Spafinder Wellness announces 2016 Wellness Travel Award winners
The Sha Wellness Clinic in Spain, Rancho La Puerta in Mexico and Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary & Holistic Spa in Thailand were among the winners of Spafinder Wellness’s 2016 Wellness Travel Awards (WTA).
The winners were announced in an awards ceremony at the World Travel Market in London yesterday.
In total, the awards honoured hotels, resorts, destination spas and wellness retreats across 20 categories.
The winners were whittled down by an international panel of 39 travel and wellness industry editors and experts, from an original line-up of 388 finalists in the first round of voting.
The second round of voting saw more than 130,000 consumers cast their votes, nearly twice as many as in the 2015 awards.
Awards categories included 41 Country and Region Awards, as well as awards across a wide range of categories. The WTA also honoured the top properties on each continent through the Crystal Awards.
Crystal Awards winners included Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary for Best in Asia; Sha Wellness Clinic for Best in Europe; Rancho La Puerta for Best in North America; and Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Wellness Retreat for Best in Africa.
Among the Region Awards winners were the Blue Lagoon in Iceland, which won Best in Nordic Countries; Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach, which won Best in the Middle East; and Body Holiday Saint Lucia, winning Best in the Caribbean.
Country Award winners included Clinique La Prairie in Switzerland; Lapinha Spa in Brazil; Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat in Australia; Richmond Nua Wellness Spa in Turkey; Ananda in the Himalayas in India; and Brenners Park-Hotel & Spa in Germany.
The list of Category Awards winners included Grand Resort Bad Ragaz in Switzerland and Miraval Resort & Spa in the US for Best Ahead-of-the-Curve Innovation and Four Seasons Hotel George V and the Caudalie Vinothérapie Spa at The Yeatman Hotel in Portugal for Best for Beauty & Anti-Ageing.
Among other Category Awards winners were Como Shambhala Estate in Bali and Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru for Best Eco-friendly & Sustainable Property, Absolute Sanctuary in Thailand for Best for Yoga and Abadía Retuerta LeDomaine for Best for the “Wow” Factor.
Other Category Awards included Best for Outdoor Adventure & Activities, Best for Nutrition & Healthy Cuisine, Best for Medical Services and Best New Spa & Wellness Property.
Spafinder chief executive John Bevan said: “The growth in wellness travel and the vast range of healthy travel options offered by these exceptional properties is remarkable.”
For the full list of the 2016 Wellness Travel Awards winners, click here.
