5 nights from £725 shanti som andalusia

Shanti Som is a delightful little slice of south east Asia in the hills 20 minutes north of Marbella.  It sounds bizarre, but works beautifully.

Once you step through the doors of this boutique 14 bedroom residence, you enter another world.  Its stylish and elegant design, high beamed ceilings, thatched roof-tops, tinkling water and liberal sprinkling of giant Buddhas all create the sense of being on another continent.  Rather than jarring, it feels delightfully welcoming and is instantly calming.

Tucked away in a shallow valley, surrounded by rolling hills and open countryside, Shanti Som lets you escape the hustle and bustle of modern life and immerse yourself in all things healthy and peaceful.  The food is delicious, nutritious and healthy; the spa offers an excellent array of treatments and therapies; the yoga pavillion is a triumph; the hillside pool is a tranquil oasis and the bedrooms are supremely comfortable, and all with stunning en suite shower rooms. 

There are daily yoga and fitness classes available, and plenty of country walks to explore.  Reformer Pilates classes are available.  Shanti Som is a place to relax and workout, eat healthily, and restore balance in your life.  See programmes

Destination yoga hosts yoga retreats to Shanti Som, for further details about this and other venues, please see destination yoga

Highs

• A tranquil oasis
• Great for solo travellers
• Boutique size, with only 14 bedrooms
• The joys of south east Asia, but only a short haul flight away

Lows

• Car park in front of reception is not as well hidden as it should be

Other wellness destinations in Spain

• SHA Wellness Clinic along the coast near Alicante
• Finca Cortesin (on the coast between Marbella and Sotogrande) and ideal for a luxury golf, tennis and spa break
• Font Santa Hotel & Spa in Mallorca is perfect for an adult-only wellness escape