Camiral, A Quinta do Lago Resort: Perfect for a Weekend of Wellness

This five-star hotel is home to a world-class wellness centre with fine dining to match, all snuggled away in the Catalonian countryside.

The Hotel

Sat within acres of lush green Catalan forest in the foothills of the Pyrenees, Camiral is just a fleeting five-minute drive from Girona Airport in Costa Brava, Spain. Since opening in 1999 (originally as a golf destination), the hotel has since always pursued the essence of quiet luxury. From working with biologists in 2013 to protect its local environment, to freshly renovating the hotel in 2016 and finally creating a state of the art wellness centre in 2021, the hotel is first and foremost connected to nature. Wellness-guided travellers see Camiral as a reset destination, and for good reason.

Where To Stay

If it’s a wellness reset you are after, then checking into one of the 7 sprawling wellness suites is the first step to take. Designed by Bryan O’Sullivan (the interior genius behind suites at Claridge’s and The Berkeley), each suite brings an instant feeling of calmness from the moment you check in. Coated in pastel colours, light-wood furnishings, cream bouclé accents and smooth swirly artworks, everything is designed with soft lines in mind, creating a space that feels like your own private cocoon. Brew a herbal tea in the mini marble kitchen, relax in your spacious lounge or take in an early morning stretch on your balcony (in-room yoga mats provided). In the evening, when warm night lights guide you to a cloud-like bed, a bedside Elemis pillow spray can be spritzed to deepen your snooze... only after ordering room service dessert in a fluffy white robe, that is. Away from the wellness suites, the hotel has 138 rooms in total, where guests have a choice of deluxe and family rooms. A new expansive penthouse is soon due to be opened, offering a home away from home for groups as well.

How To Unwind

With all 7 wellness suites cleverly connected to the wellness centre, you can start your workout, indulge in a morning sauna or begin a treatment almost instantly, without ever popping your relaxation bubble. Camiral’s wellness centre is where wellbeing meets state-of-the-art technology, all encapsulating their three pillars; activity, nutrition and rest.

The beautiful wellness pavilion is the centre point, carved into the woods and surrounded by greenery. Days here are spent between the sauna, steam room, outdoor pool, hot and cold indoor pools, yoga studio and the spacious gym. 9 specialised treatment rooms and 1 hammam area are tucked away along a leafy path. Before exploring, start with a guided breathwork session, designed to promote relaxation and focus. An intentional moment recommended by the kind spa staff to calm the body and avoid simply rushing into your treatment room.

Camiral boasts personalised wellness programmes but also individual high-tech treatments. A must-try is the 60-minute Holistic Personalized Massage. A dreamy hour of tailored massage techniques using anti-inflammatory oils and heated shoulder pads to soothe aching muscles and melt away tension. You’re guaranteed to sink into a deep state of relaxation, only to be awoken by the sound of light gongs as your massage concludes.

For the skincare fanatics, the Dermiocare & Exoglow Facial is the treatment you need. After the skin is prepped with creamy Bioline Jatò cleansers, this advanced skin rejuvenation treatment infuses stem-cell-derived exosomes deep into the skin using a textured face roller to help stimulate cellular renewal and improve firmness. This is followed with delicious layers of serums, moisturisers and heated eye masks, before electrically charged negative ions and LED light are used to deeply oxygenate the skin, boosting your natural radiance.

If body inflammation is a concern, then Camiral offers both Cryotherapy and Photo Bio Modulation. At a teeth-chattering -110°C, you can enter the Cryotherapy chamber for a maximum of 3 minutes where the freezing temperature directs blood towards the vital organs for protection, and circulates back through the body, helping to strengthen the circulatory system during the session. This (literally) chilling yet effective process reduces muscle pain and helps treat chronic inflammation. On the warmer end of the scale, Photo Bio Modulation is an advanced light-based therapy. 20 minutes encased in a pod while red and infrared wavelengths are used to stimulate cellular energy is enough to help reduce inflammation throughout your body.

Post-treatment, the relaxation room is where unwinding is complete, as you nestle into the soft beds and re-hydrate with an infused ginger tea. If hunger strikes, a short shuffle in your robe and slippers takes you to Camiral’s wellness kitchen, where nutrition-dense meals have been cooked up by expert chefs for the ultimate refuel. So, all of this, same time again tomorrow?

Where To Eat

Breakfast is served in the centre of the hotel and is a dream for any buffet lover. Laden with traditional Spanish meats, cheeses, hot chorizo and omelettes, the buffet also serves up continental plates, eggs any way you like, as well as juicy fruits and all the toppings. For those with a sweet tooth, a flowing chocolate fountain sits alongside plates of local Xuixo: deep-fried pastries, coated in crystallized sugar and filled with a rich, citrus-vanilla crema Catalana custard.

Come lunch, signature club sandwiches and fresh loaded salads are served at the Lounge Bar on their shaded patio. Seated by the pool (that curves around the hotel), wide umbrellas offer a shady veil over comfy striped loungers, all beckoning you to flop for a post-lunch siesta.

Dinner is an elegant affair at Camiral Bistro, with a menu catering to all tastes and requirements. Mediterranean grilled fish and meats are the speciality here, plated up with refreshing sides and a crisp glass of wine to complement the flavours. For something a little more elevated, Origin is Camiral’s fine dining restaurant, where plush baby blue booths with white napkin service and an impressive local wine list set the scene. Followed by a tasting menu of Catalonian delights, where the chargrilled leek terrine with tuna and monkfish cheek and scotch bonnet mushrooms are not to be missed.

What To Explore

If you can prize yourself away from the serenity of the wellness centre, Camiral has much to explore. Home to golf of the highest standard, the resort offers two blockbuster courses that have played host to the Spanish Open three times and where the Ryder Cup is due to take place in 2031. Alongside this, a high-tech driving range and 2000m2 putting green are coupled with the guidance of Camiral’s golf professionals. Camiral is also the only PGA-backed academy in Spain, offering lessons to players of all levels and ages. The hotel has also just announced a new foundation initiative ‘Fundació Camiral’, where free golf access and tuition will be offered to local children.

After a round on the course (and rounds of drinks in the clubhouse) Camiral’s outdoor pool will summon you to cool off. Follow this with an afternoon on the tennis and paddle courts, or perhaps a walk in the forest park, or a tour of the hotel's own vineyard. Planted in 2017, the young vines produce 9000 bottles a year, exclusively available at the resort.

The PIBE Approved Extra’s

With Girona on the resort’s doorstep, it’s easy to dip in for a dose of local culture and history. Spend a lazy afternoon wandering the cobbled streets of the old town, on the banks of the Onyar River. Cross the iconic red Eiffel Bridge - met either side by brightly painted terraced houses - to spend a few balmy hours at the Plaça de la Independència (the neoclassical main square). A menu of iced drinks and people watching will soon wile away the hours. Finish with a visit to Rocambolesc for artisanal ice cream and to Casa Cacao to nibble on gourmet chocolate treats.

How To Book

jademountain.com
Rooms from £300 based on two adults sharing a Deluxe Room Double Bed on a B&B basis.
Camiral, a Quinta do Lago Resort, Carretera N-II km 701. 17455, Caldes de Malavella, Girona, Spain.
Bookings: Tel: +34972472249

Travel Writer / Sarah Barnes