Get well soon

We round up some of the best wellness retreats around, from homely B&Bs to swanky hotels

1 Manoir de Lébioles, Spa

The Manoir de Lébioles is so extravagant in its gorgeousness that it makes some other spas look like public swimming baths. It’s deep in the Ardennes forest, in a stately home that dates back to 1905. If you can prise yourself away from the view of the rolling grounds, you’ll find first-class facilities including a vitality pool with hydromassage and jetstream, a sauna, footbath and aromatherapy showers. There is also a gym which you may need to visit in order to burn off the calories consumed in Lébioles’ gastronomic restaurant. And if you need a bigger spa with slightly more facilities, the town of Spa is only 10 minutes away by car. Rooms starts at €199 per person with access to the wellness centre. www.manoirdelebioles.be

2 Dolce La Hulpe, La Hulpe

It’s just 15km from Brussels but Dolce La Hulpe feels like it is a world away. Surrounded by 72 hectares of the Forêt de Soignes, this former IBM training office transforms from a busy conference venue during the week into a tranquil weekend bolthole from Friday evening. You can take a relaxing bike ride in the woods, play tennis or enjoy some gourmet dining, but if you really want to indulge, try some of their spa treamtents. Dolce La Hulpe is home to the Cinq Mondes spa, which offers everything from Ayurvedic massages to Japanese facials and Siamese body scrubs. A one-night spa getaway starts at €154.50 per person, including a one hour treatment. www.dolcelahulpebrussels.com

3 D-Hotel, Kortrijk

D-Hotel is a boutique design hotel built around a former 19th-century windmill and farmhouse courtyard near Kortrijk. As well as stylish accommodation, it has a 600m² wellness centre named D-Mixx, which marries exercise facilities with a jacuzzi, two Finnish saunas, an infra-red cabin and a stunning outdoor swimming pool (only open in July and August). Treatments include sports massages, manicures, pedicures and waxing. An overnight spa stay starts from €169 per person. www.d-hotel.be

4 Château des Thermes, Chaudfontaine

Château des Thermes is the go-to location for those who like their R&R with an air of refinement. This former castle houses indoor and outdoor thermal baths (outdoor with hydrojet), three saunas, two steam baths, a zen garden and an infra-red cabin, among other facilities. Everything – from the food to the interior design – is to the highest standard, and it has just rolled out a new menu of treatments, ranging from new massages and scrubs with an emphasis on high-quality natural and organic products and programmes targeting male and teenage customers. An overnight stay with breakfast and spa access starts from €99 per person.

www.chateaudesthermes.be

5 La Domaine de la Carrauterie, Sautin

Françoise Godart’s wellness retreat is a well-kept Walloon secret. Situated a few miles east of the French border on the road to Chimay, she offers a range of spa treatments (which you wait for in an authentic Mongolian yurt) using homemade, organic products in homely surroundings. There are only four bedrooms plus a converted gypsy caravan and a treetop hideaway, so accommodation must be booked in advance. Seasonal, organic breakfasts and lunches are served to B&B guests, but for dinner you’ll have to try one of the restaurants in the area, including the Michelin-starred Hostellerie Le Prieuré Saint-Géry. Room rates start at €80 per night; treatments start from €10. www.carrauterie.be

6 Radisson Blu Palace Hotel, Spa

If you’re planning on making a visit to the world-famous Thermes de Spa, then the Radisson Blu Palace Hotel is the only place to stay. Uniquely, it offers direct access to the spa for guests, which means you don’t have to bother with public changing rooms – you can head to the baths in your dressing gown and slippers straight from your bedroom. At the spa, you can enjoy various indoor and outdoor thermal baths, Turkish baths, a sauna and jacuzzi. But be warned: while the hotel provides free bath towels and dressing gowns for guests, it doesn’t provide slippers, so bring your own if you want to avoid cold feet. Spa breaks with unlimited access to Les Thermes de Spa start from €126 per person per night.

www.radissonblu.com/palacehotel-spa

7 Plaisir d’Etre, Hombourg

Not content with helping guests puruse well-being, this country B&B is interested in the ‘pleasure of being’. Visitors can enjoy forest walks, horse-riding, golf and cycling on nearby RAVeL paths, and owner Anne-Marie Demonceau also happens to be a reiki master who offers massages (including chromotherapy), facials and sauna access. Situated in the meadows of the Herve countryside and full of rustic charm, Plaisir d’Etre is the perfect pitstop for any visit to the nearby Eastern Cantons. www.plaisirdetre.be

ADDRESSES

1. MANOIR DE LEBIOLES

Domaine de Lébioles, 4900 Spa tel 087.79.19.00

2. DOLCE LA HULPE

135 Chaussée de Bruxelles, 1310

La Hulpe, tel 02.290.98.00

3. D-HOTEL

1 Abdijmolenweg, 8510 Marke

tel 056.21.21.00

4. CHÂTEAU DES THERMES

9 Rue Hauster, 4050 Chaudfontaine, tel 043.67.80.67

5. LA DOMAINE DE LA CARRAUTERIE

11b Rue de la Station, 6470 Sautin, tel 060.45.53.52

6. RADISSON BLU PALACE HOTEL

39 Place Royale, 4900 Spa

tel 087.27.97.00

7. PLAISIR D’ÊTRE

122 Rue du Cheval Blanc, 4852 Hombourg, tel 087.74.05.27