Video LoadingVideo UnavailableClick to playTap to playThe video will auto-play soon8CancelPlay nowThe relaxed feeling after a spa break usually stops as soon as we wheel our suitcases out of the hotel doors, so we were all for booking into a retreat that offers self-improvement beyond the stay’s length. Located on the sun-soaked south coast of Portugal in Algor, Longevity is a five-star wellness hotel that houses a world-class medical spa as well as a private hospital on its grounds. Here, adults can experience relaxation at its finest while also benefiting from both holistic and medical treatments tailored specifically to their needs. OK!’s Zoe checked herself in for a January detox to blitz away some of the festive season boozing and overindulging… A personalised approach to wellness
Longevity Health & Wellness Hotel’s pool area
(Image: Longevity)
Before heading to the spa, I was in touch with the concierge to decide on the best wellness package. The hotel offers specialised five to seven-night programmes centred around fitness, sleep optimisation, detoxification, weight loss, anti-ageing and cardio health. My main aim was to get to the root cause of some long-running gut issues and reduce stress, so I went for traditional wellness with a side of detoxification that resulted in being booked into 12 treatments including a nutritional consultation, cryotherapy, oxygen therapy, full body scrubs and wraps, and stress-reducing massages. Checking in
The hotel boasts 70 rooms
(Image: Longevity)
The hotel boasts 70 rooms, each minimally decorated with tones of white and grey. They also feature expansive bathrooms with rain showers, and each room has a private balcony. Mine had a calming ocean view where I liked to sit with a coffee and bathe in the morning sun. I also liked taking a trip up to the rooftop where there’s an infinity pool and a sun lounger area. The café, which serves a healthy buffet breakfast in the mornings and an à la carte dinner later in the day, is also open to serve coffee, kombucha and fresh juices throughout the day. To continue the theme of health, the gym located on the ground floor has everything you need to fit in a cardio or a weights session in between massages and mealtimes. Holistic healing therapies
Zoe tries out a cellulite-busting wrap
(Image: OK!)
What I loved most about the stay was being able to try out those integrative medicinal treatments. Cryotherapy had me standing for two minutes in a chamber that reached -110℃ and left me feeling wide awake. I also spent a lovely 30 minutes sweating out all the pre-Christmas booze from our system in the Iyashi Domme pod, which allows you to burn up to 600 calories per session. As for the massages, I found heaven on a floating bed in the 60-minute hot shells massage: a full-body treatment aimed at easing deep muscle tension. Spa sanctuary
Longevity has state-of-the-art treatment rooms
(Image: Longevity)
In between treatments, I carried on the experience of unparalleled bliss in the hotel’s spa. With state-of-the-art treatment rooms, heated pools, an Epsom salt room, sensation showers, a Hamman, an infra-red sauna and an ice foundation, there’s enough to keep you busy for days on end. I loved taking our book down to sit and read on the heated stone loungers, where the only source of pressure was deciding what to have for dinner that coming night. A taste of transformation
The brownie was crafted with a gut-friendly mix of fruit, oats, nuts and dark chocolate
(Image: OK!)
The menu at Longevity is functional but with a tasty twist
(Image: OK!)
The menu at Longevity is functional but with a tasty twist. The chefs make sure there are options to suit all dietary needs and find inventive ways to make delicious mains like lasagna, Caesar salad and burgers rich in bioactive compounds and anti-inflammatory components. I found myself repeatedly ordering the brownie for dessert, which was crafted with a gut-friendly mix of fruit, oats, nuts and dark chocolate. Of course, you don’t have to stay within the compound for meals. I chose to venture out one evening to the small town of Alvor just a 10-minute drive away. I can highly recommend checking out the A Lota D´Alvor restaurant, which serves incredible seafood and tapas-style starters. Book it Zoe’s Essential Detox Programme – a holistic health break designed to cleanse the gastrointestinal, visceral, and lymphatic systems – starts from £2,495 per person for five nights here via the Wellness Holiday Boutique. You can also book the rooms with breakfast and spa access here via Booking.com, with prices starting from £119 per night. Flights to Faro International Airport run year-round from all major UK airports and can be booked from £52 return here.Story SavedYou can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.Follow OK! MagazineFacebookTwitterMore OnTravelBeauty
