Desert paradise

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Hylton Lipkin, director of spa, Banyan Tree Desert Resort & Spa, Al Areen; Hydrothermal pool at the Al Areen spa.

The first Banyan Tree in the region has already been recognised as a global trendsetter. Director of spa at the Bahraini resort, Hylton Lipkin, explains the reasons why.

Banyan Tree Desert Resort & Spa, Al Areen in Bahrain will celebrate its first anniversary this month. As Banyan Tree's largest spa and home to several ‘firsts' for the internationally-acclaimed group, plus the proud owner of several industry accolades, the resort certainly has plenty to celebrate.

Within its first year of operation, Banyan Tree Al Areen has already been awarded the Gala Spa Award for Best Luxury Hotel City/Resort from German magazine Gala, been named by Elite Traveler as one of the 101 most exquisite hotel suites and villas in the world and highlighted by Spa Finder as offering a fantastic example of a spa "super experience" in its 2008 Annual Trends report.

Here, the resort's director of spa Hylton Lipkin outlines what sets Banyan Tree apart from other leaders in the industry, while Banyan Tree group director of rooms and area general manager for Bahrain and Abu Dhabi, Sami Ayari, reveals the company's future plans for the region.

Creating a super spa experience

Lipkin entered the spa industry with Mandara Spa around eight years ago before taking up the role with Banyan Tree last June, following an earlier career as an international fitness presenter.

"I made contact with the spa industry at Asia Fit in Hong Kong - that's where I saw the link between wellness and spa," he says.

The relationship between health, fitness, wellbeing and spa that was so obvious to Lipkin is also apparent within the leisure facilities at Banyan Tree Al Areen.

The property features four key wellness attractions: a 10,000m² spa with 12 private double treatment pavilions; a Hydrothermal Garden offering a range of hot and cold cabins and experience showers; a Garden Hammam, said to be one of the largest hammams in the world; and a health club with a mixed gym, ladies-only gym, studios, a kids' club and indoor and outdoor swimming pools.

A health club membership fuses the fitness and spa facilities with full access to the gym, studios and pools, plus unlimited use of the Hydrothermal Garden and Garden Hammam (with a reservation) and 12 treatments - one a month for a year.

"It's all one and the same; it's all about looking after yourself. Whether cleaning out the pores of your face through a facial or sweating it out in an exercise class, feeling good and making yourself healthy is the same thing," says Lipkin.

"In our case, the facilities are all located under one roof. It's a full-on holistic experience where you can do the class, have the massage and sweat it out in the steamroom.

The Hydrothermal Garden - equipped by Hydrotherm - and the Garden Hammam are a first for Banyan Tree and the reason for Spa Finder's recognition of the Al Areen resort.

Both facilities are key to offering guests a full spa experience, says Lipkin.

"Everything about Banyan Tree is an experience - it's not just about coming in for a massage; it's having a massage experience," he says.

"A Banyan Tree experience should be the same everywhere you go in the world.

"We have certain touch points that should mean each experience is the same," continues Lipkin.

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