Pezula Hotel Resort & Spa - a World Class Spa Reflecting the Local Environment

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. October 14, 2008

SOUTH AFRICA, NOvember 22, 2005. There are some spas that could be picked up and transported to another country and no-one would notice. Not so with the Pezula Resort Hotel Spa, however, which is highly integrated with its surrounding environment and the local products.

Pezula Resort Hotel & Spa is the newest luxury resort hotel in Africa; located high above the lagoon-side town of Knysna on the Western Cape's Garden Route. Officially opened in February this year (2005), the resort boasts an award-winning spa (recently awarded Best Spa in South Africa by Professional Beauty Awards 2005).

The spa is extensive, the size of five tennis courts, containing a heated pool and lounging area, a fully equipped state-of-the-art gymnasium, a sauna and steam room, nail bar and hair salon. The post treatment room has heated water beds that gently massage the entire body. Guests are encouraged to arrive at least one hour before appointments to make the most of the facilities and to relax before their spa experience. There are nine therapists in total, all of whom are South African.

The Pezula Resort Hotel spa caters for a variety of needs, offering medicinal treatments for conditions such as skin sun damage, acne, scar tissue or wrinkles, as well as an extensive spa menu of treatments designed purely to aid relaxation.

Essential oils are blended with extracts from the local fynbos to provide Pezula with its own range of products. Chosen for their anti-oxidant, curative and restorative properties, they provide a range of resources for use in treating and pampering guests. The Maruwa Collection includes African-inspired treatments, which took a year to research. Ingredients include mongongo oil (which has cell regeneration properties), baobab oil shea butter, Cape camomile, wild Aloe ferox, blue mountain sage and lavender. The Collection is named after the traditional and local Shona dialect's word for flowers.

Local produce is used in the signature treatments, which have been developed exclusively for the Spa by Lisa Smit. For example, the Muwuri Body Scrub uses sea salt and essential oils, the Daka Mud Body Wrap combines Buchu Fynbos, rich in medicinal properties, with clay and essential oils, and the Matombo Massage Treatment uses fynbos body salts.

The Signature Steam Room, where the Mhute Steam Treatment takes place, is clad with marble and mosaics, containing two heated marble slabs combined with mellow lighting. The Mhute Steam Treatment starts with an entire body scrub with Maruwa Body Exfoliator (grapeseed oil and apricot kernel-based scrub). After a short shower Maruwa Body Mud (fynbos and clay-based mud) is applied. Then the room fills with warm steam which locks in the moisturising vitamins and minerals from the mud.

The Phumla Massage incorporates African healing and uses body alignment techniques, deep stretches and muscle manipulation using Maruwa Shea Butter; it's great for people who like deep tissue therapy.

The Spa also offers a '12-step programme for skin abusers', the 105-min Dermalogica Stress Release Facial. After thorough cleansing, the skin is examined under a magnifying glass using the Dermalogica face mapping technique to identity problem areas and those needing preventative care, such as fine lines on forehead and dehydrated skin under eyes. An examination using a UV Woods Lamp then shows up any further skin damage that can't be seen by the naked eye. After the examination, the facial goes on to exfoliate, extract impurities and soothe the skin. Moisturising serum is applied and guests receive a facial massage working Dermalogica moisturiser into skin before the final touch of multi vitamin power firm cream for eye and lip areas is applied.

Pezula Resort Hotel & Spa comprises 78 suites in individual lodges, offering stunning views of the ocean or lagoon. All are fully equipped with a mini kitchen offering a fully stocked fridge and pantry, with homemade treats such as cookies, shortbread, biltong and crisps.

The hotel's restaurant, Zachary's, is headed up by executive chef Geoffrey Murray who uses local organic products to produce signature dishes, including prawn tartlet served with red onion reduction, sugar-cured salmon trout with fennel seed and star anise and white peppercorn cr`eme brul'ee. The restaurant is complemented with an excellent selection of over 5,000 bottles of both local and international wines.

Pezula Resort Hotel & Spa can be accessed by road along the scenic Garden Route from Cape Town. Daily flights connect Johannesburg and Cape Town to George Airport, just under an hour's drive from Knysna. Guests can also charter the hotel's private helicopter or eight-seater jet, which are available to transport guests to nearby attractions, golf courses and destinations further a-field in South Africa.

Day spa packages start from R650 (approx lb54) for the 2 1/2 hour Untamed African Melody, which includes the Maruwa Scrub with Vichy Shower, Jet Lag Recovery Hydrotherapy and Phumla Massage. Three and five-day packages are also available from R3100 (approx lb259) for the three-day Detox & Revitalizing Body and Mind treatment, including: lifestyle consultation; fitness assessment and nutritional consultation; two personal training sessions; Maruwa Salt Scrub; Vichy Shower; two Hydrotherapy Treatments (detox and slimming); three massage treatments (back, neck and shoulder, Phumla and Swedish Massages); Daka Mud Body Wrap; designer facial; Indian Head Massage; and conditioning hair treatment.