Spa of the Week: Bodyna Spa at Hospes Maricel & Spa, Mallorca

Sitting in the quiet bay of Cas Català, Hospes Maricel & Spa is a tranquil escape five miles from Palma’s city centre. 

The Mallorcan flagship of the Hospes group, which owns 10 boutique hotels in Spain, Hospes Maricel is the epitome of tasteful luxury, with a stunning facade of grand sandstone arches that can be spotted from miles away. 

The five-star waterfront hideaway is one of the most highly regarded hotels in Palma, and entirely deserving of its praise. But it’s the hotel’s Bodyna Spa that’s the star attraction. 

Famous for:

Amongst the Maricel’s signature arches, you can’t help but feel connected to the natural elements of stone, wood, air and sea. The Bodyna Spa has designed an entirely immersive experience drawing on these elements which leaves you feeling purified in the body, mind and soul.  

Tucked behind the hotel’s Palace building, the spa has a more modern feel than the rest of the hotel, fusing contemporary architecture with elegant Spanish touches and floor-to-ceiling windows that maximise on natural light. Though modest in size, the spa boasts both an indoor and outdoor pool, a Jacuzzi, rain shower, Hammam steam room and sauna. There are relaxation beds aplenty by the pool, on the grassy terrace and in the Solarium. If you’re partial to a pre-spa workout, there’s also a gym. 

Massages and wellness treatments are the speciality here, inspired by healing rituals from different parts of the world and using products from American brand Sublime Beauty.

The Treatment:

Hoping to de-stress and rejuvenate after a busy work week, I opted for the 70-minute Sublime Purity immersion treatment, 139€ (£120). Available to both men and women, the treatment is inspired by Polynesian wellness rituals and focusses on head-to-toe purifying.

My visit started off with a heavenly fifteen minutes in the Hammam steam room where I was left to relax before my treatment. Pure bliss. Like the sauna, the Hammam room is dinky in size which could make for an awkward experience with strangers. Luckily, I had the spa mostly to myself. 

After this I was led to a private massage cabin for the 70-minute treatment. A unique feature of the Bodyna Spa is the massage water beds, which give a relaxing floating sensation.

My treatment started with a Moroccan Rassoul Cream Wrap and ‘Anma’ Japanese scalp massage which helped decompress any tension I had. When washing off the Rassoul cream in the room’s rain shower, I already noticed my skin felt incredibly soft and refreshed.  

A 30-minute Polynesian massage was the ace card of the day. Utilising techniques inspired by Lomi-Lomi, it involves long, continuous movements using the forearms and sides of the hands.  

To finish, a ‘Five Flowers of Bali’ hydrating facial left my skin supple and deliciously dewy. 

After my treatment I luxuriated with a herbal tea in the sunny Solarium, enjoying the views out to sea. 

Verdict:

The treatment left me feeling incredibly relaxed and with glowing skin. The staff took extreme care in personalising the service to suit my needs and left me to enjoy the spa’s relaxation areas before and after my treatment.

For an all-inclusive visit and top-to-toe treatment, the Hospes Maricel spa is excellent value. 

I’d recommend treating yourself to a glass of cava on the hotel’s lounge terrace to conclude your visit with a spectacular ocean view.

You’ll leave feeling…

Completely nourished from head-to-toe. All of my muscle tenison melted away, and I left the spa with a clear mind and brightened complexion to boot.  

Sublime Purity Immersion Treatment at Hospes Maricel & Spa, 70 minutes, 139€ (£120) 

hospes.com