The personal stories from our guests say so much more!

We are two sisters from Amsterdam, Anouk (29 and pregnant) and Sophie (31). This was our first wellness holiday and it seemed like a wonderful chance to spend some quality and relaxing time together to enjoy our SISter band before Anouk's first child is born. We were looking for a nice, quiet and beautiful place to be pampered far from the bustling city life so decided upon Shanti Som Wellbeing Retreat in southern Spain.

In the middle of all the greenery, palm trees and hills, and far from the smoke of Malaga & Marbella, lies the beautiful Shanti Som. Upon arrival we were immediately greeted with a friendly personal chat, a tour through the chic retreat and the massages & treatment options were explained while we enjoyed a welcome drink. A great start!

With just 14 rooms, each named after a heart-warming element, Shanti-Som has a very exclusive atmosphere, tastefully decorated with soft tones and using natural materials. Our room had a private terrace with sun beds where we were able to hideaway if we felt like it, while enjoying a cup of tea that we were able to prepare ourselves in the room. The Ritual bathroom products are such a treat, so you can mimic the whole spa experience in your own room under the enormous rain shower.

Our stay was short so we really wanted to get the most out of it, so decided to combine a healthy yoga break with our wellness trip. We enjoyed the Yoga classes under professional guidance which was slightly modified for the pregnant Anouk so that she was able to go at her own pace.

But the highlight without doubt were the amazing treatments! Sophie enjoyed a scrub and came back with super soft skin and the firm and loosening deep tissue massage made her feel completely rejuvenated! For Anouk there was a wonderful relaxing massage with a real 'mommy to be' package. What a treat!

We also loved the food! The cuisine is Asian / Middle Eastern Fusion and the dishes are prepared with as many local, organic seasonal products as possible. There is a lot of choice, including plenty of vegetarian and vegan options. The only disappointment was that the kitchen was only open at set times, so it's good to take this into account.

The spa facilities are not very extensive; there is a sauna and a Turkish steam bath. These have to be requested in advance so you cannot spontaneously walk in unfortunately. As we had already planned a number of massages & yoga classes, it was not a big deal for us. Thanks to the lovely Spanish climate we preferred to stay by the swimming pool or on the sunbeds!

We really enjoyed out stay and it was a real treat to be pampered like this! We can recommend it to everyone; lovers of life, rest-seekers, health lovers and also active people (did we already mention that you can also enjoy the surrounding nature with walks or hikes?) - alone or accompanied.

We had a wonderful time thanks to the super hospitable & friendly staff, the serene environment and pampering meant that we returned home fully charged. For us a first, but certainly not the last! It was not cheap, but complete and Zen-feeling guaranteed!

By: SISters Anouk (29, pregnant) and Sophie (31) from Amsterdam

Hi, I´m Susan. I’m 57 years old from Scotland. I was already familiar with juicing, having done five other juicing weeks previously, mainly since 2016. My yoga experience was limited to my juicing weeks, rather than a regular practice. Since August 2017, with a combination of juicing, healthy eating and an unhealthy dose of stress thrown in, I have lost 4 stone in weight. However, in the four months before this retreat, I had had no work life balance and had gained 12lbs so I wanted to nip it in the bud and reboot. I deliberated whether to chose Aleid and Doby’s retreat or return to the juicing holidays I know. I was interested in the vegetarian diet and the fact that they offer a mind and body detox but, as this would be a mix of juice and vegetarian solid food, I doubted whether I would see the dramatic body change that normally comes with a week of pure juicing.

However, SIS provided me with excellent information about the retreat and I was able to chat to Aleid on the phone before making my decision and so I decided to give it a go…. and loved it!! Aleid and Doby are a beautiful couple and very welcoming. Their house is very comfortable and in a stunning location. I had a hire car and enjoyed the fact that there was some downtime to explore the local area. The programme was flexible, and the food was lovely. Aleid is a fantastic yoga teacher – she really takes the time to break each move down and talk through the mechanics of it. I would perhaps have liked to do more yoga instead of the counselling sessions but that was a personal experience and the other two guests got a lot out of their sessions. The location was perfect and easy to spend time on your own or with the other guests. We spent time exploring, swimming in the harbour and off the rocks at one of the local terraces. We took the bikes out to the nearby beach. And Doby gave a great massage!

I was also surprised how easy the intermittent fasting was. We were able to do normal things on one of the fasting evenings – a bit of retail therapy, visit a cocktail bar and still stick to the fast with just a sparkling mineral water although we were surrounded by food and drink.

The results were great! I have come away with an eating plan that I feel is totally sustainable in the long term. I was surprised to see that I had lost 5lbs as I felt I had eaten quite a lot of food.

I learnt so much from this retreat. Since I´ve returned home, I am unconsciously choosing healthy options and am determined to continue to follow a mainly plant based diet with a little fish. I see a change in my body shape and am happy to report my clothes are back to being comfortable and I  dropped a further 4lbs over the next week. I am also continuing with yoga – at the moment just a few moves at home, but I am looking for a class.

I would recommend this type of holiday to everyone! I can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t benefit. I already have a few friends looking into it, I hope you pay commission lol ;-)

Last but not least, I would like to add that the week totally surpassed my expectations and I know the benefits will be long-lasting. I think the combination of the retreat and being in a location where you can also get out and enjoy local life set me up for coming home. The other retreats I have done have been locked away in a resort and going out into the “real world” and re-introducing food into everyday life was sometimes a bit daunting as I didn’t leave knowing how to eat going forward.

I look forward to going back to Aleid and Doby sometime!!

My name is Helma. Around 16th June 2018 I read an article in a magazine (Dutch Libelle) about a detox treatment that someone had done in Turkey - I was immediately interested and I thought, "This is exactly what I need right now". I started looking for a detox program and came across GEM Wellness & Spa on the SIS website, with a very attractive offer. I was lucky, there was a room and flight available at very short notice for a 7 night stay, exactly what I had in mind, I booked both immediately, great!

The reason I wanted it so much was pretty simple: over a period of say 5-6 months (basically: from Christmas) I had eaten and drank too much. As a result, I had become "chubby", my weight was in my way, I was too heavy (80.5 kg). All that alcohol did not do me any good either, I did not feel at home in my own body. So, I decided that a fresh start towards a better and healthier life was needed - and from the very first day of arrival I knew that GEM was the right choice: everyone was very friendly and nice to me, all the staff were fantastic! They were not only real professionals, but also very charming and helpful, they did everything to guide, comfort and support me.

The intake interview with Dr. Vanessa Tenedor was a huge eye-opener! She had a pleasant and open approach, and immediately pointed out what is relevant and important for me to change my lifestyle. She took several measurements, and she also gave me a "life-changing" diet plan - a new way of "nutrition", which has worked fantastically until now. Very healthy, lots of exercise and easy to follow. From the original 80.5 kg I now weigh 73 kg and I think I will lose more weight in the close future.

I can be brief but powerful about the program: I found everything fantastic and I really enjoyed it, the detox juice in the morning, the walking and sports, all wellness (aquagym, salt peeling, massages, ultra tone - 1 of my favourites) to all the other beautiful things that I encountered.

The hotel was great, the room was simple but very comfortable and the service fantastic. Once in the evening, returning from the beach, I watched as the beautiful moon came out and I looked back with satisfaction on my first detox experience at Gem Wellness & Spa.

Now back home I go for a half hour walk every morning as a warm-up for the exercises that Ruth Betancourt gave me. It only takes one and a half hours before breakfast and I have made it my morning routine, which I enjoy to the fullest.

For me GEM was a highlight, everything about my experience was just perfect. I intend to come back next year, the same time, the same place, the same period and the same detox program.

I have already recommended GEM to several acquaintances and friends who, like me, want to change their lifestyle. Perhaps next year I will take along some of my friends, I would like to see this detox week become an annual event for me!

I am Laïs van Niel (23 years old), international model, influencer and freelance journalist. I had often heard of Detox vacations, and the idea really appealed to me: a few days away from all the stresses and pressures of everyday life, enjoying the sun with a healthy diet. What´s not to love right? Still, I found it a difficult step to actually book a Detox holiday. I didn´t really know exactly what was involved and the idea of going on vacation alone was also very exciting/ quite daunting!

After some research I ended up by chance at SIS. The team at SIS then helped me choose a destination that matched my wishes. In view of the hustle and bustle of my job where I spend a lot of time abroad, I often don´t really enjoy 'rest'. When I take a vacation, with friends or family, I often return more tired than when I left. That was definitely not the intention this time. I really wanted to completely relax and come back equipped with more knowledge of a healthy diet and generally feeling healthier.

Via SIS I decided upon Cegonha Longevity in Portugal. A country club that focuses on wellness and health. Cegonha Longevity offers various programs. On seeing the options, the 'Detox program' attracted me the most. This 5-day Detox program was dedicated to relaxation, exercise and health. By means of a 3-day juice cure your body is cleansed and you kick off sugar and carbohydrate cravings. I once had done a juice cure in the Netherlands, but I found it really difficult. In Portugal my experience was completely different. The chefs at Longevity prepare fresh juices, smoothies and soups for you all day, which are really no punishment. In addition, Longevity offers activities such as Yoga, Pilates, walks and bike rides. Activities that help you relax even more and also burn the necessary calories. Included in my package were some fantastic massages and a Detox bodywrap, my personal favourite!

At the end of my 5-day stay I felt super relaxed, what´s more the nutritionist at Longevity gave me a schedule to continue my healthy lifestyle at home. I have lost 3 kilos and feel reborn.

When it comes to going on holiday alone, this was actually very nice. The staff at Longevity are so incredibly friendly, they do everything they can to make your stay completely perfect. In addition, most people come alone on this type of holiday which makes it easy to make contact with other guests, so you can sometimes eat together or take a trip to one of the local markets. So I did not really feel alone and at the times when I chose to be on my own, it was wonderful! You can completely focus on yourself and there are no obligations. Ultimate relaxation and highly recommended!

During my search on the internet for a coaching holiday I came across many different options, so then it was quite difficult to choose! However the quick response from SIS and the friendly communication gave me a good feeling from the start. We had telephone contact and this was a very pleasant conversation where you came across very friendly and personally involved. I followed your advice for a yoga retreat with Aleid and Doby and did not regret it for a moment, on the contrary I would recommend this retreat to everyone.

This was my very first Yoga and coaching retreat so I didn´t really know what to expect. Upon arrival I was warmly welcomed by Doby and immediately felt very welcome and at ease. Aleid and Doby are very sweet people, very warm and welcoming. Everything is allowed, nothing is required. Doby prepares very nice, special, delicious (vegetarian) dishes, which I enjoyed very much. The Yoga in the morning was very relaxing (we even went once to the beach for a yoga session) and my coaching sessions with Aleid really paid off. The week flew by and I was so glad that in my situation, where I had some important life questions to consider, that I decided to spend a week with Aleid and Doby. It has brought me such a lot!

Thank you very much SIS for helping me to find this retreat. Thank you for the hamam towel and your personal note upon arrival, it was a nice surprise. Keep this up, because these types of gestures and your personal approach is what makes SIS so special!!