Lifestyle

Lifestyle

Celluma DELUX: The Science of Light

The Anti-Inflammatory Science behind LED Therapy

Celluma DELUX takes LED therapy out of the facial-treatment room and turns it into a full-body proposition. The flexible panel uses three wavelengths – blue at 465nm, red at 640nm and near-infrared at 880nm – with different programmes for acne, ageing skin and pain. It is the anti-inflammatory side of the technology, however, that makes the strongest case for attention. At Young LDN in Notting Hill, the 60-minute treatment (30 minutes each side) begins with skin cleansing and a vigorous facial massage to stimulate circulation, followed by targeted LED therapy over the face before the larger Celluma DELUX blanket is positioned over the body. It is painless and requires no downtime; skin may simply appear briefly flushed afterwards. The experience is almost disarmingly passive: lie down, close your eyes and let light do the work. The science is photobiomodulation. Red and near-infrared light are absorbed by cellular photoreceptors, with research focusing particularly on mitochondrial signalling. Changes in cellular energy production and signalling pathways can modulate inflammatory responses, helping to explain why photobiomodulation has been investigated for wound healing, pain and inflammatory conditions. Celluma DELUX...

Lifestyle

Bürgenstock: Wellness Above the Clouds

Taking Wellness to New Heights

Set 500 metres above Lake Lucerne, Bürgenstock wellness resort occupies a 60-hectare mountain estate reached by electric catamaran and historic funicular. By the time guests arrive on Bürgenberg mountain, Lucerne feels distant: the air is cooler, the horizon wider and the pace much slower. At the centre of the resort is the Bürgenstock Alpine Spa, […]

Lifestyle

Time Under Pressure

Liam Whaley Puts Micromilspec to the Test

The alliance between Liam Whaley and Micromilspec is based on a very convincing point of contact: time under pressure. Whaley has spent more than a decade at the sharp end of competitive kitesurfing. The Spanish rider became freestyle world champion in 2015 and has twice reached the Red Bull King of the Air podium. In […]

Lifestyle, Toys

Time & Terroir: An Evening of Watches and Wine

Five Pairings Built on Craft, Character and Provenance

There are few things watch collectors enjoy more than being able to handle a watch away from the display case, and few things wine lovers enjoy more than tasting something with a story behind it. Bringing the two together was the idea behind an intimate evening hosted by I-M Inquisitive Minds with Mentzendorff in the private room at Watches of Switzerland, Regent Street.

The format was deliberately small. Around the table sat watch collectors, wine lovers and a few guests who comfortably belonged to both camps. I-M’s Watch Editor Andrew Hildreth led the horological side of the evening, while wine expert and Bollinger ambassador Alexandra Beesley talked us through the bottles. Editor-in-Chief Julia Pasarón joined them in guiding the conversation, which soon became less about tasting notes or technical specifications and more about why certain houses seemed to make sense together.

From the far left anti clockwise: Julia Pasarón with guests Jonathan Franklin, Craig Jones, Maximus Jones, Preet Mangat and Dr Alba Pereira. On the right, Bollinger ambassador Alexandra Beesley with I-M Inquisitive Minds’ Watch Editor, Andrew Hildreth, and guest Ashwani Aggarwal.

HUBLOT & CHAMPAGNE AYALA BRUT NATURE

We began with Hublot and Champagne Ayala Brut Nature. It was an energetic opening, and not just because of the Champagne. Hublot built its reputation by challenging watchmaking convention, famously pairing gold with rubber and later embracing materials such as ceramic and carbon fibre. Ayala’s Brut Nature comes from a different world, but shares some of that instinct. With no dosage to soften the wine after disgorgement, there is nowhere for the fruit or winemaking to hide. The pairing felt clean, direct and slightly rebellious.

Maximus and Craig Jones with Julia Pasarón

Left, Maximus Jones, Craig Jones and I-M Editor-in-Chief Julia Pasarón during the evening. On the right, our guest Preet Mangat. Centre: Hublot and Ayala are a pairing built around independence and challenging convention.

VACHERON CONSTANTIN & BOLLINGER LA GRANDE ANNÉE ROSÉ 2018

From there, the mood shifted towards history. Vacheron Constantin was paired with Bollinger La Grande Année Rosé 2018, two houses whose reputations have been built over generations. As the wine opened in the glass, Beesley explained the painstaking methods that Bollinger continues to preserve, including hand riddling and hand disgorgement. Hildreth drew the connection to Vacheron Constantin’s own hand-finishing and technical ambition. Both could modernise more aggressively if they wished. The point is that they choose not to compromise where it matters.

Vacheron Constantin and Bollinger Champagne

Dr Alba Pereira trying a Vacheron Constantin Overseas at the I-M Magazine event Time & Terroir at Watches of Switzerland

Bollinger La Grande Année Rosé 2018 alongside the Vacheron Constantin Overseas in yellow gold and Traditionnelle; Dr Alba Pereira gets a closer look at the Overseas during the evening.

MB&F & AKITU PINOT NOIR BLANC 2021

MB&F and Akitu Pinot Noir Blanc 2021 brought the evening back to experimentation. MB&F treats watchmaking as kinetic art, creating machines that happen to tell the time rather than watches that simply perform a function. Akitu approaches Pinot Noir with a similarly inquisitive mindset. By separating the clear juice from the grape skins, the Central Otago producer reveals an unexpected side of a variety we think we know. Even the label asks to be handled and turned before it can properly be read. It was perhaps the evening’s most playful pairing, and one that generated plenty of conversation around the table.

Akitu Pinot Noir Blanc 2021 alongside MB&F’s Legacy Machine 101 Steel Blue and Legacy Machine Perpetual in steel. An unconventional pairing united by a shared instinct to look at familiar forms very differently.

PATEK PHILIPPE & BODEGAS RODA RESERVA 2021

Patek Philippe and Bodegas Roda Reserva 2021 followed. Here, the connection was precision. Patek Philippe’s reputation rests on mechanical knowledge, intricate complications and extraordinary attention to detail. Roda has applied the same forensic curiosity to Tempranillo, identifying hundreds of clones and selecting only a small number for propagation. In the glass, the wine had the composure one might expect from the pairing. Nothing shouted. Everything seemed considered.

Roni Madhvani and Ash Aggarwal at I-M Magazine event, Time & Terroir

Roni Madhvani and Ashwani Aggarwal admiring a Patek Philippe World Time. Roda’s study of 552 Tempranillo clones mirrors Patek Philippe’s pursuit of technical complexity, with both achieving an understated elegance through attention to the smallest detail.

JAEGER-LECOULTRE KLEIN CONSTANTIA VIN DE CONSTANCE 2022

The final combination changed the pace completely. Jaeger-LeCoultre was matched with Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 2022, the evening’s sweet wine. Jaeger-LeCoultre is often called the watchmaker’s watchmaker, with more than a thousand movements and a history of supplying calibres to some of Switzerland’s greatest maisons. Vin de Constance has its own remarkable lineage, having been sought after by European royalty and aristocracy for centuries. Its production is equally exacting, with repeated passes through the vineyard so grapes can be picked at the right stage of dehydration. Rich, concentrated and still lifted by acidity, it made for a memorable close.

The evening comes to a close with Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 2022 and Jaeger-LeCoultre, as I-M Inquisitive Minds Editor-in-Chief Julia Pasarón joins guest Jonathan Franklin, with Roni Madhvani and Ashwani Aggarwal applauding the final pairing.

By the end, the watches had moved around the table, glasses had been refilled and the original pairings had sparked arguments, agreements and several new favourites. That was really the point of Time & Terroir. Watches and wine do not need to be matched in any literal sense. What connects them is the pleasure of looking more closely: at provenance, technique, patience, personality and the decisions that turn something well made into something worth remembering.

Author: Julia Pasarón

WHERE TO FIND THESE WINES:

Ayala Brut Nature: Champagne Direct UK
Bollinger La Grande Année Rosé 2018: The Finest Bubble
Akitu Pinot Noir Blanc 2021: Master of Malt
Roda Reserva 2021: Majestic
Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 2022: Berry Bros & Rudd

Lifestyle

Nikki Beach Marbella

The Mediterranean Ritual That Never Gets Old

There is no question that Nikki Beach Marbella is much more than a beach club, it is a true insitution of the Costa del Sol. Since opening in 2003, it has become synonymous with a very special kind of Spanish summer: white Balinese beds spread across the sand, palms framing the Mediterranean and a crowd who know that lunch here can very easily turn into an entire afternoon.

The Nikki Beach formula, born in Miami in 1998 under founders Jack and Lucia Penrod and now found in destinations from Saint-Tropez to Dubai, follows a recognisable blueprint: striking design, ambitious food and fabulous music.

In Marbella, occupying a prime stretch of the Costa del Sol beachfront, it has also developed a character of its own over the years.

A cabana for chilling out and a pool bed with the Mediterranean beyond are two of the most inviting ways to enjoy a day at Nikki Beach Marbella.

A Menu That Crosses Continents

The menu at Nikki Beach Marbella moves happily between the Mediterranean and Asia, with a few other influences appearing along the way. The watermelon and feta salad is a good example. Juicy cubes of watermelon and creamy feta come with lemon and Thai basil sorbet, while a light smokiness adds another layer to the fruit. It is fresh, colourful and exactly the sort of dish you want on a hot day by the sea.

The sea bass tiradito takes things in a different direction. Cured with beetroot and red berries, it is served over sweet potato purée with passion fruit tiger’s milk. Peruvian technique meets Mediterranean produce in a dish that arrives looking almost too pretty to eat. Then comes a tempura roll with sauce and a crunchy crumble, a nod to the Nikkei cooking that features across Nikki Beach’s international menus.

Tagliatelle with prawns brings Italy into the picture: fresh pasta, a rich tomato sauce and a whole prawn taking centre stage. Even the homemade bread gets its own little flourish, with pieces of candied orange baked into the dough. It is a small detail, but one that says a great deal about the kitchen.

Dessert is a classic tiramisu, finished with a delicate chocolate cocoa leaf and presented in a bowl resting on coffee beans. It sums up the Nikki Beach approach rather neatly: taste and presentation are given as much attention as the other.

Watermelon and feta salad | Nikki Beach Marbella

Sea bass tiradito at Nikki Beach Marbella

A Nikki Beach Marbella, the menu sails through the Mediterranean and goes beyond the silk route, with influences from a miriad of cuisines. Here L-R: Watermelon and feta salad, sea bass tiradito and tagliatelle with prawns.

The drinks offering is equally broad, with an extensive wine list alongside a strong selection of signature cocktails. Among them is the Hakuna Matata, made with Bacardí white and reserve rums, Aperol, passion fruit and orgeat. It is worth mentioning that 20 percent of the profits from it go to Orphan’s Dreams, supporting vulnerable children in Kenya.

Service That Makes You Stay Longer

The service deserves a mention of its own. The team is attentive without hovering, and the meal unfolds at a relaxed pace. Clearly, they want you to enjoy, to stay for as long as you please. Recommendations come directly from the chef, there is no rush between courses and you feel looked after without constantly being reminded that you are being looked after.

Perhaps that is the real luxury of Nikki Beach Marbella. The setting certainly helps, as does the food, but it is the way everything comes together that makes the experience so special: the service, the music, the midday light bouncing off the Mediterranean and the inevitable temptation to order one more drink and stay a little longer.

More information and reservations, HERE.

Author: Lina Ress

Other luxury beach clubs recently reviewed by I-M Inquisitive Minds, include Dolce&Gabbana DG Resort at Hotel Cala di Volpe, Ocean Club Marbella, and Sirene by Gaia Dubai.

Lead image: composite from photography supplied by Nikki Beach Hospitality Group. All other images courtesy of Nikki Beach Hospitality Group.

Lifestyle

Dolce&Gabbana DG Resort at Hotel Cala di Volpe

Italian Summer Dressed in Maiolica Gialla

Dolce&Gabbana’s DG Resort returns to Hotel Cala di Volpe for summer 2026, turning it into a living extension of the luxury maison’s world. This time, the house brings its Maiolica Gialla print to the two terraces of the Atrium Bar, one of the most recognisable gathering places on the Costa Smeralda. Expect decorated cabanas, hand-painted vases and a pop-up store offering summer clothing and accessories.

Cala di Volpe is a clever stage for it. Opened in 1963 and designed by Jacques Couëlle, the hotel was conceived as part of the original Costa Smeralda dream, a place where architecture, landscape and international society came together around Sardinia’s wild north-eastern coastline. Marriott’s own history of the hotel mentions it as the first primary structure of the Costa Smeralda, built overlooking the bay of the same name, with Couëlle preferring to see himself as a “sculptor of houses” rather than a conventional architect.

Dolce&Gabbana DG Resort at Hotel Cala di Volpe

Dolce&Gabbana has been refining this resort language for several summers. In 2024, DG Resort projects appeared across seven destinations, including St Tropez, Portofino, Marbella, Taormina, the Hamptons and Cala di Volpe itself, each dressed in a house print such as Carretto Siciliano, Verde Maiolica or Blu Mediterraneo. At Cala di Volpe, that earlier takeover used Carretto Siciliano; for 2026, Maiolica Gialla feels warmer, lighter and more directly tied to the heat of an Italian summer.

The Maiolica print has become one of Dolce&Gabbana’s most recognisable codes. Inspired by Sicilian ceramics, it carries the brand’s familiar conversation between craft, ornament and southern Italian memory. Dolce&Gabbana describes the Maiolica motif as a homage to Sicily’s historical heritage and Italian craftsmanship, and without a doubt, it has become among the house’s most iconic visual signatures.

At Cala di Volpe, the yellow version makes sense. Against the blue of the bay and the pale stone of the hotel, Maiolica Gialla brings in sun, citrus, ceramic glaze and a certain vintage glamour. It is not subtle, but Cala di Volpe was never about anonymity. It is about drama, lunch turning into dinner and the pleasure of being somewhere everyone remembers.

Author: Lina Ress

Lifestyle

Jo Malone’s Restorative Ritual at AIRE Ancient Baths

A Fragrant Escape Beneath the City

Hidden beneath the bustle of Covent Garden, AIRE Ancient Baths London feels less like a spa and more like a time portal. Set within historic buildings on Robert Street, once associated with J.M. Barrie and the world of Peter Pan, the facilities are designed to recreate the atmosphere and thermal progressions of a classic Roman bathhouse. The result is a candlelit, almost monastic world of water, steam, silence and scent. For those unfamiliar with AIRE, the experience is built around a circuit of baths at varying temperatures, from hot and warm pools to cold plunges, steam rooms and salt-water floating, all designed to slow the body down and bring the mind with it.

The Restorative Ritual by Jo Malone London is an elegant collaboration with the British fragrance house, using its new Care Collection, inspired by bathing traditions and sensorial skincare. The ritual begins with time in the thermal baths, where heat, cold, water pressure and steam work together to release physical tension and encourage a sense of reset. The Caldarium helps soften the muscles, the Frigidarium stimulates body and mind, while the Vaporium surrounds you in eucalyptus-scented steam. In the Flotarium, a concentrated salt bath, you feel almost weightless, which, together with the silence, helps your cortisol levels drop.

Jo Malone Restorative Ritual at AIRE Ancient Baths

The treatment itself starts on warm marble beds with a full-body exfoliation using Jo Malone’s Restore Body Treatment Scrub, a sugar scrub rich in natural oils and fragranced with honey, clove and nutmeg that leaves the skin as soft as a baby’s. The second part is a 60-minute massage with Restore Body Oil, a blend of jasmine, neroli and rosehip essential oils, enriched with primrose and almond oils, leaving the skin nourished, soft and luminous.

Beyond its obvious indulgence, the ritual has a persuasive wellbeing logic. Alternating temperatures can help stimulate circulation and reduce inflammation, steam may support easier breathing and relaxation, and massage is widely valued for easing muscular tension and reducing stress. Add fragrance, touch and darkness, and the result is a deeply restorative pause from London life.

This is wellness at its most civilised: none of the punitive rigour, all about sensuality and restoration.

150 min | £300
Jo Malone Restorative Ritual
AIRE Baths & Spa London
Discover more about this ritual and make your booking, HERE.

Author: Julia Pasarón

Lifestyle

Conquering the Dunes

The First All-Female British Team to Take on the Dakar Rally

What does it really take to complete the Dakar Rally? Not glamour, not bravado, but stamina, nerve and the kind of determination that keeps going when the body, the machine and the odds are all working against you. In the new Spring issue of I-M Inquisitive Minds, Simon de Burton tells the extraordinary story of Helen Tait-Wright and Marcella Kirk, the first all-female British team to take on the world’s toughest off-road race.

Their vehicle was not a gleaming purpose-built machine backed by a major sponsor, but a 38-year-old Land Rover Defender bought on eBay and prepared with limited means for an 8,000-kilometre test across some of the harshest terrain on earth. What followed was far more than a race. It was a punishing trial of endurance involving fire, punctures, breakdowns, illness, injury and the constant pressure of trying to stay in the game against professional teams with vastly greater resources.

And yet, that is precisely what makes this story so gripping. Helen and Marcella are not cast as untouchable sporting icons, but as two women with an audacious idea, a huge appetite for risk and the resilience to keep moving forward when failure would have been entirely understandable. Their story is thrilling because it is so precarious and inspiring because it is so hard won.

Helen Tait-Wright and Marcella Kirk Dakar Rally 2026

L-R: Helen and Marcella at the start line of the Dakar Rally 2026; being towed out of the sand ruts; and standing proud, at the finish podium.

This feature is about motorsport, of course, but also about courage, partnership and the reality of chasing an improbable ambition all the way to the finish line. It captures the physical brutality of Dakar, the emotional cost of getting there and the quiet force of two competitors who refused to be defined by expectation.

To read the full story of this unforgettable challenge — and the women who took it on — order your copy of the new Spring issue of I-M Inquisitive Minds, available NOW.

Lifestyle

Rolex Greenroom at the Oscars 2026

Celebrating Cinema and Craftmanship

At the 98th Oscars, taking place on 15 March 2026, Rolex continues its partnership with the Academy as proud sponsor of the Greenroom, a private backstage retreat at the Oscars, reserved for the ceremony’s key talent to relax and unwind as the show progresses.

Although some form of backstage “green room” at the Oscars can be traced back all the way to the late 1980s, it wasn’t until Rolex took over in 2016 that it became a true oasis of privacy, strictly for participants.

The Awards ceremony itself is seriously restricted. Only around 3,400 people attend the actual event, but tens of millions are expected to watch on television and digital platforms worldwide.

The Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles where the Oscars ceremony takes place

The 98th Academy Awards will take place at the Dolby Theatre on 15 March 2026.
Around 3,400 people are expected to attend the ceremony in person.

Part of the glam of Rolex’s Greenroom is that it gets freshly redesigned every year, but always faithful to the brand’s sustainable philosophy, expressed in decisions such as reusing the core architectural structure of the space. For 2026, the design takes on special significance. Not only is it the 10th anniversary of the Greenroom itself, but it is also the 100th anniversary of the iconic Rolex Oyster, the world’s first waterproof wristwatch.

The interior to the Rolex Greenroom for the Oscars with the brand’s signature green and gold palette of colours.

Fittingly, the design of the Greenroom combines the brand’s signature green velvet furnishings with brushed metal elements in champagne gold finishes, complemented by finely anodised accents in a range of golden tones. These materials create a harmonious, elegance balance that echoes both the glamour of Hollywood and the timeless design codes of Rolex. Throughout the space, portraits of legendary actors and filmmakers from the Oscars’ history celebrate the artistry and legacy of cinema, along with a cabinet containing an Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona, in 18kt yellow gold with a vibrant green dial.

Rolex’s connection to cinema extends well beyond the Oscars ceremony itself. Through the Rolex Perpetual Arts Initiative, the brand champions excellence across creative disciplines and supports institutions that nurture artistic achievement. In cinema, Rolex testimonees such as Martin Scorsese, James Cameron, Leonardo DiCaprio, Zendaya and Jia Zhang-Ke embody the creativity, vision and dedication that the brand celebrates.

Rolex testimonees and Oscar winners Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio, with the watch
on display this year in the Greenroom, the Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona.

From hosting the Oscars’ Greenroom to supporting film preservation and education initiatives, Rolex plays an enduring role in the world of cinema. At the 2026 ceremony, the Rolex Greenroom once again becomes a symbolic meeting point in which watchmaking heritage, artistic excellence and the magic of film come together.

Author: Andrew Hildreth

Lifestyle

Fire and Ice: The Powers of Contrast Therapy

A Weekend at the Kohler Waters Spa, Old Course Hotel, St Andrews

Named as ‘Scottish Spa of the Year 2024’ by The Sunday Times, the Old Course Hotel offers Scotland’s most advanced contrast therapy experience and is launching a series of exclusive and transformative seasonal wellness retreats.

With sweeping views over the Old Course and a location in the ‘Home of Golf’, surrounded by some of the finest links courses in the world, the hotel celebrates active wellbeing. Just steps from the stunning Fife coastline, the Kohler Waters Spa – the only Kohler outpost in the UK – has re-emerged following a renovation with revolutionary thermal facilities inspired by coorie, the Scottish art of finding warmth, comfort and sanctuary after embracing the cold.

At the heart of the spa is contrast therapy, a process of alternating between hot and cold to promote healing, stimulate circulation, improve muscle recovery and enhance overall vitality. “Sometimes known as the Nordic cycle, contrast therapy works by triggering your physiological response to hot and cold,” explains Edinburgh-based wellness expert, Anna Deacon, in her forthcoming book, Wild Fix Scotland.

“Exposure to heat causes blood vessels to dilate and widen, whilst the cold makes them constrict and narrow. Using the microstresses of cold or hot conditions makes it possible to adapt our bodies through a process called Hormesis, which increases resilience and health. The process of switching back and forth creates a pumping action that is believed to help decrease inflammation.”

Espuro foam steam room at Kohler Waters Spa

From the left: snow cabin, Espuro foam steam room and plunge cold pool at Kohler Waters Spa, Old Course Hotel, St Andrews.

At Kohler, guests can easily move between the restorative warmth of the saunas and the crisp chill of the cold plunges. “The contrast process works as a rotation of around 12-20 minutes in the heat, followed by 1-3 minutes in the cold”. However, Anna stresses “how long you should stay in really depends on many different things; everyone must find their own level, and this will depend on how much food you have had and how well you are feeling.”

Known benefits of sauna include improved sleep, better immune function, reduced risk of respiratory illness and pain relief. Cold is cited as reducing stress, improving memory and aiding symptoms of anxiety and depression. Increasingly, these practices are being adopted by elite sports men and women in their training schedules to improve their competitive performance.

The spa’s thermal suite also features a stunning new world-renowned KLAFS snow and sauna cabin delivering the ultimate contrast therapy experience, an upgraded hydrotherapy suite and the UK’s first Espuro foam steam room. The latter is an innovative, skin-pampering ritual where guests are cocooned in fragrant, plant-based foam that rises from special vents in the floor of the room. The feeling is both luxurious and holistic, whilst at the same time social and immensely enjoyable, if not a little child-like.

“Following the recent transformation of Kohler Waters Spa,” says the hotel’s General Manager, Phyllis Wilkie, “the hotel has solidified its position as a premier destination for wellness experiences in Scotland and beyond. Guests can indulge in world-class spa treatments and enjoy delicious, nutritious offerings thoughtfully crafted to nourish the body and enhance their overall wellbeing journey.”

Other restorative experiences that can be tailored to your visit include floating sound meditation, sunrise yoga, transformative sleep workshops and expert talks.

The basket of comforts for sunrise wild-swimming at the Old Course Hotel, St Andrews,
include a fluffy towel, hot drinks and luxurious biscuits.

During my visit, I had the chance to embrace the ultimate wake-up ritual with a sunrise sea dip at the magnificent Castle Sands. Chauffeured by mini-bus in our dry robes at 6.30 am, equipped with creature comforts – furry towels, flasks of hot tea and biscuits for our return to shore – it was an exhilarating and character-building experience. I had the pleasure of meeting and swimming (well, not quite swimming exactly as I only lasted a few minutes at such icy temperatures) with triple Olympian and Olympic silver medallist, Kerrie-Anne Payne. Kerrie-Anne, a passionate advocate for open water swimming, runs bespoke retreats at the hotel and gave us an illuminating talk about the potential benefits of taking the plunge (enhanced mood, improved circulation and reduced muscle soreness among others) over a restorative lunch in the Spa Café.

Building on the spa’s new facilities, the hotel has partnered with Deacon, who is a leading advocate for Scottish cold-water wellbeing (she wrote Taking the Plunge in 2019) and will be launching an exclusive series of seasonal wellness retreats to extend on the hotel’s wellbeing offer. “Being involved in curating the Old Course Hotel’s retreats,” she says, “has been incredibly rewarding because there’s such a natural alignment between the resort’s vision for active wellbeing and my approach to contrast therapy and cold-water immersion.”

“The Scottish coastline provides the perfect raw, beautiful, and invigorating backdrop for these transformative experiences.”
– Anna Deacon

The seasonal retreats, General Manager Wilkie says, are “driven by an ethos of active wellbeing, and inspired by collaborations with respected figures to empower guests to push limits, embrace balance, and discover a new way of being.”

The hotel is also equipped with a Fitness Centre, virtual and instructor-led classes, personal trainers and a 20-metre lap pool with a hot tub and sauna.

The first retreat, ‘Step into Summer’ debuting in May 2026, will feature broadcaster, author and endurance athlete Louise Minchin. It will combine the expert-led contrast therapy sessions using the spa’s KLAFS facilities with cold water swimming, energising and mindful practices including yoga, meditation and photography, and discussions around personal approaches to active wellbeing and the healing power of nature.

More information about the Old Course Hotel’s wellness offerings, HERE.

Details about Anna Deacon, HERE.

Author: Linda Hunting

Other restorative treatments recommended by I-M Inquisitive Minds include Cellular Interval Training and water-based therapies at the Kronenhof Spa.

Lifestyle

Cellular Interval Training

Re-energise Your Cells at the Vivamayr Clinic

We pay close attention to what we eat, how we move and how we sleep, yet the role oxygen plays in cellular energy is often overlooked. Originally designed to support the recovery of professional athletes, Intermittent Hypoxic Hyperoxic Therapy (IHHT), sometimes called “cellular interval training”, guides the body through controlled cycles of lower oxygen (hypoxia) followed by higher oxygen (hyperoxia). The goal is not breathlessness or exertion, but cellular adaptation: a gentle stress signal, then an assisted recovery, repeated.

Why does that matter? Mitochondria, the cell’s power generators, are highly sensitive to oxygen availability. Research suggests these alternating oxygen phases can stimulate the body’s oxygen-sensing pathways and prompt “quality control” inside the cell, helping it clear out underperforming mitochondria (mitophagy) and support the function of healthier ones. In practical terms, that may translate into steadier energy, improved resilience to stress and clearer thinking.

The Vivamayr Clinic in London provides high-quality IHHT therapy, which can help
with fatigue, long COVID, metabolic syndrome and other conditions.

The evidence base is still evolving, but it is moving beyond sport. A 2023 clinical study in people with metabolic syndrome reported benefits from IHHT across multiple markers, using protocols that alternated hypoxic breathing (roughly 11 to 12% oxygen) with brief hyperoxic periods (around 30 to 35% oxygen) across a short course of sessions. In 2024, IHHT was also investigated in an inpatient rehabilitation context for long COVID, reflecting growing interest in its potential role in fatigue, reduced exercise tolerance and recovery. Clinical trials registered in early 2026 are continuing to explore IHHT for post-viral fatigue conditions including ME/CFS and long COVID symptoms.

A session typically lasts around 45 minutes. You relax in a reclining chair with a mask while a device adjusts the oxygen mix and monitors your response. Most people find it calming, though some notice mild air hunger during the hypoxic phases. Because oxygen therapies are not one-size-fits-all, reputable clinics screen for suitability, especially in pregnancy, acute illness, or uncontrolled heart or respiratory conditions.

An isolated session can feel noticeable, but a short course is usually recommended to support more durable shifts in energy, sleep quality and recovery. £150 / session at Vivamayr London Clinic in Harley Street.

Book a consulation: Tel. 0203 034 1331 | london@vivamayr.com

Author: Julia Pasarón

Other restorative treatments recommended by I-M Inquisitive Minds include Contrast Therapy at the Kohler Waters Spa and Hydrotherapy at the Kronenhof Spa.

Lifestyle

Montenapoleone Suite Park Hyatt Milan

A Study in Milanese Understated Luxury

With the arrival of the 2026 winter Olympics in Italy, the Park Hyat Milan is upping its game and going for gold with its Montenapoleone Suite, the epitome of quiet luxury.

As one of the “big four” fashion capitals alongside London, Paris and New York, the city of Milan has no shortage of luxury accommodation on offer. However, the recently completed refurbishment of the Park Hyatt in Via Tommaso Grossi, takes high-end hospitality to the next level.

Situated just minutes walk from the glittering stores of the 19^th century Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and the famous Piazza del Duomo, the hotel has been meeting the needs of the world’s most discerning travellers for over 20 years but, following an enforced two-year Covid closure in 2020, it has opened the doors to five magnificently revamped signature suites under the watchful eye of distinguished architect Flaviano Capriotti.

Capriotti – celebrated by Architectural Digest as one of the world’s top 100 architects – has spared neither time nor expense to realise his vision in every guest room, but the jewel in the crown is the 2,325 sq. ft Montenapoleone Suite on the 6th floor which blends sophisticated modernity with understated Milanese elegance across both indoor and outdoor spaces.

Private terrace Montenapoleano Suite at the Park Hyatt Hotel Milan

Fireplace Montenapoleano suite at the Park Hyatt Hotel Milano.

Left: The Montenapoleano terrace enjoys panoramic views of Milan’s skyline and features a retractable pergola for year-round al fresco dining.
Right: Architect Flaviano Capriotti introduces intimacy through proportion and material in the Montenapoleone Suite’s fireplace seating area.

Its private terrace with views across the city’s rooftops can seat six people under a retractable pergola and the interior dining room up to eight. Hotel staff have discreet access to a fully equipped kitchenette where food can be prepared for service without ever disturbing the guests. A clever double-sided feature fireplace seamlessly connects the dining to the living areas, its gentle curve providing what Capriotti metaphorically described as “a welcoming hug”.

Despite the impressive features of the suite including two bathrooms – one featuring a standing tub and exclusive Villoresi toiletries from Florence – a 75” flat screen TV, a steam shower, heated flooring and an abundant use of rich Verdi Alpi marble and Italian walnut throughout, the overall effect is not one of unrestrained excess but rather of considered comfort.

Even the contemporary artwork on the walls – all of which is original as the owners are keen collectors – is discreetly complementary to the tranquillity of the space.

In the words of the General Manager Marcos Romero, “Here we’re not interested in the ‘wow’ factor…it quickly wears off.” The focus instead is on the genuine welcome offered to guests and on the flawless service they’ll encounter from arrival to departure. The hotel’s philosophy hinges on elevating the experience of travel and obsessive attention to detail is evident at every turn.

Master bedroom Montenapoleone Suite at the Park Hayatt Hotel Milan.

Walk-in wardrobe Montenapoleone Suite at Park Hyatt Hotel Milan

The Montenapoleano’s master bedroom and walk-in wardrobe reflect the same measured elegance found throughout the suite.

Whilst any hotel stay at this level certainly comes at a cost, to quote Aldo Gucci, “Quality is remembered long after price is forgotten” and numerous reviews attest this is very much the case with the Montenapoleone Suite.

With surroundings as opulent at this any guest could easily be forgiven for not venturing outside at all but this would be mistake as the delights of one of Europe’s most metropolitan cities is right on your doorstep.

Indeed, the suite takes its name from a street in the quadrilatero della moda, a mere ten-minute walk away. The Via Montenapoleone easily holds its own alongside Paris’s Avenue Montaigne, London’s Bond Street or the Mall of the Emirates in Dubai when it comes to luxury retail. Wouldn’t it be a shame to have access to the suite’s beautifully appointed wardrobes and not make at least a token effort at filling them?

Diane von Furstenberg once said, “When you get into a hotel you lock the door and you know there is a secrecy, there is a luxury, there is fantasy, there is comfort, there is reassurance.” My response? Diane, you’d love it here!

Author: Maurice Mullen

Book the Montenapoleone Suite at the Park Hyatt Milan, HERE.

Other luxury accommodation in Milan recommended by I-M Inquisitive Minds include the Principe di Savoia and Rocco Forte House.

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