Spa of the Week: The Oberoi Sukhvilas Spa Resort

Located in Punjab, India in the city of Chandigarh, The Oberoi Sukhvilas Spa Resort is dedicated to ancient wellness traditions of Indian culture at the foot of the Himalayas and enclosed within a protected forest. Surrounding the resort, the land features beautifully landscapes gardens, a lake, golf course and a Unesco World Heritage site – all designed by Swiss architect Le Corbusier built in the 1960s.

The modern city is a cultural attraction and, within that, the five-star, 12,000-sq-ft Oberoi resort encourages you to take in the destination through winding pathways, lakes, verdant gardens and reflection pools. Many come for wellness weekends, Ayurvedic retreats, detox programs and spa getaways. Everything is completely personalized, from the seasonal cuisine to mindfulness activities.

Inspired by Mughal tradition, the spa offers Ayurvedic therapies, an ancient mind-body practice. Book the 90-minute Dinacharya session, a traditional routine comprised of six treatments that cleanses and jumpstarts healing in the body. The treatments work by working externally on the body, as well as ingesting herbal remedies meant to cleanse from the inside. Other spa therapies include hammam scrubs, body treatments, personalized facials, hand-and-feet treatments, hair treatments and holistic anti-aging therapies.

The spa has hydrotherapy pools, aromatic steam, infrared saunas, a heated tepidarium and myriad locations to sit back and relax.

Forest Bathing

In February 2020, The Oberoi Sukhvilas Spa Resort will host Dr Robert Svoboda, an Ayurvedic doctor, who will lead the retreat: Concept of Time. The three-night retreat includes activities with Dr Svoboda, Ayurvedic meals, a spa treatment and your choice of luxe accommodations (choose from the Royal Tent with a garden or a private pool). You will experience forest bathing, yoga, a lecture by Dr Svoboda and relaxing activities. The goal of the weekend is to put emphasis on making the most of your time and to keep it from wearing you down.