Richmond Nua Wellness-Spa ★★★★★

To be reborn in Turkey, that is what I have come for and I have brought my beloved with me so we can both enjoy this journey into an exotic world of ancient stories, spices and traditional mastery of healing and well-being. Wanting to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city, we are naturally stopping by and paying our dues in the magical capital of Istanbul, yet we won't be stopping here for all its timeless allure. Our destination is something quite different. A green and fertile oasis of forest bordering the beautiful lake of Sapanca where our hotel is elegantly perched waiting to welcome us into its world of serenity and purification, of luxury and sheer, pampering bliss. It has been a hectic year so far and my body is crying out for some TLC, I hope it will come away blissfully satisfied from the Richmond NUA Wellness Spa.

When they say spa, a small sauna cabin and steam room usually comes to mind, per tradition of the average city gym or executive hotel. Not so here. This is an aquatic healing paradise that creates an entire world of sensual well-being and serenity in its 2700 square metres of magnificent space. We have two jacuzzis of varying temperatures, various zen-like relaxation rooms, including one with heated water beds, a deluxe sauna with soft, gentle music playing in the background and even an ice grotto. As for the steam rooms there's the dry orange scented heat of the Laconium, the even dryer Herbal Steam Bath, the highly humid Osoman bath and the self-explanatory Salt Inhalation bath. Then there are the myriad of therapies and nutritional plans, all tailored to your needs and wishes, be they weight-loss, detoxing or simply, as is our case, to give ourselves a general MOT and emerge with greater vitality and lust for life.

There is no doubt we will have all we have hoped for and more, as we enter the sleek, serene atmosphere of our hotel and are shown our room. We have a corner suite, with two loungers looking out through the floor to ceiling windows onto that vast, blue expanse of water just beyond our fingertips. The natural haven outside pervades the entire space within, illuminating it softly as we take in the chic, contemporary design and many luxurious facilities such as our satellite TV, living room, minibar and tea and coffee maker. I adore the complimentary kimonos and we are both wowed with the star feature – a jacuzzi with vistas out onto the Sapanca lake. Those views greet us even from the sumptuous bathroom and serve as a permanent reminder of the spectacular setting for this modern twist to Turkey's age-old tradition of healing with water. An aquatic oasis – my love and I are wrapped in a soft, dreamy blanket of peaceful relaxation as we give ourselves up to the expert hands of our exclusive, sumptuous spa retreat in the heart of this ancient and beautiful land.