Marbella: The glamorous Sentidos en Rio Real hotel, Marbella’s first and only five-star boutique hotel and member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, has opened a stunning spa called Petite Sérénité to bring a high calibre, intimate, authentic and personalised wellness experience to its guests and to complement its golf experience, arguably one of the best in Marbella.

Petite Sérénité has a glorious roof top location, adjacent to the hotel’s pool and terrace. Combining warm hues, natural materials such as wood and stone and contemporary design, Petite Sérénité is a tranquil sanctuary, with two treatment rooms, a wet treatment suite, a relaxation area, and male and female changing areas. Taking great care to avoid a formulaic and impersonal approach to hotel spa, great attention is paid to providing high levels of personal service and in developing innovative treatments including exfoliations, massage and rituals.

At Petite Sérénité, treatments take inspiration from the rich local flora and are based on natural, indigenous ingredients such as jasmine flowers, honey, Muscatel and Mediterranean herbs to evoke the Andalucían culture and to deliver a unique experience that reflects the location.

Treatments include Essence of the South body exfoliations such as the Salt and Fire Ritual,which combines a hot stone skin preparation with an exfoliation using nourishing sea salts, flower extracts and aromatic herbs; and the Malaga Flower Exfoliation, incorporating aromatic jasmine and geranium flowers. Both of these treatments conclude with a soft moisturising massage.

Massages and rituals include the Rosemary Ritual, an invigorating treatment combining the tonic strength of rosemary with a firm massage.

As a 29-room golf hotel, a number of treatments have also been developed with specific therapeutic focus on the needs of golfers, such as the Mint and Camomile Massage, a refreshing and soothing treatment that reduces tension in the feet and legs.

With a serene location nestled between the Sierra Blanca and the Mediterranean Sea, just three kilometres from the bustling centre of Marbella, Sentidos en Rio Real also offers creative fine dining at the elegant Sentidos Restaurant, with legendary local dishes such as black pasta with fresh red prawns, complimented by wines from the hotel’s extensive wine cellar.

In addition to the hotel’s beautiful par 72, Javier Arena-designed golf course, known to be one of the best in Marbella with spectacular views, other facilities include new floodlit tennis and padel tennis courts and a luxury motor yacht Rio Real III, moored in the glamorous Puerto Banús marina, and available for guests. Sentidos en Rio features 29 deluxe rooms and suites blending modern décor with traditional influences courtesy of renowned interior designer Pascua Ortega.

For further information and reservations contact Sentidos en Rio Real on tel: +34 952 765 732, by e-mail at hotel@rioreal.com, or simply by visiting www.rioreal.com

Sentidos en Rio Real is 30 minutes by car from Malaga International Airport, which is well served by a number of airlines operating direct flights from 16 UK airports including British Airways, bmi, easyJet, Flybe, Globespan, and Monarch Airlines.