Article by Elena del Valle and photos by Gary Cox

The Onewellness Radisson Waterfront Spa reception

The pool area

During a recent stay in to Cape Town, South Africa, I tried Onejourney, the signature treatment at the OneWellness Spa at the Radisson SAS Hotel Waterfront (Beach Road, Granger Bay, Cape Town, +27 21 441 3331, www.onewellness.com). The spa, a few minutes drive from Cape Town’s main tourist area, was located in the lobby of the hotel. For visitors from other properties, there was a secure parking area near the hotel entrance.

Onejourney, designed to emphasize sensory stimulation through heat, ice, steam, hydrotherapy and light (chromo) therapy, involved sequential treatments in six stations for up to two people. The stations were Kneipp, Vichy with body exfoliation, Caldarium, Rock Sauna and Aroma Mist and quiet time in the Sleep Room.

My therapist

After introducing herself, Daniella Swanepoel, my friendly therapist, explained the process and accompanied me to the first station, telling me what the treatment was about and how long it would last. Mostly, she escorted me from station to station. She also did the exfoliation, brought replacement towels and slippers and answered questions.  While I enjoyed the stations and the overall experience, what was most appealing was the result. At the end, I felt distinctly relaxed and refreshed.

The OneWellness Spa at the Radisson SAS Hotel Waterfront was the flagship of the Onewellness chain of spas in South Africa owned by Queensgate Wellness Holdings. The Onewellness concept, developed by Rob Cowling, the company’s manager director, is to integrate fitness, spa and skincare services to produce holistic well being based on 10 elements: aesthetics, touch, integration, movement, waters, environment, nourshment, education, evaluation and prescription, and teamwork. It was selected 2008 Best Hotel Spa of the Year in the Fourth Annual Nouvelles Estetiques South Africa Spa Awards.