In Spain’s sun-soaked hills, two world-class medi-wellness resorts – established SHA and ambitious newcomer ZEM – compete for global attention. Is there enough demand to see them both thrive? Jane Kitchen investigates
Flying over barren mountains bound for Alicante, Spain, it’s difficult to believe I’ll be visiting two world-leading wellness clinics: the well-established SHA and the newly opened ZEM. The plane is filled with tourists, en route to places such as Benidorm, famous for its high-rises and nightlife, that feel as far away from a high-end wellness clientele as you can get.
But Alicante airport serves the larger Costa Blanca region and both SHA and ZEM sit high in the hills beyond Benidorm, with views of the Sierra Helada mountains and the green of a protected park that hugs the coastline. SHA will celebrate 17 years in business this year, with a second location in Mexico that opened in 2024 and a UAE location set to debut in 2026, while ZEM has opened just this year, only 30 minutes away from SHA.
I’ve come to see what it is about this magical corner of southeast Spain – where the climate and geography are reminiscent of Southern California – that has inspired two cutting-edge wellness clinics to be built so close together and whether the two are different enough for there to be room for them both in the market.
ZEM: A bold debut ZEM Wellness Clinic Altea is an unassuming, gleaming white hotel amid a gated community of holiday homes in the Altea Hills. Everything is white marble and gold accents, reflecting the dual aspects of clinical wellness and luxury.
After check-in, I meet my ZEM Master, Carmen, who informs me that she will guide me through my journey. My three-day ZEM Essential programme costs €5,000 (US$5,868, £4,359) and has been designed as an introduction to a healthier lifestyle. Other specialist packages focus on weight management, detox, or both. Carmen has sent me an itinerary ahead of my visit, but a delayed flight means I have to skip a planned detox circuit at the spa and head straight to dinner.
My stay includes a well-rounded assortment of wellness tests, treatments and activities, including a nutritional assessment, fitness training, longevity medicine consultation, mindfulness session, cooking class, yoga and a series of different massages. Dotted in between are many touchless technology experiences – Gharieni Group has set up its first MetaWell Center in Europe here, meaning its technologies are integrated throughout the spa’s 42 treatment rooms.
ZEM’s healing approach is focused on Mediterranean longevity, which combines medical wellness with spa therapies, fitness, nutrition, nature and mindfulness and the owners have spared no expense in offering the latest both in equipment and testing capabilities. In all, ZEM offers more than 400 tests and treatments, led by specialists in fields from cardiology to dermo-aesthetics, regenerative medicine, endocrinology, psychology, nutrition, gynaecology and more. Perhaps most interesting is an impressive list of genetic tests which are available at an additional fee to assess the risk of everything from Alzheimer’s to pancreatic cancer.
Still, for ZEM’s clientele, consisting of high-net-worth individuals with a strong interest in their own health and wellbeing – a seven-night ZEM Detox programme starts at €11,000 (US$12,903, £9,523) – paying extra for a test to see if you’re genetically predisposed to certain cancers or to measure how long your telomeres are might be money well spent.
It’s worth noting that many of the consultations I had at ZEM’s wellness clinic were exactly that: consultations with specialist doctors or nutritionists and a chance to ask some general questions. There were very few medical tests giving me insights into my own personal health, though a seven-night stay would have included basic blood analysis.
One exception was the DermaGraphix body mapping, a high-tech scan of my skin, which identified at-risk moles and even took an incredibly detailed, magnified photo of a suspect mole and recommended a further assessment when I returned home. With a family history of melanoma, I wholeheartedly applaud this simple, non-invasive test that can catch problems early while also creating a baseline map of skin lesions for future checks – which can be life-saving.
Another useful test was the Tanita body analysis scale, which measures fat mass, muscle mass and quality, bone mass, visceral fat and total body water, as well as metabolic age and basal metabolic rate. I received a printout of results with a quick interpretation from a doctor, who emphasised the importance of building muscle to improve my metabolic age.
This was reinforced by my functional assessment and training, where a series of tests from Technogym Checkup showed that my Wellness Age is four years younger than my actual age.
However, that was mostly due to excellent scores in cardio, attention and brain speed and was brought down by my strength score. I’ve known I need to address a lack of upper-body strength for a while, but somehow seeing it in black and white made it exceedingly clear that it’s something I can’t afford to ignore.
Through an AI-based assessment station, the Technogym Checkup also calculated mobility in my ankles, hips, shoulders and neck and my balance on both sides to give a complete picture of my physical and cognitive health. It then prescribed a training protocol, which included tips such as how much weight to start lifting to increase my upper body strength. If my gym at home was Technogym-equipped, that training protocol would then adapt over time – and even more interesting, if I came back to ZEM in a year’s time, I could (hopefully) see my work pay off when retaking those tests.
The high-tech fitness and medical wellness tests are complemented by spa treatments in ZEM’s 4,000sq m spa – offering everything from high-touch therapies, such as Thai massage and watsu, to high-tech options such as hyperbaric oxygen, infrared and plasma light sessions. The spacious, light-filled hydrotherapy circuit contains three saunas, a steamroom, ice room, Himalayan salt cabin and a hydrojet pool.
But aside from the technology or the extensive spa, perhaps the most impressive thing about ZEM was the most basic building block of health: the food. With an anti-inflammatory, plant-forward ethos, the meals at ZEM’s signature restaurant, Salvia, were colourful, beautiful, but most importantly: delicious. Executive chef Javier Esterri – who worked for neighbouring wellness clinic SHA a decade ago, and came to ZEM via sister property Palmaia in Mexico – creates nutrient-rich, farm-to-table meals that rival Michelin-starred restaurants, with much of the food supplied by ZEM’s nearby organic farm, Finca Althaya.
A cooking class with one of the chefs provided a hands-on activity and gave me a healthy recipe to take home as a reminder of my time at ZEM, which, together with my instructions for lifting weights and seeing a dermatologist, provided tangible takeaways to improve my health and wellbeing.
SHA: a seasoned pro Travelling to SHA, the experience begins the moment I leave the airport. A uniformed driver meets me at arrivals and escorts me to what is quite possibly the most plush Mercedes I’ve ridden in, where – in addition to my cushy headrest and extra legroom, I find a SHA magazine to read, SHA-branded water in an eco-friendly cardboard container and wifi. The trip from the airport is almost exactly the same length as it is to ZEM – 45 minutes – and when I arrive, I’m greeted by a walkway lined with royal palms, a tranquil fountain emblazoned with the SHA logo, and a white marble lobby, where I’m easily checked in before being taken on a quick tour.
This is the group’s flagship site. Its 6,000sq m of spa and wellness facilities entice up to 6,000 guests a year staying in its 93 suites and 11 private residences.
A tray of remarkably delicious vegan cheese, along with grapes, dried apricots and nuts awaits me in my room, as well as a note from the hospitality director explaining that my experience will focus on balance and rejuvenation and thanking me for entrusting the team with my wellbeing. Another note explains the benefits of my snack: nuts are rich in omega 3 and have great anti-inflammatory and cardioprotective potential; dried apricots improve iron absorption, are rich in fibre and help regulate blood pressure; and grapes are antioxidants, anti-inflammatory and detoxifying. So far, all I’ve done is check into my room, but it’s a fantastic first impression. I can tell that every detail and touchpoint has been thought through.
I’ve come for the four-day Rebalance & Energise programme, starting at €2,500 (US$2,935, £2,182), which is designed to reduce effects of chronic stress, optimise energy production at the cellular level by strengthening mitochondrial function, reduce fatigue and rebalance the body’s systems. The programme combines advanced technologies, treatments and a variety of consultations with experts in nutrition, osteopathy, longevity, hormones and general medicine. Additionally, I’m scheduled for specialist treatments including acupuncture, an abhyanga massage and shiatsu, alongside things such as cryotherapy and pranayama. A series of functional assessments and training rounds out the holistic programme.
Several weeks before my trip, I filled out a questionnaire, which has helped inform some of the treatments and consultations on my agenda. I begin the first evening with a general health examination and the Advanced Preventive Diagnosis, which is a combination of non-invasive, high-tech tests that give the doctors a comprehensive picture of my health, all of which took about 90 minutes.
After this, it’s time for dinner at the outdoor rooftop SHAmadi restaurant, where nearly every table is full. I’m glad to see there are plenty of other solo travellers, but also quite a few couples and several tables with four or more people. The guests come from all over: plenty of Brits and a few Americans, but over the course of my stay, I meet a Lithuanian woman and her mother, a Lebanese/French family who live in Saudi Arabia and an older German couple who’ve been coming to SHA for 10 years.
The SHA nutrition philosophy is based on a balanced, natural and alkaline diet, with a focus on whole grains, legumes, vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts and seaweed. Three options are available: the SHA Menu, which is the least restrictive; the Biolight Diet, an intermediate menu; and the Kushi Diet for those wanting to control their weight, which serves smaller portions with a focus on seaweeds, soups and purees. I opt for the Biolight plan for most meals, which includes things such as red prawn ravioli with miso sauce or seabass papillote and seasonal vegetables; and desserts (only at lunch) such as coconut panna cotta with berries. Much like ZEM, the food is spectacular and I could feel a difference in my energy levels after just a few days.
Tea is a big part of the nutrition plan at SHA. After meeting the nutritionist, I’m prescribed teas such as kukicha, kombu, apple kudzu – at each mealtime. Daily afternoon teas also present an incredible assortment of beautiful teas in glass pots, with details of their benefits carefully spelled out – dried daikon (for weight loss and headaches), adzuki (to promote digestion), shitake (to reduce cholesterol).
After breakfast on my first day, I meet with a doctor for a general medical consultation, where I see the results of my Advanced Proactive Diagnosis. This includes a 3D scan of my body, which shows the percentage of muscle mass and fat mass, BMI, visceral fat, cellular water ratio, waist-hip ratio, cellular water ratio and trunk-leg ratio; vital signs such as heart rate and blood pressure; and my vascular age, based on arterial elasticity and peripheral elasticity.
But perhaps most interesting were the tests that measured stress and resilience, which used arterial pulse waves to evaluate the balance between my sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. The doctor explained that my nervous system is ‘very unbalanced’, with my parasympathetic nervous system showing a very low score, while my sympathetic ‘flight or fight’ nervous system score was well beyond the maximum limits. To someone who doesn’t generally feel stressed, this was shocking. My mental stress also came through as ‘very high’, but perhaps the reason I don’t feel stressed is that I also scored ‘very high’ on resilience, an indicator of how well I adapt to stress.
Still, the doctor emphasised that the most important thing I can do for my health at this point is to reduce the stress in my life and/or find ways to deal with it better, pointing out that in addition to putting me at risk for things such as cardiovascular disease or sleep disorders, long-term stress creates chronic inflammation and amplifies cellular ageing. She prescribed a breathwork class and added it to my schedule and suggested I adopt a daily meditation practice at home. But the biggest thing for me is simply recognising that the stress is there. I make a pact with myself to slow down and to use tools such as pranayama and meditation to bring more balance to my body.
Room for both? In the end, despite all the high-tech testing capabilities, the things I took away from both ZEM and SHA were the most basic building blocks of wellness: eat well, sleep well, move your body, eliminate stress. Most of my areas for improvement I knew on some level, but seeing the measurements in writing really drove home the message. I’m pleased to report I’m now on a weight-training routine that I plan to see through and if I’m ever back at either ZEM or SHA, I’m sure it would be incredibly satisfying to see measured improvements.
The two locations have many similarities: a plethora of high-tech tests and equipment; access to specialist doctors; beautiful, healthy food; a wealth of spa treatments. But after 17 years in business, SHA is a well-oiled machine. The communication, customer journey and even its easy-to-navigate app all add to the overall experience. That said, ZEM boasts some of the finest technology on the market, as everything is brand-new, as well as an incredible chef, enthusiastic staff and its own organic farm. As ZEM finds its footing, it will be a worthy rival for one of the most celebrated wellness clinics in the world. And judging by the public’s ever-increasing interest in longevity and the expanding treatments available, I believe there will be room for both ZEM and SHA in the marketplace.
"ZEM’s owners have spared no expense in offering the latest equipment and testing capabilities" Jane Kitchen
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
Spa people: Tim Fu
Leading a wellness architecture project in Slovenia that’s one of the first in the world to use AI in all stages of design
Spa people: Kayley Thomas
Lush is famous for its bath bombs and retail empire, but the co-founder of its day spa concept reveals why its 19 global spa facilities are so essential
Spa people: Colin Mcilheney
We find out more about Colin Mcilheney, the man who created the ISPA US Spa Industry Study and has been analysing the sector’s performance ever since
News report: Map of luxury
New research by WATG shows emerging wealth hubs in India, the Gulf, Southeast Asia and Africa are reshaping luxury travel demand
Interview: Chris Norton
The CEO of Equinox Hotels tells Katie Barnes how the uber-cool brand is scaling its bold fusion of fitness, spa and luxury
Ask an expert...: Recovery
From cryo to compression to contrast bathing, Julie Cramer investigates why and how spas and resorts are integrating recovery packages
Research: Behind the boom
What are the hidden messages in the latest US study by ISPA? Colin Mcilheney digs beneath the surface
Research: Bigger picture
Rising salaries and shifting consumer expectations – two new surveys by the UKSA and GSG reveal the trends impacting UK spa operators
Sponsored: Lemi - Good sensations
Lemi’s Venice Head Spa combines the beauty of Italian design with fine-tuned technology to provide the ultimate top-to-toe treatment station for spas
Sponsored: G.M. COLLIN – Smooth operator
The new toner from G.M. Collin represents a ‘gold standard’ in leave-on liquid exfoliation for smooth and radiant results, without the irritation of a scrub
Sponsored: TechnoAlpin – Snow for all seasons
TechnoAlpin’s magical Snowroom installation at the Alpenrose resort brings the Austrian landscape and feel-good nature factor to its wellbeing experience
First person: Costa Blanca cure
Jane Kitchen visits Spain to compare and contrast two world-class medi-wellness clinics: well-established SHA and ambitious newcomer ZEM
Sponsored: Gharieni Group – Tech-powered recovery
The new brand in the Gharieni Group portfolio – Metawell – is delivering what today’s wellness clients are seeking most – deep recovery and mind-body renewal
Sponsored: BC Softwear – Human touch
While touchless therapies are a positive addition to spas, nothing can replace the healing power of human touch, says Barbara Cooke
Sponsored: Yon-ka – A potent blend
Yon-Ka’s new Serum Omega is a potent blend of Omega 3, 6 and 9 to target
dry, stressed-out skin and deliver a calm and nourishing client experience
Menu engineering: At your service
Self-playing gongs in Sweden, surfing therapy in Morocco and Ananda launches holistic diabetes management programme in India
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In Spain’s sun-soaked hills, two world-class medi-wellness resorts – established SHA and ambitious newcomer ZEM – compete for global attention. Is there enough demand to see them both thrive? Jane Kitchen investigates
Flying over barren mountains bound for Alicante, Spain, it’s difficult to believe I’ll be visiting two world-leading wellness clinics: the well-established SHA and the newly opened ZEM. The plane is filled with tourists, en route to places such as Benidorm, famous for its high-rises and nightlife, that feel as far away from a high-end wellness clientele as you can get.
But Alicante airport serves the larger Costa Blanca region and both SHA and ZEM sit high in the hills beyond Benidorm, with views of the Sierra Helada mountains and the green of a protected park that hugs the coastline. SHA will celebrate 17 years in business this year, with a second location in Mexico that opened in 2024 and a UAE location set to debut in 2026, while ZEM has opened just this year, only 30 minutes away from SHA.
I’ve come to see what it is about this magical corner of southeast Spain – where the climate and geography are reminiscent of Southern California – that has inspired two cutting-edge wellness clinics to be built so close together and whether the two are different enough for there to be room for them both in the market.
ZEM: A bold debut ZEM Wellness Clinic Altea is an unassuming, gleaming white hotel amid a gated community of holiday homes in the Altea Hills. Everything is white marble and gold accents, reflecting the dual aspects of clinical wellness and luxury.
After check-in, I meet my ZEM Master, Carmen, who informs me that she will guide me through my journey. My three-day ZEM Essential programme costs €5,000 (US$5,868, £4,359) and has been designed as an introduction to a healthier lifestyle. Other specialist packages focus on weight management, detox, or both. Carmen has sent me an itinerary ahead of my visit, but a delayed flight means I have to skip a planned detox circuit at the spa and head straight to dinner.
My stay includes a well-rounded assortment of wellness tests, treatments and activities, including a nutritional assessment, fitness training, longevity medicine consultation, mindfulness session, cooking class, yoga and a series of different massages. Dotted in between are many touchless technology experiences – Gharieni Group has set up its first MetaWell Center in Europe here, meaning its technologies are integrated throughout the spa’s 42 treatment rooms.
ZEM’s healing approach is focused on Mediterranean longevity, which combines medical wellness with spa therapies, fitness, nutrition, nature and mindfulness and the owners have spared no expense in offering the latest both in equipment and testing capabilities. In all, ZEM offers more than 400 tests and treatments, led by specialists in fields from cardiology to dermo-aesthetics, regenerative medicine, endocrinology, psychology, nutrition, gynaecology and more. Perhaps most interesting is an impressive list of genetic tests which are available at an additional fee to assess the risk of everything from Alzheimer’s to pancreatic cancer.
Still, for ZEM’s clientele, consisting of high-net-worth individuals with a strong interest in their own health and wellbeing – a seven-night ZEM Detox programme starts at €11,000 (US$12,903, £9,523) – paying extra for a test to see if you’re genetically predisposed to certain cancers or to measure how long your telomeres are might be money well spent.
It’s worth noting that many of the consultations I had at ZEM’s wellness clinic were exactly that: consultations with specialist doctors or nutritionists and a chance to ask some general questions. There were very few medical tests giving me insights into my own personal health, though a seven-night stay would have included basic blood analysis.
One exception was the DermaGraphix body mapping, a high-tech scan of my skin, which identified at-risk moles and even took an incredibly detailed, magnified photo of a suspect mole and recommended a further assessment when I returned home. With a family history of melanoma, I wholeheartedly applaud this simple, non-invasive test that can catch problems early while also creating a baseline map of skin lesions for future checks – which can be life-saving.
Another useful test was the Tanita body analysis scale, which measures fat mass, muscle mass and quality, bone mass, visceral fat and total body water, as well as metabolic age and basal metabolic rate. I received a printout of results with a quick interpretation from a doctor, who emphasised the importance of building muscle to improve my metabolic age.
This was reinforced by my functional assessment and training, where a series of tests from Technogym Checkup showed that my Wellness Age is four years younger than my actual age.
However, that was mostly due to excellent scores in cardio, attention and brain speed and was brought down by my strength score. I’ve known I need to address a lack of upper-body strength for a while, but somehow seeing it in black and white made it exceedingly clear that it’s something I can’t afford to ignore.
Through an AI-based assessment station, the Technogym Checkup also calculated mobility in my ankles, hips, shoulders and neck and my balance on both sides to give a complete picture of my physical and cognitive health. It then prescribed a training protocol, which included tips such as how much weight to start lifting to increase my upper body strength. If my gym at home was Technogym-equipped, that training protocol would then adapt over time – and even more interesting, if I came back to ZEM in a year’s time, I could (hopefully) see my work pay off when retaking those tests.
The high-tech fitness and medical wellness tests are complemented by spa treatments in ZEM’s 4,000sq m spa – offering everything from high-touch therapies, such as Thai massage and watsu, to high-tech options such as hyperbaric oxygen, infrared and plasma light sessions. The spacious, light-filled hydrotherapy circuit contains three saunas, a steamroom, ice room, Himalayan salt cabin and a hydrojet pool.
But aside from the technology or the extensive spa, perhaps the most impressive thing about ZEM was the most basic building block of health: the food. With an anti-inflammatory, plant-forward ethos, the meals at ZEM’s signature restaurant, Salvia, were colourful, beautiful, but most importantly: delicious. Executive chef Javier Esterri – who worked for neighbouring wellness clinic SHA a decade ago, and came to ZEM via sister property Palmaia in Mexico – creates nutrient-rich, farm-to-table meals that rival Michelin-starred restaurants, with much of the food supplied by ZEM’s nearby organic farm, Finca Althaya.
A cooking class with one of the chefs provided a hands-on activity and gave me a healthy recipe to take home as a reminder of my time at ZEM, which, together with my instructions for lifting weights and seeing a dermatologist, provided tangible takeaways to improve my health and wellbeing.
SHA: a seasoned pro Travelling to SHA, the experience begins the moment I leave the airport. A uniformed driver meets me at arrivals and escorts me to what is quite possibly the most plush Mercedes I’ve ridden in, where – in addition to my cushy headrest and extra legroom, I find a SHA magazine to read, SHA-branded water in an eco-friendly cardboard container and wifi. The trip from the airport is almost exactly the same length as it is to ZEM – 45 minutes – and when I arrive, I’m greeted by a walkway lined with royal palms, a tranquil fountain emblazoned with the SHA logo, and a white marble lobby, where I’m easily checked in before being taken on a quick tour.
This is the group’s flagship site. Its 6,000sq m of spa and wellness facilities entice up to 6,000 guests a year staying in its 93 suites and 11 private residences.
A tray of remarkably delicious vegan cheese, along with grapes, dried apricots and nuts awaits me in my room, as well as a note from the hospitality director explaining that my experience will focus on balance and rejuvenation and thanking me for entrusting the team with my wellbeing. Another note explains the benefits of my snack: nuts are rich in omega 3 and have great anti-inflammatory and cardioprotective potential; dried apricots improve iron absorption, are rich in fibre and help regulate blood pressure; and grapes are antioxidants, anti-inflammatory and detoxifying. So far, all I’ve done is check into my room, but it’s a fantastic first impression. I can tell that every detail and touchpoint has been thought through.
I’ve come for the four-day Rebalance & Energise programme, starting at €2,500 (US$2,935, £2,182), which is designed to reduce effects of chronic stress, optimise energy production at the cellular level by strengthening mitochondrial function, reduce fatigue and rebalance the body’s systems. The programme combines advanced technologies, treatments and a variety of consultations with experts in nutrition, osteopathy, longevity, hormones and general medicine. Additionally, I’m scheduled for specialist treatments including acupuncture, an abhyanga massage and shiatsu, alongside things such as cryotherapy and pranayama. A series of functional assessments and training rounds out the holistic programme.
Several weeks before my trip, I filled out a questionnaire, which has helped inform some of the treatments and consultations on my agenda. I begin the first evening with a general health examination and the Advanced Preventive Diagnosis, which is a combination of non-invasive, high-tech tests that give the doctors a comprehensive picture of my health, all of which took about 90 minutes.
After this, it’s time for dinner at the outdoor rooftop SHAmadi restaurant, where nearly every table is full. I’m glad to see there are plenty of other solo travellers, but also quite a few couples and several tables with four or more people. The guests come from all over: plenty of Brits and a few Americans, but over the course of my stay, I meet a Lithuanian woman and her mother, a Lebanese/French family who live in Saudi Arabia and an older German couple who’ve been coming to SHA for 10 years.
The SHA nutrition philosophy is based on a balanced, natural and alkaline diet, with a focus on whole grains, legumes, vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts and seaweed. Three options are available: the SHA Menu, which is the least restrictive; the Biolight Diet, an intermediate menu; and the Kushi Diet for those wanting to control their weight, which serves smaller portions with a focus on seaweeds, soups and purees. I opt for the Biolight plan for most meals, which includes things such as red prawn ravioli with miso sauce or seabass papillote and seasonal vegetables; and desserts (only at lunch) such as coconut panna cotta with berries. Much like ZEM, the food is spectacular and I could feel a difference in my energy levels after just a few days.
Tea is a big part of the nutrition plan at SHA. After meeting the nutritionist, I’m prescribed teas such as kukicha, kombu, apple kudzu – at each mealtime. Daily afternoon teas also present an incredible assortment of beautiful teas in glass pots, with details of their benefits carefully spelled out – dried daikon (for weight loss and headaches), adzuki (to promote digestion), shitake (to reduce cholesterol).
After breakfast on my first day, I meet with a doctor for a general medical consultation, where I see the results of my Advanced Proactive Diagnosis. This includes a 3D scan of my body, which shows the percentage of muscle mass and fat mass, BMI, visceral fat, cellular water ratio, waist-hip ratio, cellular water ratio and trunk-leg ratio; vital signs such as heart rate and blood pressure; and my vascular age, based on arterial elasticity and peripheral elasticity.
But perhaps most interesting were the tests that measured stress and resilience, which used arterial pulse waves to evaluate the balance between my sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. The doctor explained that my nervous system is ‘very unbalanced’, with my parasympathetic nervous system showing a very low score, while my sympathetic ‘flight or fight’ nervous system score was well beyond the maximum limits. To someone who doesn’t generally feel stressed, this was shocking. My mental stress also came through as ‘very high’, but perhaps the reason I don’t feel stressed is that I also scored ‘very high’ on resilience, an indicator of how well I adapt to stress.
Still, the doctor emphasised that the most important thing I can do for my health at this point is to reduce the stress in my life and/or find ways to deal with it better, pointing out that in addition to putting me at risk for things such as cardiovascular disease or sleep disorders, long-term stress creates chronic inflammation and amplifies cellular ageing. She prescribed a breathwork class and added it to my schedule and suggested I adopt a daily meditation practice at home. But the biggest thing for me is simply recognising that the stress is there. I make a pact with myself to slow down and to use tools such as pranayama and meditation to bring more balance to my body.
Room for both? In the end, despite all the high-tech testing capabilities, the things I took away from both ZEM and SHA were the most basic building blocks of wellness: eat well, sleep well, move your body, eliminate stress. Most of my areas for improvement I knew on some level, but seeing the measurements in writing really drove home the message. I’m pleased to report I’m now on a weight-training routine that I plan to see through and if I’m ever back at either ZEM or SHA, I’m sure it would be incredibly satisfying to see measured improvements.
The two locations have many similarities: a plethora of high-tech tests and equipment; access to specialist doctors; beautiful, healthy food; a wealth of spa treatments. But after 17 years in business, SHA is a well-oiled machine. The communication, customer journey and even its easy-to-navigate app all add to the overall experience. That said, ZEM boasts some of the finest technology on the market, as everything is brand-new, as well as an incredible chef, enthusiastic staff and its own organic farm. As ZEM finds its footing, it will be a worthy rival for one of the most celebrated wellness clinics in the world. And judging by the public’s ever-increasing interest in longevity and the expanding treatments available, I believe there will be room for both ZEM and SHA in the marketplace.
"ZEM’s owners have spared no expense in offering the latest equipment and testing capabilities" Jane Kitchen
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
Spa people: Tim Fu
Leading a wellness architecture project in Slovenia that’s one of the first in the world to use AI in all stages of design
Spa people: Kayley Thomas
Lush is famous for its bath bombs and retail empire, but the co-founder of its day spa concept reveals why its 19 global spa facilities are so essential
Spa people: Colin Mcilheney
We find out more about Colin Mcilheney, the man who created the ISPA US Spa Industry Study and has been analysing the sector’s performance ever since
News report: Map of luxury
New research by WATG shows emerging wealth hubs in India, the Gulf, Southeast Asia and Africa are reshaping luxury travel demand
Interview: Chris Norton
The CEO of Equinox Hotels tells Katie Barnes how the uber-cool brand is scaling its bold fusion of fitness, spa and luxury
Ask an expert...: Recovery
From cryo to compression to contrast bathing, Julie Cramer investigates why and how spas and resorts are integrating recovery packages
Research: Behind the boom
What are the hidden messages in the latest US study by ISPA? Colin Mcilheney digs beneath the surface
Research: Bigger picture
Rising salaries and shifting consumer expectations – two new surveys by the UKSA and GSG reveal the trends impacting UK spa operators
Sponsored: Lemi - Good sensations
Lemi’s Venice Head Spa combines the beauty of Italian design with fine-tuned technology to provide the ultimate top-to-toe treatment station for spas
Sponsored: G.M. COLLIN – Smooth operator
The new toner from G.M. Collin represents a ‘gold standard’ in leave-on liquid exfoliation for smooth and radiant results, without the irritation of a scrub
Sponsored: TechnoAlpin – Snow for all seasons
TechnoAlpin’s magical Snowroom installation at the Alpenrose resort brings the Austrian landscape and feel-good nature factor to its wellbeing experience
First person: Costa Blanca cure
Jane Kitchen visits Spain to compare and contrast two world-class medi-wellness clinics: well-established SHA and ambitious newcomer ZEM
Sponsored: Gharieni Group – Tech-powered recovery
The new brand in the Gharieni Group portfolio – Metawell – is delivering what today’s wellness clients are seeking most – deep recovery and mind-body renewal
Sponsored: BC Softwear – Human touch
While touchless therapies are a positive addition to spas, nothing can replace the healing power of human touch, says Barbara Cooke
Sponsored: Yon-ka – A potent blend
Yon-Ka’s new Serum Omega is a potent blend of Omega 3, 6 and 9 to target
dry, stressed-out skin and deliver a calm and nourishing client experience
Menu engineering: At your service
Self-playing gongs in Sweden, surfing therapy in Morocco and Ananda launches holistic diabetes management programme in India
Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai in Hoi An, Vietnam, has put together a Global Wellness Day
(GWD) agenda with activations rooted in nature and shaped by four pillars of Joy – in
alignment with the day’s theme #JoyMagenta.
The Global Wellness Summit (GWS) will celebrate its 20th anniversary at the 2026 event in
Phuket, Thailand, later this year with the theme: The Science, Art and Soul of Wellness.
Auko, an all-inclusive development, is opening in Phong Nha in Vietnam in Q3 2026, with a
series of 30 tented eco-lodges and wellness hospitality operations by Lumina Wellbeing.
Therme Manchester’s 28-acre development, which will include interconnected glass pavilions
that measure 65,000sq m, will be the largest bathing and wellbeing attraction in the world once
complete, according to prof David Russell, CEO of Therme UK.
Naples Beach Club, a Four Seasons Resort, has opened a 2,800sq m spa called The Sanctuary,
with the design and concept inspired by the Native American people that populated Florida’s
Southwest coast – the Calusa.
Swire Hotels’ luxury hospitality brand Upper House has revealed it will roll out its two-day
House of Healing retreats at its three hotels in Hong Kong, Chengdu and Shanghai.
LVMH-owned beauty house Guerlain will launch up to five spas with partners a year as part of
its plan to expand globally, according to the brand’s international spa and wellness director,
Diane Davody.
A new global study by Kevin Kelly and Peter Yesawich, called WELLSurvey 2.0, has revealed
more than half of consumers in the UK, US and Germany would not choose numerous high-
profile wellness resort brands for a future trip.
Luxury hospitality and wellness pioneer Jeremy McCarthy has launched Leisure Alchemy, a
digital platform that will provide professionals with strategic guidance on how to build
transformational leisure experiences that drive profit.
In a world where imbalance often accumulates quietly, Wildsmith unveils its newest
wellbeing innovation: Silent Loads, an approach designed to meet the needs of modern spa
guests with precision and depth. [more...]
Le Atelier by C.O.D.E. doesn't offer a standard bespoke service, it provides a highly
customised approach to designing massage beds and loungers in high-end wellness
environments. [more...]
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COMPANY PROFILES
Sothys Paris Founded in 1946, Sothys is owned by the
Mas family. Chief executive Christian Mas
oversees the com [more...]
