I tried Europe’s top celebrity wellness spa — this is my honest review

Within the space of a few hours, I’ve been plunged into a bathtub of ice, had some unflattering headgear with electrodes attached to my head and had my blood removed, mixed with oxygen, and put back into my body.

It’s been quite the experience and certainly not your average spa break.

Welcome to SHA Wellness, a new-age clinic with locations in Spain, Mexico, and the UAE, that mixes science with the holistic to offer next-level treatments for the rich, the famous (Demi Moore, Kylie Minogue and Naomi Campbell have all been guests) and the tech bros signed up to their 7-day £5,000 ‘optimal health’ Leaders Progamme.

Want a simple massage or a yoga lesson? Easily sorted. Fancy a full-on plasma transfusion or stem cell therapy? They can do that too.

@travelwithmetro

Would you try this £5,000-a-week celebrity health spa? Our Deputy Editor Claie took the trip to Alicante to find out if it was worth it. The results? Well, she only went and found the simple secret to longer life… 📖 Link in bio for full article 📲 Follow us for popular travel content! #Travel #Health #Spa #Celebrity #SHA #SHAWellnessClinic #Wellness #WellnessTips

♬ Gymbunnie – Guillaume Jambel & Michael Lesirge

The clinic: What to expect

Our SHA was set in the mountains of Alicante. Just 40 minutes from the airport, it’s hard to miss the futuristic white building that spans 60,000 square metres and is home to an array of treatment areas, along with a gym, boutique and a hydrotherapy pool, plus a cinema, art gallery and 92 guest rooms.

Here, the rooftop tranquility pool offers breathtaking views of the Spanish landscape, while everyone is given the A-list treatment, no matter what your budget or what you’ve come for, as Metro soon discovered on a three-day Rebalance and Energise taster programme. 

Included in my package, which starts from around £1,900 for four days, is a batch of consultations and tests from nutrition, brain and wellbeing experts, along with a raft of treatments including massage and acupuncture, cryotherapy and intravenous ozone therapy — that last one I had to Google, despite the extensive description on SHA’s website.

To be fair, you certainly get bang for your buck, though I did opt for some extras (at a cost), such as an ice bath (£125), Thai massage (£140) and brain-boosting transcranial electrical stimulation (£330). It was busy, to say the least.

The path to longevity? Through the mouth

At each of my consultations, whether it was with a personal trainer, nutritionist or GP, a friendly face would ask: ‘Why are you here?’

And the answer – apart from writing a piece for Metro – was that I wanted to feel healthier, have more energy, and, most importantly, learn the secret to a longer life. 

As this place also has a 7-day programme called Well-ageing & Prevention, I felt confident I would find out. 

My nutritionist explained there were three menus guests could follow during their stay: all were dairy, meat and sugar-free, but the ingredients and calorie intake varied depended on the goal.

For those after good old R&R, there’s the SHA menu; for anyone looking to clean up their diet, there’s Biolight; and for people intent on shedding a few pounds, there’s the Kushi menu, a restrictive plan designed for weight loss and detoxification.

As I wasn’t that fussed about losing weight and already quite hungry having spent three days prior to my trip weaning myself of meat, caffeine, sugar and dairy as advised by the clinic, I was told I could mix and match the menus, which felt like a real treat.

And despite the food being health-conscious, it was bloody delicious thanks to the brilliantly creative SHAmadi Restaurant chefs. 

Each morning started with miso soup and juice (beetroot and apple or carrot and apple), before our chosen menu choices. Porridges were made from millet and rice, and come with two side plates: a snack, such as a protein ball or sesame crackers, and crudites with dip. The first day I was served hummus, which I don’t usually like, but dutifully swallowed as if I was at military bootcamp. After mentioning this to my nutritionist, the following day I was given guacamole, and I never saw hummus again.

Lunch and dinners were hearty three-course affairs, unless you were on the Kushi diet, which offered two courses. If you load up at mealtimes with slow-release foods, you’re less likely to snack, or so I was told.

Each meal would start with a shot of apple cider vinegar and end with a herbal tea. Lunch consisted of sweet potato gnocchi and octopus gyoza in ramen, while dinners were sea bass, kale and roasted pumpkin and tofu ravioli with porcini mushrooms. Puddings were hit-and-miss in terms of hitting the sweet spot, but anything with berries and dark chocolate was divine.

All in the mind

With each consultation, I learned a bit more. Sometimes, especially if I’m eating more seeds and pulses, I get quite bloated, so I was advised to go for a short walk every hour to help my digestive system rather than sitting at my desk all day. 

Another thing I was keen to get assessed was my cognitive ability. Having been in the grip of perimenopause for a good eight years, I sometimes feel like my memory is my enemy and can really let me down. It also worries me that forgetfulness might be permanent.

However, after a series of tests which included memory games and reactive speed, I was told that my brain is far sharper than I realised, and (proud moment) in really good nick for my age.

I left the session with a handful of app recommendations, so I could continue training my brain back home.

Getting physical

I soon learned, though, that my body is more complicated. After standing in my bra and knickers on a machine that slowly spins you round to scan every nook and cranny, I received mixed results.

My muscle mass is excellent for my age – which is good, and expected, given the amount of time I spend doing weights at the gym – but my visceral fat (the stuff that surrounds your organs) is a worry. It would appear that I have more than I should, despite eating what I considered a healthy diet, which could lead to long-term damage. Combined with the results that my vascular health also needed a makeover, it came as a bit of a blow. 

My digestion was also an issue. After undergoing an ‘integrated bioenergy assessment with electromagnetic evaluation’ – which involved having electricity sent through my body to highlight any ‘blockages’ – I was told that every aspect of my digestive system is blocked in some way, and was advised to book a colonic if I have time (I don’t) for a kickstart.

However, among all the tests, there was a glimmer of light: my liver passed with flying colours, which was a surprise as I’d just drunk my way through a booze-filled Christmas. 

Fresh air

Feeling a little deflated, I decided to go for a walk and explore the area around the clinic. Within 20 minutes of weaving my way through quiet suburbia, I was ensconced in the hustle and bustle of Alicante’s tourist area. Shops and restaurants lined the streets, though I tried not to look at the menus so I wouldn’t feel tempted.

I ended up at the beach, where I took a deep breath and soaked up my surroundings. As I stood on the sand under the Spanish sun, it was time to turn my disappointment on its head. 

After all, I was here to relax (blue skies, being treated like a celeb, pampering treatments and a jacuzzi on my balcony, tick), but I was also at the clinic to learn how to be healthier and live longer, so I needed to consider the knowledge I’d been given as power, rather than a problem.

A new perspective

One of my consultants explained that all of the longevity treatments they offer – cryotherapy, ozone therapy, transcranial stimulation and ice baths, for example – should really be done over a course of time for full effect. I only had time for one session, but with each one, I couldn’t help but feel a little more rejuvenated. It was a start.

In the cryotherapy chamber, I had to stand in the most unflattering paper boob tube and pants wearing fluffy boots and gloves and a scarf as my head popped out the top. Dignity was not my friend, but I managed two minutes of my skin surface temperature going down to 10 degrees celsius easily. Next was the ice bath, where I withstood five minutes (the maximum time allowed). Knowing I had the mental strength to take these on was another boost. 

Having my body treated with an infrared tool to aid with my digestion, followed by a seaweed hydroenergetic detox to boost my metabolism, wasamazing. As were the ginger compresses on my kidney area and acupuncture for my general wellbeing. 

Then there was the transcranial electrical stimulation, which involves ‘neuropriming’ to increase brain plasticity and strengthen its connections more quickly. In my case, the treatment was designed to improve cognitive function, but it is also said to be useful for recovery after a stroke and addiction.

As I sat there with electrical pads on my head, silently transmitting electricity to my brain, I felt like I was getting an insider’s look at the longevity game. 

Metro’s verdict

After three and a bit days of no work and no stress, it’s a no-brainer to say I felt relaxed. But I also came home with some of the best advice possible when it comes to living longer. 

Knowing the clinic offered genetic testing and intravenous therapies to help keep the effects of old age at bay, I asked several of my consultants if that was the secret — endless treatments and futuristic therapies, ergo the need for an unlimited budget? 

Each one smiled and said the same thing. Yes, treatments can help, but the key is to stay healthy for as long as possible by following these core tenets: keep fit, eat healthily, take Omega 3 and vitamin D (if you’re deficient, which a Boots kit back home soon determined I was) and sleep – which is crucial for our bodies to recover and rejuvenate. That was it.

So have I kept up my SHA lifestyle now I’m back to the grind? Sort of. I still start each day with a miso soup (try it, it’s lovely), take Vitamin D, Omega 3 and B12, do my best to walk around a bit more in the office and go to bed a little bit earlier.

I’ve also cut down on sugar, booze, dairy and red meat, and have found that by eating a decent-sized healthy meal three times a day, I have kicked my need for evening snacks. Of course, I do still enjoy the odd treat as life would be boring otherwise.

Experiencing SHA Wellness may end up being a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me, but it gave me tools I can use forever.

Rates for a Deluxe Suite at SHA Wellness Clinic are from €550. Rates for a four-day Rebalance programme are from €2,300. 

For more information, please visit shawellness.com. British Airways flies from London Gatwick airport to Alicante from £44 each way including taxes and fees. To book, please visit ba.com/alicante.

This article was originally published on February 8.