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SEPTEMBER 2014 THE SPA PROFESSIONAL’S CHOICE

AMAN SPA AT AMAN SVETI STEFAN (MONTENEGRO)

EPICESCAPE

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The spa’s terrace provides a perfect place to enjoy a cup of tea.

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to be a hidden gem in the Mediterranean, Mon-tenegro captivates visitors with its snow-capped mountains, ancient forests, and breathtaking beaches. The island of Sveti Stefan, home to a clus-ter of stone cottages and churches for more than 600 years, has been transformed and now serves as the idyllic setting for the Aman Sveti Stefan. Across the bay stands Villa Miločer, the resort’s stately stone mansion, and the stand-alone Aman Spa.

An enticing retreat for sophisticated spa-goers, the four-treatment-room spa benefits from its close proximity to the beautiful and dramatic coastline of the Adriatic Sea. “We draw from our surrounding nature and incorporate it into our spa,” says spa director Melany Martinez Thomas. “The natural light and environment can be enjoyed in every space, from the treatment rooms to the Pilates studio and gym.” For guests who want to enjoy a treatment on the island, there are also six Spa Cottages in which a range of massage and body treatments are available. The spa also features a 24-meter heated indoor pool that extends outdoors for another eight meters, allowing guests to enjoy the lovely locale.

According to Thomas, in addition to the spa’s spectacular setting, it’s the spa’s concept

that makes it truly stand out. “We draw from the local tradition of harvest-ing herbs—there are more than 650 medicinal herbs in Montenegro—and incorporate these into our treatments in synergy with our own line of Aman products, which in turn are also highly therapeutic due to the quality of their ingredients,” says Thomas. In fact, the spa relies on local herbalist, Branislav Popovic, a third-generation phytotherapist, to provide the spa with herbs collected from the mountains of Durmitor and Lovcen. “It is the Montenegrin love for nature and herbal tradition that has inspired us,” says Thomas.

One of the spa’s most popular treatments is the signature Adriatic Rejuve-nation ($315, 2 hours), which involves an exfoliation with mint-infused olive

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Natural light illuminates the welcoming reception area.

The island of Sveti Stefan is home to the charming resort.

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In creating the menu, the goal was to impart emotional balance through aromatherapy; physical balance through fitness, Pilates, yoga, and thera-peutic massages; and structural balance through treatments provided by in-house and visiting specialists. “We aim to create a balanced offering of wellbeing by providing an integrated approach between fitness and spa treatments,” says Thomas. “Our fitness experts communicate and provide feedback to the therapists and vice-versa so guests can leave with tangible results.”

For the future, Thomas and her staff are look-ing into creating retreats that will further entice guests to visit. In addition, they plan to promote the spa’s integrated approach to health by inviting internationally recognized experts to the spa to complement the in-house practitioners. According to Thomas, the greatest challenge is in keeping things simple yet still offering extraordinary ser-vice. Fortunately, there is also inspiration to be found in meeting such challenges and providing spa-goers with a truly unique experience. ■

AMAN SPA (SVETI STEFAN, MONTENEGRO)OWNER: Adriatic PropertiesSPA DIRECTOR: Melany Martinez ThomasCORPORATE SPA DIRECTOR

FOR AMANRESORTS: Greg PayneOPENED: May 2014

CLIENT BASE50% female50% male

MOST REPRESENTED COUNTRIESU.S., Russia, UK

SPACE17,000 square feet; 4 treat- ment rooms

PRODUCT LINESAman Spa, Davines, OPI

EQUIPMENTBalanced Body, Caldera Spas, Manduka, Penguin, Takara Belmont, Technogym

ARCHITECTDenniston (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) and Architerra (Belgrade, Serbia)

INTERIOR DESIGNERMary Lou Thomson, Mary Lou Design (Sydney)

What has surprised you

most about working in

the spa industry?

The incredible variety of tal-

ent you find—from therapists

to products. There is so much

quality in the industry, but there

is also a lot of empty market-ing of which to be aware.

Where do you think the industry is heading?I hope into a more natural and back-to-basics approach rather than exotic and not-so-therapeutic offerings.

What new spa treatment would you like to try?I would like to try more Tibetan healing treatments.

Learn more about spa director Melany Martinez Thomas, who has been involved in the spa industry for 12 years.

Visit www.americanspa.com for our full interview.

BRIGHT SPOT

oil, raw sugar, and wild honey to cleanse the skin; an oat milk soak to hydrate; and an aromatherapy-based massage using lavender and palmarosa to calm the nervous system. Not impressed by ostentatious treatments, the well-traveled and spa-savvy guests prefer authentic and personalized services, notes Thomas. “Most want to decompress from their busy lives and enjoy the traditions of Montenegro,” she says.

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The spa features classic treatment rooms (pictured)

and a Yoga Cottage (below).