Mind, Body and Surrenne
Today’s most exclusive spas aren’t skin-deep. Katy Young speaks to the practitioners and creatives behind Surrenne, where brain scans and maxing your ‘healthspan’ are all part of the service
Wellness Reimagined: Rituals for Body and Mind
Wellness Reimagined: Rituals for Body and Mind
Connected by technology, we swipe and scroll, but might we be weakening valuable emotional and social ties. This has inspired a shift in hotels and hospitality, says Hattie David-Wilkinson, Maybourne’s Global Scientific and Wellbeing Lead. 'There’s a new focus on membership, social community and connection – to each other, to our ethos, and to ourselves.'
Social relationships support longevity and reduce depression and anxiety, so it makes sense that a hospitality renaissance should begin at Surrenne Belgravia: a state-of-the-art wellness club whose 18,000 square feet are set over four storeys in Belgravia. The fitness floor hosts celebrity trainer Tracy Anderson’s Method, while the wet zone goes beyond a steam and sauna, with an aloe vera station for post-heat exposure, couples’ cabanas, and a pool that plays meditative sounds through the water.
Designed by Rémi Tessier, the space flows like a gentle pulse from the warm entrance to the cocooning treatment rooms. Lighting dims and brightens according to circadian rhythms and a calming soundtrack never repeats itself.
Connected by technology, we swipe and scroll, but might we be weakening valuable emotional and social ties. This has inspired a shift in hotels and hospitality, says Hattie David-Wilkinson, Maybourne’s Global Scientific and Wellbeing Lead. 'There’s a new focus on membership, social community and connection – to each other, to our ethos, and to ourselves.'
Social relationships support longevity and reduce depression and anxiety, so it makes sense that a hospitality renaissance should begin at Surrenne Belgravia: a state-of-the-art wellness club whose 18,000 square feet are set over four storeys in Belgravia. The fitness floor hosts celebrity trainer Tracy Anderson’s Method, while the wet zone goes beyond a steam and sauna, with an aloe vera station for post-heat exposure, couples’ cabanas, and a pool that plays meditative sounds through the water.
Designed by Rémi Tessier, the space flows like a gentle pulse from the warm entrance to the cocooning treatment rooms. Lighting dims and brightens according to circadian rhythms and a calming soundtrack never repeats itself.
"Wellness creates connection"
"Wellness creates connection"
'Wellness creates connection,' says David-Wilkinson. 'Our members are incredibly curious.' Surrenne's group timetable and newsletter encourage members to enjoy, experince and, most importantly, share the promising frontier of fitness, health and longevity.
'We invited psychotherapist Emily Pailthrope to talk about how frequencies in music affect our mental and physical health, while a thirteen-piece orchestra played by the pool,’ David-Wilkinson remarks. ‘It sparked a great discussion.’ Also thought-provoking is the Surrenne Reads book club, which sends out future-thinking wellness titles and invites authors to visit and ignite conversation.
‘Members share their ethos and their curiosity,’ reveals Surenne’s medical director Dr Mark Mikhail. Of his role as leader of the Longevity Clinic, he explains: ‘There are few people who want to live forever. An extra decade? Yes. An extra century? Absolutely not. Very broadly, our members want to understand how to avoid cognitive and mobility decline, and to increase their “healthspan”.'
'Wellness creates connection,' says David-Wilkinson. 'Our members are incredibly curious.' Surrenne's group timetable and newsletter encourage members to enjoy, experince and, most importantly, share the promising frontier of fitness, health and longevity.
'We invited psychotherapist Emily Pailthrope to talk about how frequencies in music affect our mental and physical health, while a thirteen-piece orchestra played by the pool,’ David-Wilkinson remarks. ‘It sparked a great discussion.’ Also thought-provoking is the Surrenne Reads book club, which sends out future-thinking wellness titles and invites authors to visit and ignite conversation.
‘Members share their ethos and their curiosity,’ reveals Surenne’s medical director Dr Mark Mikhail. Of his role as leader of the Longevity Clinic, he explains: ‘There are few people who want to live forever. An extra decade? Yes. An extra century? Absolutely not. Very broadly, our members want to understand how to avoid cognitive and mobility decline, and to increase their “healthspan”.'
"Wellbeing is a noisy space and there’s an awful lot out there. So we help members navigate their journey and push their boundaries. The biggest advantage we can give people is an understanding of what’s going on in their own bodies; what’s beneficial and what’s not."
Dr Mark Mikhail, Surrenne's Medical Expert
"Wellbeing is a noisy space and there’s an awful lot out there. So we help members navigate their journey and push their boundaries. The biggest advantage we can give people is an understanding of what’s going on in their own bodies; what’s beneficial and what’s not."
Dr Mark Mikhail, Surrenne's Medical Expert
Where Wellbeing Begins
Where Wellbeing Begins
The journey begins the same for every member: observations, blood marker tests, hormone profiling and VO₂ max tests, to assess metabolic functions and calorie requirements. ‘We don’t flood members with data,’ Dr Mikhail says. ‘There is no point talking about longevity if you don’t come from a good base of health. We tackle small things, bit by bit.’
‘We are all in a state of flux, and your goals will always evolve. For example, new members often send me photos of cupboards packed full of contradictory supplements. We might advise taking a complete break in the routine, so you can understand how you work with or without them. It allows you to know your body better. If your results show that health markers are raised, or your goals float into the healthcare space, you might want to move into my world for more advance testing.'
The journey begins the same for every member: observations, blood marker tests, hormone profiling and VO₂ max tests, to assess metabolic functions and calorie requirements. ‘We don’t flood members with data,’ Dr Mikhail says. ‘There is no point talking about longevity if you don’t come from a good base of health. We tackle small things, bit by bit.’
‘We are all in a state of flux, and your goals will always evolve. For example, new members often send me photos of cupboards packed full of contradictory supplements. We might advise taking a complete break in the routine, so you can understand how you work with or without them. It allows you to know your body better. If your results show that health markers are raised, or your goals float into the healthcare space, you might want to move into my world for more advance testing.'
A Precision-Led Approach
A Precision-Led Approach
‘Your Surenne programme includes supplements, nutritional recommendations, fitness routines and facials tailored for you. A concierge manages your bookings, updates you via WhatsApp and launders your kit.’
‘Massage and bodywork are still important,’ notes Hattie David-Wilkinson. FaceGym facials and shiatsu and Thai massages in immersive treatment rooms encourage the release of physical and emotional tension.
‘Your Surenne programme includes supplements, nutritional recommendations, fitness routines and facials tailored for you. A concierge manages your bookings, updates you via WhatsApp and launders your kit.’
‘Massage and bodywork are still important,’ notes Hattie David-Wilkinson. FaceGym facials and shiatsu and Thai massages in immersive treatment rooms encourage the release of physical and emotional tension.
Longevity, Evolved
Longevity, Evolved
And a new frontier awaits. ‘We’re developing a brain-training programme in LA,’ enthuses Dr Mikhail. ‘We can really help maintain brain and mobility power. The assessments will begin with a full ECG analysis, to learn how your brain manages stress. Ideally, we all want a flow state, in which we engage but also shut out the noise and think.’
More advancements are expected from a new Surrenne Advisory Board, including Dr Mikhail, longevity expert Dr Sandra Kaufmann, nutritionist Rose Ferguson, fitness director Simon Inman, hypnotherapist Malminder Gill and dermatologist Dr Macrene Alexiades. Its findings will roll out to all Maybourne hotels, beginning with The Maybourne Riviera, where Surrenne’s second space Surrenne Riviera has opened. There is, naturally, a waiting list. But another ten years may be the result, so it’s surely worth the wait.
And a new frontier awaits. ‘We’re developing a brain-training programme in LA,’ enthuses Dr Mikhail. ‘We can really help maintain brain and mobility power. The assessments will begin with a full ECG analysis, to learn how your brain manages stress. Ideally, we all want a flow state, in which we engage but also shut out the noise and think.’
More advancements are expected from a new Surrenne Advisory Board, including Dr Mikhail, longevity expert Dr Sandra Kaufmann, nutritionist Rose Ferguson, fitness director Simon Inman, hypnotherapist Malminder Gill and dermatologist Dr Macrene Alexiades. Its findings will roll out to all Maybourne hotels, beginning with The Maybourne Riviera, where Surrenne’s second space Surrenne Riviera has opened. There is, naturally, a waiting list. But another ten years may be the result, so it’s surely worth the wait.
Wellness Book Club
Wellness Book Club
GENIUS GUT: The Life-Changing Science of Eating for Your Second Brain by Dr Emily Leeming (Penguin)
Acclaimed dietician, microbiome scientist and chef Dr Emily Leeming outlines the powerful two-way path between our gut and brain, and offers proven, easy-to-understand gut-brain hacks. Eat your way to peak wellbeing!
REWIRE: Break the Cycle, Alter Your Thoughts and Create Lasting Change by Nicole Vignola (Michael Joseph)
Controlling stress via breathing exercises? Improving meetings and performances by visualising outcomes? Toughening up by truly believing in your abilities? It’s all in this practical guide to neuroscience.
GENIUS GUT: The Life-Changing Science of Eating for Your Second Brain by Dr Emily Leeming (Penguin)
Acclaimed dietician, microbiome scientist and chef Dr Emily Leeming outlines the powerful two-way path between our gut and brain, and offers proven, easy-to-understand gut-brain hacks. Eat your way to peak wellbeing!
REWIRE: Break the Cycle, Alter Your Thoughts and Create Lasting Change by Nicole Vignola (Michael Joseph)
Controlling stress via breathing exercises? Improving meetings and performances by visualising outcomes? Toughening up by truly believing in your abilities? It’s all in this practical guide to neuroscience.
WHY WE DIE: The New Science of Ageing and Longevity by Venki Ramakrishnan (Hodder & Stoughton)
British-American biologist Venki Ramakrishnan earned a Nobel Prize for chemistry and was president of the Royal Society. He sets out the scientific discoveries surrounding ageing, and our best chances of extending life.
THE POWER OF HORMONES: How Decoding Your Body’s Signals Can Transform Your Health and Wellbeing by Dr Max Nieuwdorp (Simon & Schuster)
How many of us understand the way hormones work? Dutch endocrinologist Dr Max Nieuwdorp explains how the body messengers drive almost every process within us, from sleep to stress, and weight loss to immunity.
WHY WE DIE: The New Science of Ageing and Longevity by Venki Ramakrishnan (Hodder & Stoughton)
British-American biologist Venki Ramakrishnan earned a Nobel Prize for chemistry and was president of the Royal Society. He sets out the scientific discoveries surrounding ageing, and our best chances of extending life.
THE POWER OF HORMONES: How Decoding Your Body’s Signals Can Transform Your Health and Wellbeing by Dr Max Nieuwdorp (Simon & Schuster)
How many of us understand the way hormones work? Dutch endocrinologist Dr Max Nieuwdorp explains how the body messengers drive almost every process within us, from sleep to stress, and weight loss to immunity.
