Elite Traveler Summer 2022

etr li at ve eler SUMMER 2022 131

Clockwiswe from left The 98-ft indoor pool; the Tea Lounge with views across Lake Lucerne; The Advanced Detox is a week of in-depth treatments and assessments

Wellness wonderland

There are two important things to know about visiting Chenot Palace — you will feel awful; you will feel wonderful. In a setting practically designed for wellness, Chenot Palace sits beneath the majestic Swiss Alps with soothing views of the calm waters of Lake Lucerne. Opened in 2020 in Weggis, a peaceful village in Switzerland, the health retreat has three main programs — advanced detox, anti-aging, and recover and reenergize — all of which are personalized following a consultation with your designated doctor. I took part in the advanced detox program, a week of in-depth assessments and detoxifying treatments. I discovered a great deal about my own body, including details on my bone density (very good) and my spine fl exibility (not so good), my cardiorespiratory ability, my lean-muscle-to-fat ratio, my aortal age… and much, much more. Detox is, however, a challenge. I had a splitting headache and felt nauseated, faint and exhausted. So why would anyone put themselves through that? Because, as time progressed, I began to feel clear headed, sharper and more energetic than I have in many years. Plus, I have scienti fi cally accurate information about my body and my overall health, and am therefore armed with the tools to improve my lifestyle and troubleshoot the pesky problem areas. One of the biggest challenges was the diet — 850 calories a day of vegan food. The diet plan is designed to support the detox, stimulate your metabolic e ffi ciency and promote respiration mechanisms. But, as nutritionist doctor Antonio Di Mauro tells me, the challenge is 50%mental. And he’s right. Lunch and

dinner are still a three-course a ff air, even with the minimal calories, and set in a beautiful space: Think glittering chandeliers and candelabras, select artworks from local artists, blooming fresh fl owers — all complemented by views of the lake and Alps beyond. So you still get that fi ne dining experience, except it is perfectly acceptable (encouraged, in fact) to eat lunch in your fl u ff y robe. Expect dishes like grilled polenta with sautéed onion, cherry tomato and taggiasca olive sauce, pine nuts and broccoli; tapioca and orange pudding, coconut milk and agave, strawberries ragu — delicious. So delicious, in fact, that I overheard fellow guests asking for recipes to re-create the dishes at home, to bring a little of the Chenot Method to their everyday lives. The Chenot Method was created by Henri Chenot, who was renowned for his pioneering approach to preventative healthcare — stressing that some lifestyle choices can cause a buildup of toxins that can then lead to degenerative diseases. The method combines pillars of traditional Chinese healing with scienti fi c advances fromWestern medicine. It is an all-encompassing approach that factors in physical

and emotional well-being, and how our body responds and adapts. Naturally, detox isn’t a long-term plan, but the doctors and therapists provide realistic guidance to help improve your health long after you leave. Despite the resort’s relatively short life, many of my fellow guests were repeat visitors — some visiting twice a year to check in with their progress. Upon arrival, I received a binder with my schedule (there is also an app available so you can have live updates should you wish to change anything) and, throughout the week, this binder was handed to every therapist, doctor and masseuse, who made notes on areas that needed to be worked on. With said binder in hand, I felt somewhat like an eager student back in college with a day full of appointments, plenty to learn and, come evening, lectures by Chenot’s doctors on everything from nutrition to mental health. In between treatments, there is a 69-ft indoor pool, two saunas and a steam room to be used as much as you please. Or take a stroll down to Chenot’s private beach with the most sublime views across the lake and the peaks of Mount Rigi and Mount Pilatus. If you visit in the summer months, take a dip in the crystal clear water (or if you’re brave enough, do it in the colder months…). There is also an extremely well-equipped gym with a bunch of unique extras — an altitude chamber, anti-gravity treadmill and a full-body cryotherapy chamber set at a seriously chilly -166°F. While the program itself and Chenot’s toybox of gadgets and gizmos are seriously impressive, I was blown away by how I felt on return to the norm: Calmer, more focused and less anxious than I have felt in a long time. By Samantha Coles From $8,000 per person. Contact Marina Rasporskaja, reservations manager, reservation@ chenotpalaceweggis.com, +41 412 552 160, chenotpalaceweggis.com

Photos Roberto Pellegrini, Alex Teuscher, Fabrice Fouillet