East meets west

If the exotic locations in this week’s magazine have given you itchy feet, how about an authentic Thai experience without the hefty price of an airline ticket?

One of Asia’s most lauded spas, Phuket’s Banyan Tree has located its European flagship in Killarney’s Brehon Hotel, complete with its specially trained Thai therapists who each relocate here for two years.

Highlights include the Signature Treatment, a two-hour body massage, which soothes and releases muscle tension, by working on pressure points. If you fancy a facial, Parisian skincare brand Anne Semonin offers customised treatments with her “made-to-measure” approach to beauty.

Expect to feel totally relaxed and revitalised – not a bad way to start the year, eh?

angsanaspa@thebrehon.com