Review: The Capes Of Senses Hotel’s First ‘Sense Retreat’

Amelia Windsor checks into the Senses Retreat at the Cape of Senses. Read on for her full review of the luxury spa hotels first foray into ‘sense hacking’.

Review: Cape Of Senses, Senses Retreat

Nestled in the hills above the spectacular Lake Garda, you will find the Cape of Senses luxury spa hotel perfectly blended into the landscape; with its wooden facade and floor to ceiling glass windows offering panoramic views of the water and mountains beyond, an ever changing cinematic experience.

I visit in the cooler months, and while November may be a shoulder season in Italy, the glittering autumnal sunshine and colours we were blessed with made it the ideal setting for the hotel’s newly launched Senses retreat. In an age in which we are almost always plugged into our devices, the programme, led by Life Coach and Counsellor Constanze Spagnolli, focuses on reteaching ourselves to become more present in our bodies by appreciating the sites, sounds and tastes of life without looking at our phone or thinking about the next point of call.

Our first evening started with a sound bath and vocal meditation. It was a most enjoyable way to break down barriers as we sang and practised breath work together to release tension in the body before being serenaded by the sound of bowls and bells that sent vibrations through your body and prepared us for a deep sleep.

© Alex Moling

Greeted by another day of sunshine as I opened my curtains, I was very much looking forward to our hiking excursion. We walked in silence with the sound of crunching autumn leaves under foot and birdsong over head. As we slowly made our way up the valley, it was hard not to gasp at the vast views of Lake Garda below, glistening in the sun. We found a picture post card setting to sit and take it in, and for a moment longer we remained in silence before a lizard popped out of nowhere and I squealed in fright. Having enjoyed our packed lunches, we discussed what the effect of walking without talking had had on us- at first it was frustrating not to natter and capture the moments on our phone, but we settled and were truly able to properly take in the sites and sounds around us, the glimmers of light through the trees and the rustling of branches.

We wandered further after lunch for a guided audio meditation. I found a little clearing and plugged in my headphones as Constanze’s voice helped me feel grounded and grateful under a canopy of trees. I could have walked forever that day, with the energy of the sunshine on my back and the spectacular views ahead. However, it was a treat to get back to the hotel and head straight to the spa that will take your breath away and restore it to its calming pace. The spa is made up of two Finnish and Bio saunas and a steam room, as well as a relaxation area that looks out onto the garden. If you are feeling brave enough you can dash out to the unheated pool for a cold plunge after a session in the sauna. As part of the retreat, you will enjoy a soothing massage to help ease weary muscles from the morning’s hike. A session of Hatha yoga the following morning also helped to stretch and prepare for another day of activities.

© Cape of Senses

The food at the hotel was definitely a treat for the tastebuds, whether at lunch at La Pergola on the terrace where you can enjoy dishes like a light minestrone soup packed with local vegetables or at Al Tramonte for dinner where you can find the fish of the day or lentil and goat’s cheese stuffed peppers presented as edible works of art on your plate.

There is plenty of time in between retreat activities for laps in the pools, breathing in the smells of the rosemary and lavender bushes that surround them or a saunter around the garden dotted with ancient olive trees; try a dip at sunset or sunrise and be dazzled by the colours and light that burst forth from the lake and sky. You can also always enjoy the views from the privacy of your bedroom terrace with a cup of herbal tea in one hand and a book in the other. I highly recommend a visit to Torri del Benaco (just a ten minute drive away in the hotel’s EV) for a walk along the lake’s promenade and a peruse of the local shops.You are encouraged and given helpful guidance to journal during the retreat, to note down how the experiences made you feel and the little moments that brought you joy that you might have missed if you weren’t fully present. Beginning the day at breakfast with some Italian coffee to help ignite the imagination, watching the morning mist rising from the lake as you jot down a jumble of thoughts to clear your head and to better make sense of them. Something that I will definitely take home from my days at Cape of Senses albeit with a slightly different view out the window.

BOOK IT

The Senses Retreat, from €2,790 per person (approx. £2,350), five-day, four-night stay in a Junior Suite. The retreat includes all meals, five group coaching sessions with Constanze Spagnolli, three distinct sensory experiences, two yoga sessions, and one spa treatment. Sessions will be held in English, and participation is limited to ensure a personalised experience. capeofsenses.com