Located an hour’s drive from Barcelona and only three hours from Toulouse or Montpellier, the PGA Catalunya resort is well known to discerning golfers. Its two 18-hole golf courses are considered among the world’s top 20. It’s less well known to wellness enthusiasts, yet its new wellness center adjoining the Camiral hotel is well worth a visit. Pascal Languillon tested this beautiful 5-star hotel for you during a short stay in the region. Testimonial.
A modern hotel for golfers and wellness enthusiasts
Let’s be honest, I’m not a golfer, so the idea of finding myself in the middle of two world-renowned golf courses didn’t move me too much. I was still very excited at the idea of discovering the PGA Catalunya Resort and its 5-star Camiral, member of The Leading Hotels of the World, since I’d learned of the opening of a new wellness center featuring some of the most advanced technologies usually reserved for medi-spas like SHA Wellness Clinic for example.
For us French, one of Camiral’s strengths is its location, only 3 hours from Toulouse, 3 hours from Montpellier and 4 hours from Marseille. It’s also only 20 minutes from the historic city of Girona, 1 hour from Barcelona and close to the beautiful beaches of the Costa Brava. The hotel enjoys Catalonia’s sunny climate and can afford to stay open all year round.
From the moment you arrive, you’re greeted by a feeling of greenery, given the vastness of the resort, which stretches over many hectares. The green setting immediately immerses you in a bubble of calm and serenity. The Camiral hotel is very modern, with a warm decor that I found particularly successful. There’s plenty of space here, and the volumes are grandiose.
I couldn’t stay here without trying my hand at golf, which was a big first for me (apart from the mini-golf course…). Novices are welcome in the Golf Clinic. One hour of lessons and I’m off to hit some balls and perform a few feats that impressed my coach. Beginner’s luck, no doubt… A pleasant experience in any case.
There’s never a dull moment at the PGA Catalunya Golf and Wellness, whether you’re young or old: zip lines and tree climbing, bikes, discovering plant and animal species with a passionate biologist assigned to the estate, Oriol Dalmau, and even wandering through the resort’s vineyards (the wine I tasted was excellent!). In the near future, there will also be a large artificial lake with a sandy beach, a beach club and a wide range of aquatic activities… Finally, the wellness center offers treehugging or sylvotherapy.
Rooms and suites offering excellent value all year round
If the outside of the building isn’t particularly beautiful, the inside is a marvel ! I was lucky enough to stay in a superior duplex suite. These spacious 95 m² suites have floor-to-ceiling bay windows, with views of the golf course and mountains in the distance.
These suites have been designed to create different spaces for work, rest and relaxation. The armchairs and sofas are extremely comfortable… I didn’t even have time to try them all. Similarly, there are no less than 3 televisions in this superior suite, so everyone can choose their favorite program.
I thought the lighting was very good too. What can we say about the two bathrooms, with separate shower and bath, and the Aromatherapy Associates courtesy products, a high-end London brand with delicious fragrances.
This duplex suite is a real no-brainer, and what I find remarkable is its price: around 450 euros per night in low season and only around 750 euros per night in high summer for a superb 95 m² suite, a very reasonable rate compared to the indisputable quality of service.
Other room categories also offer very good deals, with rates starting at just 200 euros per night !
The wellness center: a little jewel so close to France
The number 1 reason for my visit was to test out the brand-new 1,200 m² wellness center. As a wellness specialist, I’m becoming more demanding as time goes by, yet I loved my experience in this temple of well-being .
The wellness center is magnificent and bright, with treatment rooms that open onto the beauty of nature. Traditionally, spas are underground and dark, with hushed atmospheres…Here it’s just the opposite, the sun floods through the different spaces, and that’s something I like more and more in spas today.
The wellness center consists of a large reception hall with its own store, nine treatment rooms, fitness and yoga rooms, and a hydrotherapy area, the thermal pavilion, which includes hot and cold indoor pools, an attractive outdoor pool, and a sauna and steam room. The architecture of this place was a real eye -catcher for me. It blends perfectly into the surrounding landscape and gardens.
High-tech treatments are offered according to individual needs: cryotherapy, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, photobiomodulation and even intravenous vitamins! I’m familiar with this type of treatment, which is usually reserved for the best medicalized spas on the planet, and is available here under the supervision of Camiral’s therapists.
I loved the cryotherapy session in a huge cabin that can accommodate up to 4 people, with music to dance to, making it easy to resist the temptation to get out of this icy hell! The photobiomodulation session allows the body to regenerate in depth, and is more relaxing.
I also enjoyed an excellent massage by an exceptional masseuse, Paula, whom I really recommend . Everything was perfect: the treatment table, the atmosphere, the scents and the therapist’s technique, for a very gentle moment.
Relaxation then continues in the pleasant relaxation room, with good teas and healthy snacks. Yoga classes are held indoors and outdoors.
The hotel also offers health programs focusing on detox and anti-aging, with consultations with a nutritionist at the beginning and end of your stay. The kind of wellness center we’d like to see on this side of the border!
Catalan cuisine in the spotlight
The resort offers three restaurants and bars, including the 1477 restaurant (the date of printing of the first book on Spanish gastronomy), which serves European cuisine with a Catalan touch. I was lucky enough to try an absolutely delicious tasting menu, with five courses and two desserts, and a perfect wine pairing.
The next day, detox was a must! Breakfast has plenty of healthy options, and I also loved lunch with a really good healthy bowl.
Our feeling
Although the Camiral attracts golf enthusiasts first and foremost, it also boasts a wide range of features to suit all profiles. Its new wellness center is a real marvel, and certainly one of the best in Spain. An ideal wellness stopover, as the value for money is excellent and Camiral is very easy to get to!
Luxe Wellness Club
Book (with exclusive Luxe Wellness Club benefits)
Benefit from our expertise in wellness breaks and contact us for a personalized quote for Hotel Camiral Golf & Wellness. Benefit from a free cryotherapy session through Luxe Wellness Club.
Rates : From around 200 euros per night in low season. Prices for wellness programs on request. Excellent value for money.
Call us for the USA on +1 (646) 980 6652 or for the UK on +44 20 4577 3258
