Euphoria Retreat it is not simply a five-star hotel with spa, it is a magical place of healing and transformation, full of positive energy. Euphoria Retreat is the vision of the founder Marina Ephraimoglou.
Marina Ephraimoglou
Coming from a family of entrepreneurs, Marina had a successful and rewarding career in investment banking and was the co-owner of one of the largest banks in Greece. In 2000 you were named Entrepreneur of the Year. During this time, overburdened and stressed by work, she faced a major illness and to recover from chemotherapy treatments, she chose to spend an alternative holiday in a spa destination. This stay for Marina was such a transformative experience that, back home, she decided to create a place where people like her, or with similar needs, could feel at home, cared for and guided to embark on a personal journey towards a more holistic, to live more consciously and spiritually.
Marina has identified the right place in the Peloponnesein southern Greece, near the city of Mystrasa UNESCO World Heritage Site, rich in culture and history and characterized by a pleasant climate all year round.
The retreat combines the healing philosophies of ancient Greece and China with 21st century treatments. Though geographically distant, the ancient Greek and Chinese civilizations share a common understanding of the cosmos and human nature, and their love of inner peace and holistic balance. Hippocrates’ emphasis on the holon (whole) goes hand in hand with Taoist spirituality, which also embraces unity. Both focus on bringing spirituality, physical and emotional harmony. Another common aspect is the approach to the five elements – water, wood, fire, earth and metal – starting point for the analysis of human and health behavior. Prior to arrival, guests complete a questionnaire, providing the Euphoria Retreat team with initial insights into their individual condition. The goal is for each of them to return home with a better understanding of their potential, in relation to their individual energy.
Guests can book one of the signature and targeted treatments, retreats and exclusive mini-retreats, which will address particular goals, such as improving body image, self-awareness and creating meaningful relationships. Through personalized treatments, consultations, an exercise program, healthy diet guidelines, and mental coaching, they experience a unique renewal process.
The journey of inner healing and rebalancing is found in every aspect of Euphoria Retreat, creating a unique and deeply personal guest experience.
The spa facilities, restaurant and accommodation are all designed to complement the therapies, to offer personalized service. The 45 spacious rooms and suites enjoy views over the town of Mystras, the castle, or the private forest of Euphoria Retreat. They are decorated in warm colours, inspired by Byzantine iconography, fabrics made exclusively for Euphoria Retreat.
Each room has its own distinctive character and is fully equipped with the latest technologies: soft lighting, bio-climatic, underfloor heating and home automation systems and some have a whirlpool bath or hammam. Wooden furniture, marble bathrooms and an optimal layout complete the zen and relaxing atmosphere. Rooms with disabled access are also available.
To the Gaia restaurant, with a panoramic view of the valley and the citrus grove, the five main meals are served according to the 3GL method, which includes two personalized healthy boosters and antioxidant snacks, to bring the body back to homeostasis. The 3GL is a protocol that measures and analyzes the three most important biomarkers for metabolic health – glycogen, glucose and glutathione – and quantifies the body’s real needs for fuel, antioxidants and cellular protection. Euphoria Retreat’s team of nutritionists prepare daily dishes using natural, healthy, wholesome ingredients, with fresh herbs, spices rich in antioxidants and all the nutrient essentials of Greek and Mediterranean cuisine, with local products, to bring balance to the body.
The Spa rises on four levels, with the Waterwell Kneipp Therapyof 25 meters, surrounded by a spiral staircase, with contrasting hot and cold foot baths, ideal for increasing circulation. The innovative Sphere Pool with its stone arches provides an unusual and absolutely relaxing bath. The spherical walls are lined with hydrotherapy jets and water benches for light and relaxing massages. The warm water Watsu pool is designed for gentle body therapy while floating.
The scenic cathartic Byzantine Hammam offers a relaxing way to purify the whole body and relieve stress and tension. The sauna helps detoxify the body and purify the skin, aiding weight loss, relieving pain and restoring healthy circulation. While Laconium uses dry heat to raise core body temperature, increase blood flow and trigger a deep invigorating sweat. All therapies and rituals have been developed exclusively for Euphoria Retreat and are made with natural, local and organic products by expert operators.
In choosing the Euphoria Retreat logo, made up of seven circles with the flower of life inside, Marina was inspired by the number 7, which has always been considered, by almost all the peoples of the world, a sacred indivisible number. In fact, seven represents a way of being and thinking that differs from that of most people and requires the highest logic and can even regulate life cycles.
Euphoria Retreat is Marina Efraimoglou’s dream come true that she longed to share with others. Her motto, which best explains the healing philosophy of the structure is: “Your life, your journey”.
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EUPHORIA RETREAT, NEW LIFE IN THE PELOPONNESE – James Magazine