Online Reporter
Tafadzwa Zimoyo
Lifestyle Editor
“TAKE care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.” — Jim Rohn.
The scent of jasmine. The soft hum of meditation music. The world is slowing to the rhythm of your breath.
For some, a spa is a rare indulgence. For others, it’s an escape. But for impresario Laureen Adam, it is a philosophy — a living, breathing sanctuary where science and soul meet.
And that philosophy has just conquered the world. On a luminous evening, last week in Singapore, inside the lush architectural marvel of the Parkroyal Collection Pickering Hotel, the World Luxury Spa Awards convened the finest names in global wellness.
The audience was a mosaic of spa directors, luxury investors and wellness innovators — each waiting to see who would be crowned at the summit of health and beauty.
When the spotlight fell on Amara’s Health Spa, the applause carried across continents.
The Zimbabwe-born brand, led by the visionary Laureen Adam, was named Best Health and Wellness Spa in the World, cementing its place among the icons of modern luxury.
The triumph was more than a business milestone — it was a moment of cultural pride, feminine power, and a reminder that Africa, too, crafts excellence of world-class calibre.
“This award is not a destination, but a milestone on a journey we began 18 years ago,” Laureen said gracefully, accepting the accolade. “Our philosophy has always been that true wellness cannot be mass-produced. It must be curated, with intuition and intelligence. To be recognised in a setting as esteemed as the Parkroyal Collection Pickering, against the world’s best, validates our belief that the highest value is, and will always be, the human touch.”
It was a defining moment not only for Laureen and her team but for the entire global wellness industry, a sector that has evolved dramatically in the past decade.
The New Language of Luxury
Across the world, women are reimagining wellness. They are not merely consumers of luxury — they are creators of it. From Chiva-Som Hua Hin in Thailand to The Bulgari Spa London and SHA Wellness Clinic in Spain, female-led wellness brands are setting new benchmarks, fusing traditional wisdom with modern science. The annual World Luxury Spa Awards, now in their 14th year, have become the industry’s ultimate stamp of credibility — the spa equivalent of the Oscars.
Each year, hundreds of nominees from every continent compete for honours across more than 60 categories, with winners decided by public vote and expert panels. Recognition here can transform a business overnight. Past winners such as The Retreat Palm Dubai, crowned in 2019, expanded their brand globally, while Anantara Spa Maldives, which clinched several titles in 2021, became synonymous with cutting-edge digital detox and longevity programs.
This year’s event was no less competitive. Yet amid the grandeur and the glow, it was Amara’s Health Spa — a brand born from African soil, refined through global vision — that took the top prize.
The Amara Method: Where Science Meets Soul
So, what makes Amara’s different in an industry filled with opulence? The answer lies in The Amara Method — a carefully designed system that places personalisation at its core.
Unlike traditional spas, Amara’s has no fixed treatment menu. Instead, each guest begins with a private consultation with a Wellness Concierge — a trained specialist who collaborates with certified health experts to map out an individual journey. This can range from advanced cryotherapy sessions and hydrotherapy rituals to mindfulness coaching and nutritional therapy based on biomarker analysis.
The result is an experience that feels more like a wellness symphony than a simple spa treatment — harmonising mind, body, and spirit through precision and personalisation.
“What distinguishes Amara’s,” Laureen explains, “is that we see wellness not as pampering, but as transformation. It’s about restoring harmony between body and mind — and doing so in a way that is as precise as it is personal.”
It is a philosophy deeply rooted in Laureen’s own journey. Before building her global brand, she spent years studying human behaviour, leadership, and entrepreneurship. She saw a void in the market — wellness experiences that treated people as individuals, not transactions. Her answer was Amara’s: a sanctuary where healing is tailored, not templated.
A Legacy of Quiet Power
Eighteen years later, that vision has blossomed into a brand that is not only luxurious but enduring. In an industry where trends shift quickly, Amara’s has thrived through consistency and authenticity. Its reputation for excellence has attracted a loyal clientele from across Africa, Europe, and the Middle East.
Laureen’s approach to luxury is refreshingly human. “Luxury has evolved,” she says. “It’s not gold taps or marble floors anymore. It’s time, attention, and personalisation. The new luxury is human.” That redefinition has turned Amara’s into a model of modern success — a business that merges artistry with analytics, and compassion with commerce. It’s also what made the brand a natural contender for global recognition.
The Power of Pampering
As the global wellness economy surpasses US$5 trillion, spas are no longer havens of extravagance but critical pillars of mental and physical health. Studies from the Global Wellness Institute show that regular wellness therapies can reduce stress hormones, enhance productivity, and even improve emotional resilience.
For women, the spa has become a sacred space — one that nurtures the mind as much as it restores the body. “The modern woman understands that her most valuable asset is her energy,” says a wellness analyst present at the awards. “She invests in recovery as much as she invests in results. That’s the new paradigm.”
Amara’s fits seamlessly into that evolution. Its balance of holistic healing and medical precision offers a glimpse into the future of self-care — a future where pampering is not a guilty pleasure but a necessary act of preservation.
A Global Benchmark for African Excellence
Amara’s win has also shifted perceptions about African brands on the world stage. Too often, luxury and wellness are portrayed as Western exports. Yet Laureen Adam’s story challenges that narrative — proving that innovation, elegance, and excellence can thrive from Harare to Singapore. “This is proof,” she said at the ceremony, “that Africa’s voice in wellness is not an echo — it’s a vibration felt across the world.”
Her words resonated deeply with an audience that has witnessed the globalisation of wellness. African beauty and health traditions — from rooibos and baobab infusions to marula oil and moringa treatments — are increasingly influencing luxury brands worldwide. Amara’s Health Spa stands as both custodian and innovator of that heritage, blending ancestral wisdom with contemporary sophistication.
The Parkroyal Moment
The setting of Amara’s victory was fitting — the Parkroyal Collection Pickering, known as Singapore’s “hotel in a garden,” embodies sustainability, serenity, and design brilliance. The hotel’s vertical greenery and cascading terraces provided a poetic backdrop to a celebration of wellness grounded in nature.
As Laureen took to the stage, the applause wasn’t just for an award — it was for an idea. An idea that luxury should heal, that leadership should nurture, and that business can be beautiful.
A leading hospitality investor summed it up best: “Amara’s Health Spa represents the zenith of wellness evolution. Laureen Adam hasn’t just built a spa; she has engineered a system for delivering measurable well-being. For the astute investor, that is not just a brand — it’s an ecosystem with immense potential for growth and replication.”
The Future Is Personal
With its new title as the world’s best, Amara’s stands at the edge of a new era. Expansion plans are underway, with potential footprints in wellness capitals such as Dubai, London, and Cape Town. Yet, for Laureen, the essence remains the same — human connection and individualised care.
“This award is a celebration of the journey, not the destination,” she reflected later. “It reminds us why we started — to create a space where people rediscover balance, purpose, and peace.”
And so, as the lights dimmed on the Singapore skyline that night, one message lingered in the air — the future of luxury isn’t about what we own, but how we feel.
For Laureen Adam and Amara’s Health Spa, that feeling — serenity, balance, and purpose — has now been enshrined as the world’s best.
And for the millions seeking renewal in a restless world, it is a beacon that wellness, when done with heart, becomes not just a business — but a beautiful way of life.
