Serenity in the Heart of the City
Text Sarah Pitt — Photos Anthony Dehez
Proud founder and owner Odette Tonnaer arrived in Luxembourg from Flanders 32 years ago, but it was only 18 years later that she was to open the capital’s very first day spa. Of Dutch origin from an industrial family, she is a passionate business woman with an educational background in medicine.
“I have always been drawn to the extraordinary self-healing abilities of the body. After a significant hiatus, I felt a need to return to this path in the early 2000s. I decided to found a day spa in Luxembourg City to promote longevity through treatments that support health without disrupting the body’s natural intelligence.”
Over the years, Mrs Tonnaer has come to be a spa expert whose consultancy is sought after worldwide. The current property on boulevard de la Pétrusse was chosen and purchased in 2003 following market studies and many visits to the best spas of Europe and beyond. She decided to entrust a feng shui expert to design the spaces to create an energy balance and harmony with the surrounding environment. The location and layout of the spa were strongly influenced by the proximity of the Pétrusse, a small river that flows through the valley forming the green lung of the city.
“To this day, I remain convinced that this was a very good decision. The principle of feng shui is that we and everything around us are made up of energy, or ‘Chi’, and it is important to let it circulate. This is also the basis of our treatments.”
From aromatherapy and detoxifying to massages and anti-aging skin solutions, the approach at Yoaké is holistic. Following two years of considerable inquiry and implementation, Yoaké was ready to launch in 2005.
Stimulating Natural Healing Powers
We live at a time of increased awareness of how to better take care of our bodies, from the quality of the food we eat to the products we use on our skin as well as the importance of activities such as yoga and meditation that help to destress body and clear the mind.
Yoaké treatments combine ancient knowledge and traditions from around the world, yet are adapted to modern culture and cosmopolitan life. They have roots in kinesiology, osteopathy and physiology. The facials work to encourage the skin’s natural radiance and the carefully selected products and care systems have rejuvenating properties that actively work to condition and provide vital nourishment to the skin’s deepest layers.
A Clientele with a Common Desire
Somewhat unexpectedly, Yoaké’s first clients were all men, mostly in high powered jobs who travel frequently. Open six days a week, some people visit every three months, others every two weeks. Among their clients there is a common desire to be physically fit and mentally sound. They understand the importance of setting aside time to care for their health and that engaging in alternative medicine can support general well-being.
Always Optimising and Evolving
While time might stand still for clients at Yoaké, the business is ever-evolving. In 2015, Yoaké partnered with the luxury cosmetic brand Aromatherapy Associates London. Mrs Tonnaer leads a small, dedicated and highly specialised team at Yoaké to deliver only the best made to measure results to clients.
Investing Versus Saving
Like many businesses, Yoaké was not spared the dramatic impact of the 2008 financial crisis. Rather than save and spare money, the strategic decision was to invest in training for therapists and in new equipment to expand their services.
Embracing Longevity Daily
It is not only within the peaceful calm of Yoaké’s walls that you can reenergise. External and environmental factors like stress, pollutants, poor diet and nutrition can cause energy blockages which wear the body down.
“It’s about boosting the body’s wonderful innate capacity to regenerate itself, to support its natural processes, relieve blockages and let energy flow. After all, the natural state of the body is health and that’s what we seek to maintain.”
“What I have tried to achieve with Yoaké is a world of well-being with an understanding of the subtle balances between body, mind and soul, offering some essentials to help you maintain a healthy, balanced and vital life.”
YOAKÉ is the Japanese word for dawn, “the moment right before sunrise that brings with it a special feeling of calm revival. Such is the feeling that embodies the essence of how you should feel when leaving Yoaké.”