It’s January, and I’m desperately trying to control my breath while floating in the Øresund – the strait that separates Denmark and Sweden. It’s 3°C outside, and the possibility of snow still lingers in the air following a flurry this morning. To say that I’m cold would be the understatement of the century – but I’ve just spent 12 minutes sweating in a cavernous sauna, which definitely helps.

Welcome to Kurhotel Skodsborg – a 17th century hotel and health and wellness retreat on the Danish coast, just north of Copenhagen. I’m here to attend the hotel’s first ‘Nordisk retreat’, a collaboration between the site’s wellness professionals, UK-based breathwork and mindset coach Richie Norton and elite performance coach Tamara Harnett. The schedule includes two days of hot and cold contrast therapy (hence the dip in the sea), pool-based strength training, breathwork and yoga, paired with healthy meals and the opportunity to fully unwind.  

The hotel is known for its fitness offering, so the first day of the retreat starts with an optional run or walk around Dyrehaven – the expansive forest park that sits just behind the hotel. I opt for the run, which covers a 5km out-and-back route in the forest. After a couple of warm-up stretches and a quick briefing, we head out into the forest with our guide, who makes sure to keep the pace at a level where everyone is comfortable. It’s pouring down with rain, but it’s hard not to enjoy yourself when you’re surrounded by towering trees and wide-open paths; by the time I get back to the hotel, I’m more than ready to dive into everything the retreat has in store.

Spread across two days, the retreat is made up of four different sessions: Skodsborg steam (a steam room-based experience involving aromatherapy and body scrubs), performance pool training (a session involving weights in the pool that challenges you to hold your breath and stay calm under pressure), a yoga and breathwork class and a saunagus (sauna with essential oils) experience. There’s also a sleep-optimised dinner (golden beet carpaccio with capers, crispy kale and a truffle vinaigrette, followed by celery root with a mushroom sauce) at the end of the first day designed to stimulate melatonin (the sleep hormone) and an opportunity to connect with other retreat guests over alcohol-free cocktails.  

I start my stay with a steam session before heading into performance pool training – perhaps the most challenging part of the schedule. Led by Norton, the session sees you swim up and down the pool, either holding a small weight in one arm or using two larger weights to ‘crawl’ along the bottom of the pool while trying to stay under the surface for as long as possible. It’s just as much about lifting the weights themselves (you might expect them to feel lighter under the water but they still require plenty of effort to move) as it is holding your nerve and trying to stay calm as you move through the water. The key to success is conserving your energy (and breath) through slow, considered movements – something I fail to realise until I find myself coming up for breath every couple of seconds. As the session progresses, however, I find myself relaxing into it a bit more and slowing down my movements, which quickly improves the length of time I can hold my breath. It’s a poignant reminder that faster isn’t always better, and that slowing down can have just as much value.

On the second day, I begin with a yoga and breathwork class before heading into my saunagus experience. Led by spa manager Bo Berlin, the hour-long session incorporates two 12-minute sessions in the sauna followed by a cold plunge and time to relax and rehydrate. I’m excited to get started but soon realise I might be unprepared for what’s to come; as soon as the first aromatherapy-infused ice ball is placed on the coals, the room temperature seems to skyrocket. Over the next 12 minutes, Berlin places four different-scented ice balls on the coals, using towels and fans in between to waft the scent (and hot air) around the room. My body tingles as the heat passes over me again and again, and I have to make a conscious effort to focus on my breath to stop myself from panicking. However, after a cold plunge, a glass of water and some time lying down in the spa’s relaxation room, I feel prepared for round two and leave the session feeling truly relaxed. 

It’s worth noting that one of the best bits of the retreat – which will apply to any stay at Kurhotel Skodsborg – is just how attentive and encouraging the staff here are. Taking a dip in the sea could have been a daunting prospect, but Tania Biil Petersen – the practitioner who led our steam experience – is both supportive and informative, arming us with the tools we need to get into the water and reap the benefits.

The hotel is also a great place to stay for anyone who loves investing in their health and wellness; with its palatial architecture, bright white exterior and cosy Nordic aesthetic, it’s easy to understand why people have flocked here to reset and unwind for generations. Indeed, following the death of former owner King Frederick VII, doctor Carl Ottosen founded a sanatorium on the site, which became popular for its expertise in physiotherapy and preventative approach to health. Many of these services still exist to this day, with a physiotherapy clinic on site offering everything from massage to acupuncture. But it’s the spa, designed by Henning Larsen (the architects behind the Harpa concert hall in Reykjavík, Iceland) that really deserves all the attention. Alongside a 100 sq metre hydro pool, it boasts saunas, steam rooms, jacuzzis and a salt grotto in a bright, open space. It’s the perfect space for both locals from Copenhagen (the hotel is located just a 20-minute drive north of the city) and visitors alike to relax, unwind and enjoy some TLC. 

My stay in Denmark was short but sweet, and the combination of rejuvenating experiences, delicious food and wonderful people (I’m still in touch with two of the fantastic women I met) made it extra special. Perhaps the most important thing I took away from it all was a renewed focus on the link between my body and mind; it’s so easy to get carried away in your thoughts or think of your body simply as a tool to get things done, but focusing on both of them in unison, whether through the positive affirmations I used to get into the freezing cold sea or the reflection that took place at the end of the yoga session, really helped me find a new sense of calm.

If you’re looking for a sign to book onto a retreat, consider this it. And if you’re on the hunt for a place to escape from day-to-day life, I am confident that Kurhotel Skodsborg can deliver that and more. 

Images: Lauren Geall