With July being the perfect time to rejuvenate your body and mind with a breakaway, why not choose a place that offers more than just accommodation.

For those looking for an all-in-one holiday, with fresh air, numerous activities, relaxation and delicious food, not to mention gorgeous hospitality, then the KZN Midlands is where you need to be.

In and amongst all the wonderful locations along the Midlands Meander, you will find Granny Mouse Country House & Spa who was recently acknowledged as offering excellence in service and voted Best Luxury Accommodation & Spa Resort in KZN – offering so much for the holiday maker to enjoy, with relaxation being the ultimate goal.

On site, one will find the Granny Mouse Spa, with an extensive offering from facials, to scrubs to massage and more.

If you are experience the winter blues from dry and chapped skin, it is crucial that you take advantage of the spa which has all your hydration needs covered – with more than just a treatment or two, as your spa therapist will guide you in making the right decision for healthy and hydrated skin.

“We like to offer advice for our guests who come in with dry skin, as this can be easily prevented. Hydration starts from the inside, so our advice is to drink loads of water and eat lots of fruit, as well as foods rich in vitamin E and monounsaturated fats that help skin lock in moisture, these would include Avocado and olive oil as well as nuts. We also suggest eating fish which contains Omega-3 fats,” says Yolandi Potgieter from Granny Mouse Spa.

She provides a quick and easy smoothie recipe for hydration:

What you will need:

2 Frozen ripe bananas

1 cup of Coconut water

½ an avocado

1 cup of spinach

Handful of almond nuts

1 tablespoon of olive oil or flaxseed oil.

1 tablespoon of honey

How to create:

In a food blender add the spinach and nuts to grind down to a paste.

Then, add in the bananas, avocado, oil and honey.

Once all is combined, add in the coconut water and mix until all has been combined into a green liquid.

For hydrating skin on the exterior, Potgieter advises to moisturise daily and spend some time at the spa.

“We offer a specialised CSpa Hydrating Wrap which cocoons the body and hydrates with neroli and vanilla essential oils, perfect for restoring dry winter skin to soft, smooth and more moisturised skin,” she adds.

Specials for July include:

* Cost of the CSpa Hydrating Wrap is R500 for 60 minutes

As the temperatures around the country begins to plummet as winter takes it toll, no more so is the toll taken than on our beautiful gardens. Instinctively, most of us know that being outdoors surrounded by the wonders of greenery and nature make us feel more relaxed and content, and research has proven that not only can indoor plants create an atmosphere that is pleasing to all the senses, but brings with it a host of other benefits. So this winter, why not bring your garden indoors?

Whilst many of us have dabbled in having the odd plant that invariably was a gift for this or that, few of us have taken the time to try understand the benefits of having these wonderful plants in our home.

According to the garden and grounds manager at Granny Mouse Country House & Spa, William Brown, “not only do indoor plants create a more creative space, but they aid in reducing carbon dioxide levels thereby assisting us in creating more breathable air. Some research has even gone as far as documenting a decrease in the incidence of dry skin, colds, sore throats and dry coughs as indoor plants increase humidity levels, thereby keeping the bite of winter outdoors.”

Aside from this, indoor plants have also been known to have medicinal qualities in that they can remove harmful indoor pollutants and can act as memory enhancers, so this winter, take some time to bring your garden indoors, and you’ll be sure to reap the benefits.