I’m the kind of person who enjoys being in the company of others. Don’t get me wrong, I love ‘me time’ and often look forward to a night in, but typically I like to spend my time surrounded by people.
I once read that learning to be comfortable in your own company has plenty of benefits, like reducing stress, increasing productivity and allowing you to better regulate your own emotions. But being alone can also be lonely, isolating and scary.
I currently live in my family home, with my parents, so I’m used to there always being somebody around to bounce off, or conversate with. One of my resolutions for 2024 was to step out of my comfort zone and try new experiences. So, when the opportunity to go on a solo trip to the Evian Resort’s Hôtel Royal popped up, I decided to accept it. And I’m pleased I did, because it taught me to treasure my own company.
Enjoying my own company
The three-day trip took place in Evian, France. I checked into Hôtel Royal, a gorgeous property in a quiet, secluded area overlooking Lake Geneva. The hotel itself is large, with two restaurants, a bar, a lounge and 48-acres of grounds to explore.
The suite I was in had a bedroom, living room and bathroom – initially, the space felt eerily quiet as I’m used to the hustle and bustle of my family home, but as the days went by, I grew grateful for the peace and tranquillity that the room provided.
Going solo
I decided to keep myself occupied during my solo trip, and the hotel organised a variety of activities to help fill my time. These ranged from a mountain hike accompanied by the team from the hotel’s Sport & Culture Department, to visiting nearby historic site in Evian-les-Bains. I said ‘yes’ to every opportunity that came my way, like the hike, which I wouldn’t typically have embarked on back home in London, but I really enjoyed the experience.
One positive benefit of going on a solo trip is that you can do everything on your own schedule: get up when you want, eat when you want, sleep when you want. You answer to nobody but yourself. And it’s totally freeing.
Therefore, I opted to spend most of my time unwinding at the hotel’s recently transformed evian©SPA. It’s the only wellness spa in Europe that is inspired by nature’s water cycle, and my experience there was, as a result, very grounding.
The spa has six individual treatment rooms, two couples’ treatment rooms, and communal wet areas inclusive of an outdoor hydro-circuit, snow room, cold pool and traditional sauna and steam room. I had a revitalising full body deep tissue massage, which was a real highlight of the trip and very much needed post hike!
And of course, when you’re at a spa, the consensus is to relax, recharge and switch off. So, I didn’t feel awkward about being there alone, because even the guests who came in pairs or as a family were all focused on their own individual experience. People were reading a book, having a nap or just taking in the incredible nature surrounding them. And this made me feel very present in the moment.
Another that I kept noticing throughout my trip – and maybe this is because I was paying more attention to other solo travellers – is that the hotel’s restaurants were often frequented by solo female diners. And it was really refreshing to see!
For example, one night I had dinner at Les Fresques, the 1-Michelin starred restaurant within Hôtel Royal, and spotted two women both dining alone – enjoying their meal with a luscious glass of wine. Back home in London, eating out alone seems terrifying and awkward, but in France, it seemed much more normalised. An empowering act of self-love, if you will.
So perhaps the most empowering thing that I discovered on my solo trip was that it’s important to cherish your own company, but it takes courage to do so.
Room rates for the Hotel Royal, Evian Resort start from €400 (approx. £345 per night) with access to the full evian®SPA facilities.