Spear’s Review 

Founded in 1931 by Dr Paul Niehans, Clinique La Prairie in Switzerland is one of the world’s most intimate and exclusive wellness centres. 

Indeed, with only 38 guest rooms, its wealthy client base is at the heart of everything that they do. Guests checking in for a week or two will find themselves in capable hands: with a focus on longevity and revitalisation, Clinique La Prairie offers the assistance of over 50 doctors in a range of programmes such as weight management, brain potential, detox and revitalisation – the latter two being the personal specialism of Clinique La Prairie's medical director Dr Adrian Heini. 

Scores of famous names have visited Clinique over the decades, including Winston Churchill, Dwight Eisenhower and Pablo Picasso.

When Spear’s contributor Nick Foulkes checked into the luscious green Lake Geneva-based clinic, the thoughtful geography of the centre made an impression: ‘Things are choreographed so neatly that you can go for days without bumping into anyone other than charming staff padding silently around the complex,’ Foulkes wrote. ‘And what a complex it is: in the parkland surrounding the original villa there is now a lakefront medical centre and a large, purpose-built spa block.’ 

Read next: Clinique La Prairie: my reluctant stay at the world-leading medical health spa