By Morag Mclaren
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July 29, 2024
A snippet of the review - "Have you ever marvelled at the swan-like performances magically served up by celebrity dancers on Strictly Come Dancing only two or three weeks after having initially dribbled about like headless chickens? Practice makes perfect and dance is no different. I know we’ve all wanted to trip the light fantastic and impress our partners, family, onlookers or even just our own selves but above hubristic recognition is the universally accepted fact that dance is a joyous and uplifting activity. One hour of salsa dancing is guaranteed to release all the right endorphins to combat stress most effectively and boost your mood and senses. Now what if you could learn to salsa or improve your skills at a gorgeous luxurious holiday retreat in Cote d’Azur with lessons from top professionals, complementary fitness classes to keep you in good shape and the experience further embellished by the most exquisite food and drink in the South of France and an extra dollop of a bunch of lovely people who share the passion for dance but also know how to have a lot of fun. The heady mix of sun, fun, food and dance is the Salsa retreat at Château Lou Casteou, an hour’s drive away from Nice and forty-five minutes from Cannes. It is an immaculately luxurious home-away-from-home run by the lovely couple of Morag and Chris. They offer innovatively packaged experiences variously also focused on tennis and fitness along. Dances covered during the salsa retreat include Cross body salsa, Cuban salsa, Bachata, Kizomba, Chacha, Semba, Merengue, Regaetton, and Funaná! Once bitten, most visitors can’t wait to get back, year on year, to the sheer pleasure of the communal experience at Lou Casteou. It is a destination accommodation with a lovely swimming pool, ensuite bedrooms, wondrous terraces, cosy lounges, and glorious surroundings that boast both sea and mountain views. The charm and grandeur of the property coupled with the owners’ hands-on approach has transformed it into a multi-purpose building which is even available for ‘Shoot & Stay’ rentals with Simon Cowell having used it as the X-Factor ‘Judges’ home in one of the earlier series as well as weddings and special events."