A spa and geomedicine centre is to open in January 2009 within the Hotel Porto Santo, located on the island of Porto Santo, in the north east of Madeira.

The 12,916sq ft (1,200sq m) spa will utilise the island’s three different types of sand – including biogenic carbonate sand – as well as local clays, spring water and seawater.

The spa will be one of the first in the world to offer sand spa treatments, including sand baths.

A pilot clinic was first opened within Hotel Porto Santo in the 1990s, where patients from northern Europe were studied after undergoing therapeutic sand treatments as well as research carried out at the beach and dune sands in Porto Santo island’s south coast.

Porto Santo is working alongside Quinta da Bela Vista, a member of the Great Hotels of the World group, on the launch of the spa. The facilities will be available to guests from both hotels. Details: hotelportosanto.com