By Lynne Susanne
London offers many options for the visitor in need of a pampering spa treatment. Whether you are looking for a basic facial or a complicated grooming ritual, you will find plenty of spa treatments to suit your needs and budget. From luxury day spas to unique hotel facilities, the main problem will be finding time to fit all the relaxing experiences in.
Luxury Spas
For the ultimate pampering experience, try one of London's luxury day spas. These spas are at the higher end of the price scale but you can take advantage of special offers and day packages which combine treatments over several hours of relaxation. Americans in town often flock to U.S.-import Bliss London, which offers the use of a steam room before your treatment. Try their truly blissful ginger rub massage for a body-melting treat. Alternatively, join locals in the fashionable Notting Hill area at Spa NK where you can wind down after your treatment with a cup of herbal tea in the relaxation room. For a women-only experience, head to the Sanctuary in Soho, where booking a treatment also gives you use of the swimming pools, sauna and lounge area.
Bliss London
60 Sloane Avenue
South Kensington, London, SW3 3DD
001 (+44) 20 7584 3888
www.blisslondon.co.uk
Spa NK
127-131 Westbourne Grove
Westbourne Grove, London
W2 4UP
001 (+44) 20 7727 8002
www.spacenk.co.uk
The Sanctury
2 Floral Street, London WC2
011 (+44) 1442 430 330
www.thesanctuary.co.uk
Hotel Spas
Most of London's top hotels also have a beauty or health spa attached. You don't usually need to be a hotel guest to use the spa, but for a treat consider booking in for a night. You can then wander back to your hotel room in your robe after your treatments, which is far more relaxing than battling your way through London's traffic. For a glamorous urban retreat try the Berkeley Spa at the Berkeley Hotel. After picking a holistic body treatment, relax with a champagne lunch near the open-top swimming pool on the roof of the hotel. The spa at the Mandarin Oriental is a good place for celebrity spotting. This luxurious location also offers a Zen Color Therapy Room, a vitality Pool and a special steam room with separate areas for men and women. Guests are encouraged to book time slots, called Time Rituals, rather than specific treatments. The therapists will then guide you through a tailor-made experience, starting with a relaxing foot bath.
The Berkeley
Wilton Place
Knightsbridge
London. SW1X 7RL
001 (+44) 20 7235 6000
Mandarin Oriental
66 Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7LA
001 (+44) 20 7235 2000
www.mandarinoriental.com/london
For Men
The capital of the U.K. also caters for men looking for an afternoon of grooming and pampering. Men can now rival the women in their lives with full spa menu choices of manicures, waxing, facials and body treatments. Most men's health spas also offer traditional male grooming services such as haircuts and wet shaves. For a luxury experience and the feel of a gentleman's club try the Refinery. Treatment packages thoughtfully include the New Father Reviver and the Groom's Day Out. The Refinery also offers an extensive top-to-toe hair removal service for those who need it. Alternatively, try Gentleman's Tonic in Mayfair which describes itself as 'reassuringly masculine'. Clients relax in private haircutting stations with high-tech entertainment choices, including LCD screens and music consoles. Packages include the Hemingway which offers to rejuvenate you with massage, a facial and a Bloody Mary cocktail. For men too busy to come to the spa, the spa will come to you at work or home with a selection of bespoke treatment options.
The Refinery,
60 Brook St, W1
001 (+44) 7409 2001
www.the-refinery.com
Gentlemen's Tonic
31a Bruton Place
Mayfair, London
W1J 6NN
001 (+44) 207 297 4343
www.gentlemenstonic.co.uk
About the Author:
Lynne Susanne is a British broadcast and Web journalist with over 12 years' experience writing and producing for the BBC. She has an undergraduate degree in history from Reading University, UK, and a postgraduate degree in broadcast journalism from the University of Central Lancashire, UK.
