Spa Review: Nirvana Spa, Berkshire

East Berkshire locals tend to hear of the Nirvana Spa before they see it: word of mouth travels fast, and this one is hot to trot: it's one of the biggest spas in the area, offering some of the best deals and nicest facilities. So after hearing about it for a long time before actually getting to visit, expectations naturally run high. Happily, you shouldn't be disappointed.

The spa is a sprawling complex with rooms coming off several different corridors, as well as outdoor pools, and probably also well-concealed treatment rooms that you only get to see if you're booked in for a massage, facial, flotation, or any of the other numerous delights that the spa offers (at an extra cost to the package or membership price; these start from as little as £17, by the way). If these don't float your boat (and why wouldn't they?), you can always book in for a shopping event or makeup demonstration, which are often included.

But even if there isn't a special event on, or you haven't booked in for a treatment, you can happily while away the hours here thanks to Nirvana's hydrotherapy pools, monsoon showers, tepidaria, aromatherapeutic sauna and steam rooms, plunge pools, fitness rooms, outdoor jacuzzis, and pools for lane swimming. All equipment is state-of-the-art, with not a tired, dated, or untidy-looking corner anywhere. 

Further to this, plenty else is included - not just the use of towels and robes, but also all soft drinks (from tea and coffee to Diet Coke and J2Os) and unlimited use of the salad bar (which is perhaps the biggest you'll ever see, including a substantial variety of vegetarian and gluten free options). Other treats are available at additional cost, such as afternoon tea, alcoholic drinks, and hot dishes in the restaurant, but many will find that the complimentary refreshments are enough to keep you going throughout your daytime or evening visit there.

These daytime or evening visits come in a variety of combinations: some include beauty treatments, which naturally bump up the price, and some are only available on certain days (which can keep your cost down). In short, however, you can spend as little or as much as you like: you can access the spa for as little as £35 for 3 hours. For a whole evening, the price is still a very affordable £55 for 5 or 6 hours. For locals, memberships can afford you a discount: the annual Spa Club 12 membership (which, as the name hints, gives you 12 visits a year) works out at £34 per visit.

During your visit, attaining relaxation should not be difficult, whether you prefer to chill in the sauna, be massaged by hydrotherapy jets, or exercise in the sports pools. On your way out, you can purchase a variety of high-quality skincare (such as Decléor and ESPA) in the spa shop, in a calm, dimly-lit environment, with ever-friendly and professional staff on hand to assist if needed. All in all, a reinvigorating experience that leaves you more in touch with your inner zen; definitely worth a return visit.

http://nirvanaspa.co.uk/

Nirvana Spa, Mole Road, Wokingham, Berkshire RG41 5DJ

Spa Review: Sofitel Chain Bridge, Budapest

When staying in a top-class hotel for a weekend in one of Europe's most vibrant capitals, what could complete the experience more than a treatment in the hotel spa? Our stay at the Sofitel Chain Bridge Hotel in Budapest (soon to be reviewed on sister blog The Flying Ferret) provided luxury at virtually all levels thanks to the uber-comfortable beds, friendly staff, vast breakfast options, and health and wellbeing facilities. The hotel provides free access to a serene swimming pool and well-equipped gym to all guests, as well as the use of two sauna cubicles (warning: watch out for naked Germans). This is further complemented by the services for which you can pay, which comprise massages, facials and more.

I was lucky enough to be able to receive a treatment on the day of arrival, despite telephoning for the appointment just a few hours before the available slot. Staff speak good English and specifically ask you to arrive ten minutes before the appointed time - not just to ensure efficiency but also to allow you to enjoy tea with honey and lemon (which is brought to you by spa staff on an elegant wicker tray) in the relaxing reception area prior to your treatment. This is a simple yet luxurious touch that costs little; all spas should be offering this.

The theme of elegance and politesse was reinforced by the beauty therapist introducing herself by name and offering a handshake before leading me through to the manicure and pedicure area, which is just off the pool area, next to the gymnasium. An array of nail colours and finishes are available, and you are given plenty of time to choose (in my case, while my feet had time to soak in a warm foot bath). This diversity continues in the choice of treatments itself, which caters for all budgets (my pedicure was a modest €34, but there were plenty of even cheaper as well as more expensive options) and needs (you could have a specifically medicalised pedicure, for example, if required). Unusually, despite the fact that several high-profile brands are used by the spa (namely Sothys and OPI), the sale of these products is not pushed at all, leading to an ultimately no-pressure approach, which is refreshing compared to many other spas, who often seem to make the sale of these products their main goal.

Unfortunately, it appears that no Sothys products were used during my treatment, as when asked about the exfoliants, creams and so on that were being used on my feet, I was only told that they were not by Sothys. The jars and bottles were also kept under a cloth, which can lead you to believe that the products used are merely cheap concoctions. As well as brand name-dropping to sell products, in a way spas do need to mention the names of the products being used and show the customer the packaging: rather like tasting a fine wine, we need to be sure that we are getting a high-quality, genuine article (who wants to order a Château Lafite only to find that it was just cheap plonk knocked up in a farmer's shed?).

However, this was slightly made up for by the fact that the beauty therapist gave me many other useful tips to treat the recurrently hard skin on my feet: as well as recommending steroid creams (which can normally be prescribed by a doctor), she also talked about good old-fashioned home cures, such as Epsom salts. Equally, she was diligent in making my feet look less lizard-like and more baby-soft, taking plenty of time and care. While more drying time for the varnish would have been better (using an air dryer, for example), the rest of the process was just as meticulous: after soaking my feet, they were dried, scraped, exfoliated and moisturised before nails were cut and filed, cuticles were trimmed, and coats of polish applied.

My only other bugbear was with the atmosphere of the treatment room: dim lighting is surely customary, and yet I had standard wattage throughout my pedicure. Soothing background music is also always better than silence. However, these are small criticisms that can be easily rectified, and in the end I was happy not only with the final result but also with the time and care taken for the price paid (€34 is not much for a pedicure in a five-star hotel, given that this is a standard high-street price across much of Europe). The Sofitel brand's reputation was therefore safely upheld, and I would be more than happy to use the chain's facilities again. Now to maintain my feet's new-found baby-softness before my next chance to have a pedicure in December... 

Sofitel Chain Bridge, 1051 Budapest, Széchenyi tér 2, Hungary

Spa Review: L'Escale Orientale, Paris

An 'escale' in French is essentially a stopover, or perhaps a stage in a journey (a French online trip planner requiring you to take regional express train A followed by metro lines 6 and 12 and then a short walk, for instance, would tell you that your journey has 4 'escales'). It's therefore both significant and appropriate, then, that Parisian spa L'Escale Orientale chooses to use this word in its name. Located in one of the busiest parts of the French capital, near what is perhaps the city's biggest shopping district as well as the second busiest railway station in Europe, it's housed within a small courtyard that truly provides an oasis of calm and quiet away from the chaotic streets.

Specialising in hammam - the water treatment popular in places like Morocco and Turkey - L'Escale Orientale ensures that your treatment takes place in comfort and style, as well as allowing you to benefit from the latest technology. Their hammam treatment areas are essentially full-body capsules that you lie in while essentially completely stark naked (although I'm sure that if you wanted to wear your own swimming costume instead of the paper thong that they offer you, they would oblige), and that faithfully replicate the traditional Islamic hammam experience. Fans allow hot dry air to circulate over your body before gentle steam is introduced. After this, water jets provide strong massage from above and below your body, as well as from the sides of the capsule. Before the 30-minute experience commences, the spa staff check that the temperature of the water is to your liking before switching the capsule on (although they only seem to speak French there, so be aware of this before booking - which, by the way, you can only do by telephone).

Wearing makeup is not to be recommended, and while of course you may tie up your hair, this is unlikely to stop it from getting wet. None of this, of course, stops the hammam from being a fully satisfying and unusual experience: after treatment from the water jets you feel completely invigorated, and the gently changing coloured lights in the room and soft décor adds to the relaxation factor.

Continuing in the Oriental hammam tradition is the full body exfoliation and massage. The exfoliation takes place in the same hammam pod, with the assistant using an exfoliation glove to slough away dead skin cells from your entire body. This has the desired effect of making you feel smooth and glowing before your massage. Prior to the massage, you are given a new paper thong, plus a paper bathrobe, to put on - and in typical French style, this leaves little to the imagination. You are then led to a room decorated in dark pink and brown, which is dimly lit and where relaxing music plays. A five-minute massage is given while you are wrapped in a towel to ensure that you are fully dry after the hammam and exfoliation routine, and then a 15-minute massage using warm oils ensues. Finally, excess oil is soaked up through another 5-minute massage with the towel (although those who are new to massages with oil should be warned that it can still be a good idea to wear older clothes, or clothes that you care about less, to wear afterwards). The spa staff are skilful in the art of massage and have an appropriately firm touch to see off knots or aches. However, they did not ask about any back conditions that could be affected by the massage, so come prepared to tell them about this in advance.

At the end of the massage, you may be invited to have a quiet cup of sweet green tea in the reception area, where plush banquettes abound for moments of further relaxation and contemplation. Having been given this trio of treatments as a Smartbox gift from my inlaws, I have no idea how much was paid for the treatment (especially as the particular box I was given is no longer available), but can estimate from the Smartbox website that the price was between €35 and €75. I suspect, however, that according to the list of treatments on the L'Escale Orientale website, what I had was closest to their Essaouira Escale Classique, which consists of a hammam, exfoliation, and a 30-minute massage with perfumed massage oil and comes to €95 (or €175 for a pair of you, which makes €88 each). So it could be suggested that you get a better deal through the Smartbox even with that two-person discount. However, my excellent experience and the not-too-bank-breaking price means that I would definitely consider returning and perhaps even gifting the experience to others. After all, these precious moments of physical and mental calm are perhaps indeed priceless.


94 rue St-Lazare, 75009 Paris
00 33 1 48 78 20 69
http://www.escaleorientale.fr/ 

Spa Review: Sabai Leela

Bianca's Beauty Blog's Spa Correspondent, Gillian, reviews the Sabai Leela Spa in London.

I arrived at Sabai Leela (282 Old Brompton Road; SW5 9HR) on a damp dreary afternoon in August.

The shop frontage of this spa belies the interior which waits within. If you had spent a day at Earls Court, this escape would be just perfect. Open the door and a fantastic aroma & soft music welcomes you inside, along with the offer of a beverage. I chose water…as one should before a massage.

The reception area offers comfortable chairs and pleasing dark wooden shelves, displaying the products neatly arranged. I was soon greeted by my therapist and led down a set of spiral stairs to an ever-expanding cavernous range of facilities. The lighting was low, immediately relaxing you; make sure, however, to watch your step on the spiral staircase as your eyes adjust to the lower light.

Sabai Leela provided relaxing, pleasing on the eye, but above all clean facilities…a must. Showers were available, and beautifully decked-out rooms, named after oriental flowers, added to the ambience. There was even a treatment room for his & her (or her & her/his & his) treatments, although as my husband wasn’t with me I did not explore this option.

Onto my treatment, in which I embarked upon my first Thai Combination Massage, a bargain at £55 for 60 minutes. I have never had the courage to have a massage in Thailand during holidays there, mostly because I know masseurs are firm, and this made me worry about my communication skills. Having had a back operation more than 10 years ago, I would have wanted to be able to express my specific needs, but disputed my ability to do this in a foreign language. On this note please take the time to tell the staff at Sabai Leela if you are aware of any injury or long term health issues prior to your treatment.

All the important things were in place: a warm candle-lit room, and questions asked as to how firm I liked my massage. Above all I was given the privacy and time to change and get ready for my treatment. As I lay down on the massage bed, with its face hole, a bowl with flowers & aroma greeted me - a nice touch.
 

I like a very firm Swedish massage, but having experienced my first Thai massage, would I say I wanted the same intensity next time? Possibly not - this was powerful, but good, matching the deep muscle massage of my ex-Army sports therapist! Perhaps next time I might ask for medium rather than firm pressure, but no harm was done - in fact, having asked for the firm touch, my therapist identified that an existing ankle injury spreads right up into my calf. Tiger Balm was offered, and this welcome offer was accepted, helping to ease problems the next day.

This massage offered a complete body experience: feet, hands, arms, legs, neck, head and body. This massage did not disappoint and I left totally relaxed and moisturised from head to foot. Do remember to take a hairbrush though; you will need one if you don’t want to get the tube looking like you have been dragged thought a hedge backwards! A brush is offered by Sabai Leela, but you may prefer to bring your own nonetheless.

What’s more, you are advised to arrive at least 30 minutes before your appointment, to give you time to take advantage of the herbal steam and sauna rooms, which are truly blissful. Robes & slippers are provided and personal lockers are available.

On departure I was offered another drink, and herbal tea, biscuits and purified water soon arrived, all served on a delightful tailor-made Eastern wooden block. A good visit; I’d return.

Gillian was a guest of Sabai Leela. To book your treatment, call 0207 373 7763 or request an appointment online at www.sabaileela.co.uk, where you will also be able to view a full list of treatments available.

Spa Review: spa LONDON

Bianca's Beauty Blog was invited to new spa, spa LONDON, ahead of its official launch tomorrow (April 3rd). Blog representative Gillian reports on her experience.

--What does the promo say?--

“spa LONDON provides the perfect escape. Combining the best of traditional, thermal therapies honed over centuries, with leading contemporary treatments, there is nowhere better to indulge yourself and restore harmony to your life. An oasis of calm, where you can leave the stresses and strains of modern life behind you. spa LONDON offers the perfect environment in which to restore both mind and body, lifting your spirits through each experience.”

--The reality--
I arrived at spa LONDON in Marshall Street W1, to a very sunny and as usual busy London town. Situated close to Regent, Oxford & Carnaby Streets it offers the perfect escape and possibly a welcome addition to a perfect girls' day out. The men who work and live in the area will also find that essential pick you up or wind down that is often needed in a busy city life too.

Upon entry, the receptionist on the ground floor telephoned to announce my arrival. This was a nice touch, as despite being early, at the bottom of the stairs (lift also available) I was welcomed by my beauty therapist, the charming Fatima. Knowing that I was there to look around the facility for the first time, I was also introduced to the manageress Lisa, and given the opportunity to look around the thermal spa area and ask questions about the facilities.

I was not disappointed: spa LONDON welcomes its clients to a clean and modern “easy on the eye” environment and a pleasing ambience, with scented candles burning and fresh green apples for the taking. I particularly liked the spacious named treatment rooms, many with showers, and the thoughtful frescos in reception (Peaceful, Energising, Calming, Tranquillity, Serene, Uplifting, and Soothing) and comfortable sofas provided to relax in while awaiting your treatment.

I then embarked upon nearly 2 hours of sheer bliss, which delivered several of the above fresco promises. All the important things were in place: a warm low lit room, enough instruction, privacy and change time to get ready for my treatment. I was also provided with the music of my choice, which could have been my own iPod if I’d liked, and a heated treatment bed; the scene was set.

Firstly I experienced the Spa London Body Massage, £59. Fatima made sure to ask me how I liked my massage - most important for a girl who likes a firm hand and who is prone to bouts of “tickleness”! (If you can’t press hard please don’t touch my neck and feet!) Thankfully what followed was one of the best 50+ minutes ever, with every moment well spent. I have experienced everything from the ex-Army deep muscle massage of a sport physiotherapist to a limp wristed massage which should have been called a body “stroke.” What a joy to experience just what was requested. I’m particularly sure, after my circuit class earlier that morning, my upper back will have really enjoyed this as much as I did. Along with the peppermint aroma of the treatment room I felt relaxed and moisturised all over - heaven. Another bonus following this treatment was that a shoulder joint that I have been experiencing some minor problems with certainly felt better the next day.

Next followed my first Elemis Skin Solutions Modern Skin Facial, £57. I think it’s probably the first facial in which I nearly fell asleep - maybe that was the lavender aroma of one of the products used? Elemis use pure extracts in its products, another being rose, and neither of which was too strong. Whatever this facial delivers it certainly relaxes you, and was extremely enjoyable. In addition your hands, head, arms and neck also get a massage - utter bliss & probably one of the best facials I’ve experienced. Afterwards advice, not sales pressure, was offered. This was welcome and I purchased an Elemis eye mask, which will also be reviewed soon on Bianca's Beauty Blog. The following day, looking in my mega magnifying mirror, the open pores on my nose were most definitely diminished. A few Elemis sachets were also given for trial (some may also be reviewed here at a later date, but only if the samples are big enough to allow this). My one regret was not taking along a hair brush, as this facial included some head massage, so one would have been useful.

Spa LONDON has also decided to offer dedicated male & female times in the Thermal Spa relaxation sauna and steam room areas. What an excellent idea for those of us who still feel that men are from Mars and women from Venus! For those of us who prefer to glow alongside each other, mixed sessions are evening from 4pm to 9pm & and all day at weekends. This ruling does not impact on the private treatment rooms

Spa LONDON W1 has its official launch on the 3rd April between 6 & 9pm. I urge you, be you visitor, worker or resident of W1, to visit; I doubt you will be disappointed. For further infomation, see here.

If you live or work further afield in London, spa LONDON also have venues in York Hall E29, Swiss Cottage NW3, and Wimbledon SW19, as well as in Epsom KT17. If these locations offer therapists with the same skills, I would like to recommend you give them a try also, and see if they offer the same city haven. ENJOY! I did, and although I don’t live in the area I would return, most probably added onto a girls' shopping day.

Prices for treatments can be found here.

Spend Vouchers, Get Beauty Rewards!

Sponsored Post

Tesco is probably the UK's most popular supermarket, or at least the country's most talked-about. Whether you find their Florence and Fred range is to die for, love their Tesco Finest cheese crackers, or just enjoy spending your Clubcard points, it certainly has something for everyone. 

While there are Clubcard rewards for just about everything from dining out one evening to a few weeks away on holiday, even beginning beauty fanatics can benefit from the scheme. By collecting points on almost everything you can buy in store or online from Tesco (as well as by spending on your Clubcard credit card), you can convert 150 points for Clubcard vouchers worth £1.50, which are sent out to you automatically and can be spent on all kinds of treats, including major beauty brands stocked by Tesco, such as Barbara Daly and All For Eve.

Furthermore, Clubcard vouchers can be exchanged for even more extravagant Clubcard rewards for die-hard cosmetics aficionados - including special limited edition Clubcard Deals, such as the offer for Brandalley gift tokens that's available at present (if you order by March 19th, you can exchange £10-£20 of Clubcard vouchers for double their value in Brandalley tokens). Tokens are also available on a more permanent basis for beauty-based retailers such as sk:n (the UK's #1 skin clinic), ManKind.co.uk (for beauty and skincare gifts the man in your life will love) and FloatWorks (for flotation experiences in a spa environment). So whether you want to pimp up your lipstick collection, encourage your bloke to start taking care of his skin, or just get a break from the kids, you can be sure you'll find something to suit.

Getting a Tesco clubcard also couldn't be easier: you just have to go to the Clubcard section of Tesco's website and fill out the online form. The BeautyExpert tokens really stand out for me (sadly, Florence and Fred don't currently have a makeup range of their own!), and I'm sure there's something there that you'll love too. You can soon be saving on food shopping, fashion accessories, flotation treatments and foundation in no time at all.

Your key to beauty

I've talked before on this blog about how beauty is more than skin deep. While I don't specifically endorse certain types of intervention into our natural beauty, such as cosmetic surgery, I do endorse other interventions into our inner beauty from without. And don't we just all dream of how our ideal holiday would be just the ticket to perk us up from the inside?

By playing Radisson Park Inn's game online, you could win just that before 2010 is out. All you have to do is play their surprisingly addictive game here, dropping room keys into lines Connect 4 style. Get 4 in a row and you win the game. However, you don't have to get 4 in a row in order to get a chance of winning a holiday. The odds are all on your side: the game is easy and fun, you can play as many times as you like, and you get an entry into the draw to win an iPad or a £250 voucher for Radisson Park Inn Hotels - whether you win or lose the game.

As with a lot of things, there are a few provisos for pepping up your inner beauty (a lot of these hotels have spas, people). You must be over 18 to enter, and you must be living in the UK, Germany, Austria or Switzerland to be eligible. If you play before December 18 2010 (as many times as you like, remember) then you have every chance of winning - especially with two prizes being awarded per week (one iPad, and one £250 hotel voucher). At the end, all entries are mixed up and drawn from again for the grand prize of seven nights' accommodation at selected Radisson Park Inn Hotels in Manchester, Berlin and Djerba. Now, wouldn't that be a great Christmas present?

It's sometimes difficult to know how you'll benefit from visiting a hotel spa until you have a chance to do it: last time I went to one (for the record, though, it was not a Radisson Hotel but a hotel with a Nuxe spa in Paris) I was pampered impeccably and left feeling like I was walking on air and ready to take on the world. While some of that comes from the confidence boost you get from having your outer beauty preened and seen to, the feeling of destressing and relaxation cannot have a price put on it. Equally, your inner beauty can benefit from travel in general. While I have not visited any of the destinations that constitute the hotels in Radisson's grand prizes, I have been fortunate enough to travel the world over, including America, Thailand, and North Africa as well as plenty of places in mainland Europe. My next trip will be to Tenerife in a couple of weeks' time, where I hope to try out one of those fish spas for the first time. If you want a luxury holiday too, I'd advise you to get playing and get 4 in a row.