Londoners are slowly learning to relax and love the spa. But with new places opening every month, the choice is overwhelming. Time Out selects the best in town, from steamed Alpine hay treatments to milk-infused Cleopatra baths
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| Sanctuary |
Over the past year, an unprecedented number of new ‘spas’ have sprung up in the capital. But the latest buzzword can be misleading – some consist of a single treatment room in a hotel, while others are merely beauty salons that offer pampering treatments. There is some debate regarding the word’s origin – one theory is that ‘spa’ is an acronym for the Latin sanitas per aquas (‘health through water’), another is that it derives from the Belgian town of that name with its famed healing springs. Either way, water is traditionally a key element. A dedicated chill-out area, where you can have refreshments before or after a treatment is another spa essential.
Few in London conform to the original model, complete with pools, hot rooms and lounges – the granddaddy of them all, the art deco Porchester Spa (020 7792 2919), has just undergone as much of a refurb as its listed status will allow, while the female-only Sanctuary (0870 063 0300/www.thesanctuary.co.uk), which opened in 1977, has introduced new ‘ritual’ treatments to rival the exotic offerings of younger competitors. But a new generation of urban spa is emerging to counteract the ever-more stressful demands of life in the capital.
The latest treatments combine relaxing elements such as massage, products to purify and perfect the skin and even healing rituals to soothe your soul. Eastern systems such as Ayurveda and Chinese medicine treat the individual – mind, body, spirit – as a whole, but we in the West are only just beginning to catch on to the concept of holistic care. As alternative therapies and ancient spiritual systems infiltrate the mainstream, it is becoming commonplace to find exotic rituals (Indian, south-east Asian, Hawaiian, Aboriginal, to name but a few) being carried out alongside facials and manicures.
No longer seen as a feminine preserve, relaxing treatments are becoming more popular among men: Valerie Brennan, co-owner of new Notting Hill unisex spa Savana (see below), reports a 30 per cent male clientele. Though we have yet to see a male-only spa along the lines of the Sanctuary, WholeMan (see below) unites a naturopathic clinic with wet shaves and body treatments for a holistic approach to wellbeing that doesn’t threaten masculinity.
Here’s our pick of the latest places to relax and recharge in the capital.
Explore the world of spas!
Health & Fitness Guide
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