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I want to relax
If there's one thing we can all agree on, it's that life is hectic. The pace of life seems to increase with each passing year, making time to relax harder and harder to find. So, when you do get a moment to yourself, it's nothing short of devastating when your pampering experience leaves you less than luxuriated.
Luckily for you, here at The Good Spa Guide we have dedicated our lives to finding the best and most relaxing spa experiences that this fair isle has to offer, to ensure that you'll never be disappointed with a trip to a spa again!
When it comes to relaxation, these are our must-have requirements for pampering perfection.
Set the scene: location, location, locationCustomer service without batting an eyelid
More than a feeling: the right environment
Treatments to make your cares melt away
Spa serenity at home
Set the scene: location, location, location
It's no coincidence that meditation advice often implores you to imagine yourself on a desert island. Quiet contemplation, time alone and peace are as imperative to a relaxing spa experience as the treatments themselves. So, when you are picking your spa, it's worth considering your location first and foremost.
A spa most certainly does not have to be set amongst acres of fields or on a cliff top to be peaceful. Many inner-city spas are thoroughly soundproofed, ensuring silence whilst the mad world continues outside.
If you have the time to escape the city, then looking for a rural retreat or coastal hideaway could be the perfect sanctuary from stress. Retreats and destination spas may allow for day guests, but they differ significantly from hotel spas in that all guests are there for a sole purpose – to spa. So you can feel safe in the knowledge that you won't bump into a group of besuited businessmen while you're looking slightly dishevelled after that perfect relaxation massage!
Customer service without batting an eyelid
If the best restaurants deliver service so close to perfection that they "catch your napkin before it hits the floor", then the very best spas should also anticipate your every need.
Just getting to your destination can leave you frazzled. At a top spa, you'll start to feel relaxed from the moment you step through the door.
Spa staff who'll whisk away your bags and park your vehicle, whilst all the while protecting you from the glorious British weather with an umbrella and a smile. Spa staff who anticipate your arrival, greet you by name and settle you down on a comfortable sofa with a soothing cup of tea. Checking into a spa should be effortless.
While a massage can work wonders on stress and tension, a great therapist can make your spa experience really special. Paying attention to your needs and desires throughout a treatment, a good therapist will keep you informed and keep a check on your comfort, so you can relax in the knowledge that you are in safe hands.
Attentive at all times, without being overbearing, great service at a spa will mean that you do not have to lift a finger, let alone raise an eyebrow.
More than a feeling: the right environment
Atmosphere, ambience, environment, mood … whatever you want to call it, the feeling you get in a truly magnificent spa is like you have stepped into a tranquil oasis. Calm, relaxed, indulgent, opulent and splendid, the world of spa should whisk you away from all the trials and tribulations of real life, on a billowing cloud of bliss.
A serene environment is all about sensual touches: scented candles wafting delicate aromas; warm, soft lighting and sleek décor; mellow, ambient music; comfortable furniture, soft robes and fluffy towels. Attention to detail is the name of the game when it comes to faultless relaxation.
An ideal spa experience will be impeccably clean and comfortable, as well as exuding that intangible feeling of mellowness. Soft touches and thoughtful décor combine to take you to a world of hush and retreat, no matter if you're miles away from anywhere or in the middle of the city.
When you are all robed-up, the last thing you want to do is come face-to-face with a group of businessmen or shoppers. A seamless spa experience is integral to pure pampering excellence, and being able to remain cocooned in your tranquil bubble for the duration makes it all the more special.
Dedicated spa areas with their own cafés and changing rooms, separate to hotel or health club facilities, allow you to indulge without feeling out of place. Not having to change for lunch, and not feeling conspicuous with pink mud in your hair, allows for a truly unspoiled relaxation experience.
Treatments to make your cares melt away
Now the scene is set, with just the right lighting, fragrances to lift your spirits and calm your nerves, a perfectly fluffy robe and a cool glass of water, it'd be a travesty if your treatment left you more stressed than serene. If you want to relax, it's probably best to steer clear of deep-tissue massages and invigorating treatments.
Hot-stone massage: This treatment has become a spa staple over recent years, and it's no surprise. Your therapist will use the warm, smooth stones to relax your muscles before working into areas of tension, so you'll feel less discomfort, even if you've got really bad laptop-shoulders!
Ayurvedic treatments: Ayurvedic therapies are in-depth, intense, indulgent and irresistible! Many ayurvedic massages incorporate a good drizzling of warm, fragrant oil over the body or head, which feels incredibly soothing. These treatments focus on realigning chakras and balancing life energy. This holistic focus aims to leaves you feeling centred and contented, as well as free from knots and tension.
Floatation: If you fancy something a little different, then why not try floatation? An odd concept to some, floatation involves just that. Utilising a water and salt solution, you literally float on the water, so your whole body is fully supported and you feel weightless. This freedom encourages your mind to drift and weave around; you can literally just relax and dream during your time in a floatation tank.
Relaxation or aromatherapy massage: Sometimes, relaxation is all about keeping things simple. For a no-nonsense treatment that will do exactly what it says on the menu, then you can't go far wrong with a classic relaxation or aromatherapy massage. Rather than focusing on massaging out knots, this type of massage aims to get you relaxed using soft, flowing strokes and gentle kneading to leave you totally chilled. Aromatherapy oils complement a relaxing body massage by using soothing aromas to relax your mind.
And don't forget to make use of wet and thermal facilities if they are available. A soak in a hydrotherapy pool and a session in a steam room can really help ease tension, too.
Spa serenity at home
You can find the perfect spa and the perfect treatment to help you relax, but remember about the things that you can do for yourself. Have some me-time on a regular basis to keep yourself feeling stress-free. It's not selfish, it's sensible!
Try creating a spa ambience at home, once a week. Turn off your mobile phone and shut down your laptop. Light some candles and dim the lights, put on some mellow music, and run a bath with a few added drops of soothing, fragrant oil. And when you've dried off, settle down for forty winks (and don't set an alarm).
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