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Cupcake Spa, Putney - 4 bubbles
We sent our blooming Spy to London to investigate this spa, specifically designed to cater to spa mums and mums-to-be. She found a sleep pod, a waterbed that didn't live up to its promises, and possibly the most delicious muffin in the world. And, of course, a cupcake. She came back a much yummier mummy-to-be.
Was it easy to book?
First impressions?
How did they welcome you?
What happens next?
Which treatments did you have?
What were the treatments like?
What happens afterwards?
Long-term effects
Was it worth it?
What else could you have?
What do you wish you'd known before you went?
Any special features?
Who do you think would like it?
Why did you give the spa this rating?
Would you go again?
Was it easy to book?
Yes, but Cupcake's incredibly cute website could do with being a bit more user-friendly. Downloading a PDF file of the spa menu was a bit of a pain, and I was annoyed by the price list being hidden away at the back of the menu.
First impressions?
Cupcake Spa is a 15-minute pregnant-person walk from Wandsworth Town railway station. It's about the same distance from Putney station. This isn't an obvious part of town for a day spa, but Cupcake is a private members' club and spa for mums and mums-to-be. It's handy for the many yummy-mummies who live in this area.
Cupcake Spa is located on a quiet side street. It was easy to find with the help of my A-Z, but I don't think I'd have stood much of a chance otherwise.
Even before I entered the spa, the yummy-mummy vibe was apparent. Through the large glass windows, I saw more Bugaboos than I have ever seen in my life: all lined up neatly alongside each other, and looking as if they'd been wheeled in straight from a shop. I discovered later that I had arrived just as a session of "mummy-lates" was getting under way. The prams had been left downstairs whilst mums were doing their Pilates upstairs. Their babies were enjoying Cupcake's on-site crèche.
How did they welcome you?
I felt a bit dubious as I entered the spa. If the prams in reception were anything to go by, this was probably not going to be my kind of place. I needn't have worried, though, because a friendly member of staff whisked me past the prams and showed me to a table in the café.
I was rather early for my treatments, having overestimated my journey time. I was very glad that I did arrive early, though, because I had a particularly delicious blueberry muffin and freshly squeezed orange juice while I waited for my therapist. The muffin had just come out of the oven. It makes me drool a little bit even now just to think about it... As I finished my drink, I perused the café menu. I was impressed by the balance between healthy salads and lunches, and not-so-healthy treats. Cupcake's hot chocolate is a cup of hot milk with a solid block of Belgian chocolate to melt into it. Apparently "children love it". Forget children. That's ideal for me.
What happens next?
My therapist came to meet me in the café and took me upstairs to the spa part of Cupcake. There are dark walls and wooden floors; everything looked rather plush. I felt quite decadent as I sat back in the spa reception area to fill in my health questionnaire. (I'm pregnant: don't drink, don't smoke, have got itchy stretching skin that is radiant one day and acne-ridden the next, and I awake to an excruciating leg cramp several times a week. Oh joy.)
The questionnaire asked how you like your massage, what music you'd like to listen to during treatments, and whether or not you would like to be chatted to by your therapist. This was a nice touch. I can imagine that some mums would crave a bit of spa chat after escaping their little darlings, but others would just want to enjoy a bit of peace and quiet.
After taking my questionnaire, my therapist showed me the toilets upstairs, just in case I needed to go during my treatment. This felt like a thoughtful touch for us pregnant ladies. We do tend to wee a lot. I know that I should always feel comfortable asking to go to the toilet during a treatment, but it is easier when your therapist has mentioned it before she gets started.
One of the toilets was located just off from the VIP ("very important parents") room. I had taken this to be some kind of relaxation area when I had a look at Cupcake's website. However, it didn't seem to be being used by anyone. I didn't notice any magazines or particularly relaxing touches around the place. It seemed to be a bit of a dead space which could be made better use of.
Which treatments did you have?
I had the Pregnancy Glow Package (£195, 3 hours), starting with the aforementioned "delicious refreshment" in the café. The package continues with a body polish, followed by a signature pregnancy massage and a congestion-zone facial. After all that hard work, the package is rounded off by "Cupcake Nap Time" and another "delicious refreshment". I was very happy to be having a package that included two delicious refreshments, and a nap.
What were the treatments like?
Pregnancy treatments take place in the largest of the treatment rooms at Cupcake, where the treatment couch is adapted for women with bumps. The main part of the couch is fairly standard, but there is a water-filled layer on top. This is supposed to make it more comfortable and enable the therapist to massage your back without you needing to turn over onto your front.
However, as my therapist got to work, I felt that the bed wasn't so well thought-out after all. During the body polish, I was tempted ask my therapist to do my front half and leave my back, as I didn't think that the treatment was working very well. It's certainly not ideal to try to work on someone's back when they are lying on it. Every time she put her hands under my back, the plastic water-filled layer made a squeaking noise that wasn't relaxing at all.
After the body polish, my therapist left me to shower off the exfoliator before coming back to give me what she called a "You're a Mum" massage. It was a lovely treatment. I couldn't fault the style of massage on the front of my body and my limbs. It was exactly as firm as I'd asked for. But, again, the water-filled layer made it tricky when she was massaging my back.
I was most looking forward to the congestion-zone facial, because my skin was in serious need of a treat. And it really was a treat. My skin felt thoroughly cleansed and nourished at the end of the treatment, even though all the products were very gentle and the facial didn't include extractions. I particularly enjoyed the scalp massage at the end.
After the facial, my therapist left me with a glass of water, telling me to "take my time and relax" before getting dressed. I find relaxing in a treatment room quite difficult, and it would have been nice to have use of a relaxation area at this point after lying on my back for so long.
Once I'd got dressed, my therapist took me back downstairs and showed me to the Cupcake sleep pod for my nap. My therapist explained that 15 minutes in the pod are equivalent to two hours of normal sleep. I found this calculation rather baffling. The difference in time reminded me of entering Narnia, but I am happy to try most things in search of relaxation.
The sleep pod is egg shaped, and looks like something from a different planet. The door opened to reveal a huge armchair. After I had received instructions from my therapist, the pod closed again, leaving me pretty much in darkness apart from the little fairy lights in the ceiling. Quite like being in a planetarium really. You have a choice of massage (I opted for soft) and music (I had some guided meditation) and then the chair starts to vibrate. Fifteen minutes go by.
I found it peaceful, but certainly didn't feel like I had slept for two hours when the time was up. The sleep pod wouldn't be good for people who suffer with claustrophobia. But, if you like "that sort of thing" and can relax on demand, it's worth having a go. (I think I may feel differently about the merits of the sleep pod after my baby arrives.) You can buy a monthly pass for the sleep pod for £20, or, if you'd like to add it on to another treatment or package, a one-off session is £15.
What happens afterwards?
After my nap, I sat down in the café to round off the package with my second "delicious refreshment". I just had to have a cupcake at Cupcake, and I'm glad I did. It was just as nice as the blueberry muffin I'd enjoyed earlier. I also had one of the most impressive cups of tea in my life. The Tea Forte teabags and cups were very swish indeed.
I was leafing through the treatment menu while enjoying my cupcake, when I noticed that the "You're a mum" massage I had just experienced was actually contraindicated during pregnancy.
Cue pregnant-lady stressing out about worst-case scenarios, as I racked my brain as to what my therapist could possibly have used that was bad for my baby. I quickly finished my tea and asked the receptionist to remind me what treatments I had had. She confirmed that it was a "You're a Mum" massage. I got a little bit more worried and pointed to the "not suitable during pregnancy" part of the treatment description. The receptionist told me that the massage was actually the same as the safe-for-pregnancy "Cupcake in the Oven" massage, apart from the special waterbed layer of the bed.
Fine. But why couldn't they have called it a "Cupcake in the Oven" massage? This was an unnecessary worry for me, and one that could easily be avoided for pregnant spa-visitors in the future.
Long-term effects
My skin felt lovely and smooth after the exfoliation and massage, and I smelt delicious for the rest of the day. If anything can ward off stretch marks, it's got to be regular exfoliation and then having your skin rehydrated with massage oils.
My complexion was much better for days after the facial. The deep-cleansing nature of it definitely helped to clear up a few problem areas.
Was it worth it?
Most things that leave you feeling replenished are worth it during pregnancy. At £195 for three treatments, two snacks, and a session in a sleep pod, I'd say the Pregnancy Glow package is reasonably priced.
What else could you have?
Pampering treats for mums, and mums-to-be. There are massages, wraps, facials, and beauty treatments. I was particularly amused by the "What's Up, Doc?" package, which aims to leave mums-to-be feeling "confident, relaxed and prepared for all of [their] pregnancy checkups". The package includes a foot ritual, bikini waxing, and mini-massage. I left pondering whether I needed my bikini line doing in advance of my next midwife appointment.
If you sign up for membership, you can make use of Cupcake's ante- and post-natal classes, seminars and "wellness classes". There's baby massage or baby yoga, or a seminar on "Conquering the Workforce as a Mum".
What do you wish you'd known before you went?
That the absence of a relaxation room makes Cupcake less "day spa" and more "treatment rooms". A very nice treatment rooms, but not what I was expecting.
Any special features?
The staff at Cupcake have clearly gone out of their way to provide a high quality service for mothers and mothers-to-be and they do a fantastic job. The on-site crèche, child-friendly café and range of classes for members are all special features that you won't find in many other spas.
You can also hire out space for baby showers, which I imagine would be ideal.
Who do you think would like it?
Mothers and mothers-to-be who need some pampering. The crèche is particularly useful for parents in London without childcare.
Why did you give the spa this rating?
We gave Cupcake Spa 4 bubbles. The space has been well thought out for its target audience, and the attention to detail in many areas is particularly impressive. The luxurious Belli products used at Cupcake are all especially designed for pregnant women. I felt very special indeed.
It's a shame that there isn't a relaxation room, though. And during my treatments I had my head propped up on the kind of block you use in yoga, with a towel over the top of it. About half way through my massage, my neck really started to ache. By the end of my facial, I was ready for a painkiller.
Being pregnant, it was great being shown where all the toilets were before my treatment. There were more pregnancy-friendly Belli products in all the loos. I appreciated having a choice of CDs to listen to during my treatments, and being asked before the treatment whether I'd like to my therapist to talk to me or not.
See more on how we rate the spas
Would you go again?
Definitely. I'd like to go back with a friend after having my baby and take advantage of the crèche facilities.
We visited Cupcake in July 2008
See also:
* Contact Details for Cupcake Spa Putney
* Pregnancy well-being treatments
* Scrubs and body polish
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