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Amala Spa (Hyatt Regency Birmingham) - 4 bubbles
"My massage was better than yours." "Well, my facial was better than yours." Two Spies were invited to central Birmingham's Amala Spa and quarrelled about who had the better treatments in the sauna, in the pool, and in the Jacuzzi. But not in the relaxation area, because there isn't one. There's not much else that Amala misses, though, and the treatments are obviously good enough to get competitive over.
First impressions?
How did they welcome you?
What happens next?
Which treatments did you have?
What were the treatments like?
How did you feel afterwards?
What happens afterwards?
Long-term effects
Was it worth it?
What else could you have?
Any special features?
Who do you think would like it?
Why did you give the spa this rating?
Would you go again?
First impressions?
The Hyatt Regency is large, high-rise hotel, close to Birmingham's International Convention Centre and Symphony Hall. When you enter the hotel you step into its expansive entrance hall with a raised, beige-marble seating area and contemporary furnishings in muted shades.
My friend and I checked in without delay, and the hotel receptionist directed us to the spa, via the lifts to the right of the check-in desk. Amala Spa is located in the basement of the Hyatt Regency hotel. The spa is cleverly lit and spacious, with high ceilings, so it doesn't have that bunker feel that some basement spas have.
How did they welcome you?
On entering the spa, we were greeted with a smile. We hadn't had time to unpack in our room before we went to Amala, so the receptionist was kind enough to take my large bag and look after it while we were being pampered. A member of staff showed us where to find the facilities, and where to wait to be collected by our therapists.
Amala Spa has been designed in neutral tones of natural dark wood and beige, with minimal Asian-inspired furnishings. There's a nail bar, treatment rooms and a Turkish hammam. Just around the corner from the spa is the Amala Club, housing a gym, swimming pool, Jacuzzi, sauna , steam room and plunge pool.
A member of staff gave us our towels, and we headed off to the changing rooms to slip into our robes and spa slippers. The changing rooms were smart, clean and decked-out with lockers-a-plenty, but were a bit short on benches or hanging space.
What happens next?
We popped into the hammam for a steam while we were waiting for our treatments. The grey- marbled room had plenty of seats. We were the only two steaming at the time, so we managed to relax and have a private chat.
After our quick pre-treatment steam, we came back to the reception and sat down in one of the two seating areas. There's a sofa and a couple of chairs at either end of the reception. We munched on fresh fruit while filling in our health consultation forms, then our therapists arrived to take us into our respective treatment rooms.
Which treatments did you have?
I had the Amala Back, Neck and Shoulder massage (45 minutes, £45) and a Pore Draw facial (90 minutes, £75) that uses the Karin Herzog oxygen range.
My friend had the Karin Herzog Orange and Cinnamon facial (limited edition), plus a deep-tissue massage (30 minutes, £30).
What were the treatments like?
The Amala Back, Neck and Shoulder massage was very relaxing and thorough. My therapist used interesting massage techniques; she rubbed her palms together to create friction and warm my muscles before she applied pressure. The massage focused on problem areas such as my hunched shoulders, and also generally eased tension in my neck and back.
The Karin Herzog Pore Draw Facial promised to do wonders for city-stressed skin, clear my pores and revitalise. After a cleanse, my therapist applied a gentle exfoliating cream. She performed a bit of "extraction for congested skin" (the polite way of saying "squeezing blackheads"), followed by an oxygen mask. No, the therapist didn't place an invisible mask of air on my face. The mask was a clear gel that contained oxygen molecules. The mask claims to cleanse and purify the skin, and help the skin absorb moisture.
My friend was very pleased with her deep-tissue massage, which she found very relaxing. As a fellow office worker, she loved feeling her computer-hunch melting away. However, it was her Orange and Cinnamon facial that impressed her the most. The facial left her usually very dry and slightly rough skin feeling soft, smooth and glowing. Her sensitive skin wasn't at all irritated, and her skin looked very calm and even. Needless to say, she was very pleased with the results. I was a bit jealous when I smelt the lovely wafts of the orange-scented moisturiser, too!
How did you feel afterwards?
We both felt very relaxed and felt that our skin had been refreshed. On comparing notes, I think my friend's facial won for best results. My Karin Herzog facial left my skin feeling a little bit tingly and not as bright as I had hoped, although it was well cleansed. My massage won, though, as it really did work on my knots and aches.
What happens afterwards?
After our treatments, we relaxed in our robes in the reception area. This doubles as the relaxation area as well. There's a huge, empty space between the two seating areas here. It's a shame that the spa hasn't used this space to create a proper relaxation area.
We had a cup of herbal tea, and compared the list of recommended products that our therapists had noted down. Being a Spa Spy, I am fully versed in cleansing, toning, exfoliating, moisturising, serum-ing, and whatever else we have to dollop on to keep skin silky soft and bright. My friend is not so good at following the hallowed beauty rules, so I think the therapist's advice really helped.
After a relax, we went for a swim. The pool area is separate to the Amala Spa, but located on the same health-club floor, just around the corner from the treatment rooms. Despite being on a lower ground floor, the hotel must be on a slight incline as the pool room has large windows running along its length. The natural light and pale cream decor gave the pool area a pleasant, bright, airy feel.
You can relax by the side of the pool on one of the loungers, or enjoy the small sauna or steam room on the opposite side. While we were there, we noticed someone enjoying the TV screen inside the sauna. This looked like a good way to sit back and relax (for the recommended 10 minutes at least!) The pool was clean, and large enough for the fitter ones amongst us to swim lengths; for us lazier types, the Jacuzzi at one end of the pool beckoned.
After our swim, we collected our bags from the spa reception, and headed to our room. Our room was on one of the top two floors of the hotel, 23 storeys up. There was a fantastic view over the city. The room was clean and bright, simply furnished and decorated in neutral earthy tones. We also had access to the Regency Club Lounge, a two-floor private lounge for Regency Club guests to drink and dine separately. I must say that the lounge's complimentary drinks and canapés were a nice start to our evening, and it was great eating breakfast the next day with a view over the rooftops of Birmingham.
Long-term effects
My massage did keep me feeling very relaxed, even during my four-hour train journey home the next day. My skin felt very clean, but I'm not sure that my Karin Herzog facial had any noticeable lasting effects. Unlike my friend's, which she couldn't stop talking about for days?
Was it worth it?
Yes, we both enjoyed our time in Amala Spa. Our treatments were pleasant and reasonably priced for a city-centre spa.
What else could you have?
Amala Spa offers a good range of Karin Herzog treatments; it's a brand famous for its oxygen products, so most treatments contain an oxygen mask or moisturiser. There are also facials and body envelopments that use products infused with chocolate. Strangely tempting, even though you can't actually eat it.
Amala also offers a range of massages and alternative therapies such as lymphatic drainage, Reiki, Hopi ear candling and the Bowen technique.
Any special features?
The hammam steam room and adjacent wet treatment room are a nice addition. You can make the most of them with the spa's Hammam Signature Ritual, which includes a scrub and mud mask in the private steam room, followed by a massage.
Who do you think would like it?
Although this is a hotel spa, there is enough to keep you occupied if you want to visit as a day-spa guest. Ladies of Birmingham who prefer a secluded, classy spa to a high-street option may find Amala just perfect. My friend and I thought the Hyatt Regency hotel was just right for a chic take on a girls' weekend in the city -- a good place to go before hitting Selfridges or the cocktail bars.
Why did you give the spa this rating?
We gave Amala Spa 4 bubbles. We loved the spa's pleasant, relaxing ambience and chic décor, the polite staff, and the clean and well-kept facilities. The treatments are of a good standard.
What kept the spa from 5-bubble perfection? There was a lack of products to use in the changing rooms, which you might expect in a health club, but not in a spa.
Also, considering that there is so much space available, it would have been easy for the spa to add a quiet relaxation area, rather than expecting spa-goers to relax in the reception area. You can't enjoy a post-treatment chill-out in a reception area, especially if the spa is busy.
See more on how we rate the spas
Would you go again?
Yes. If I go back to Birmingham again soon, I may have to pop in and see if that limited edition Orange and Cinnamon facial is still available?
We visited Amala Spa in June 2008
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