 |
 |
 |
 |
Peak Health Club and Spa at Jumeirah Carlton Tower, Knightsbridge - 4 bubbles
Peak Health Club provides everything you could want from a health club and spa, and, what's more, it provides it in a five-star London hotel with luxury oozing from every corner. Sassy Spy, a dedicated non-gym bunny, even considered a little exercise when she spied the sweeping views in the upmarket urban gym. She plumped for a gorgeous facial and a three-course lunch, instead, but still found time to admire all the thoughtful touches that lift this spa out of the ordinary. The layout makes the experience a little disjointed, but Peak Health Club still delivers relaxation and energisation in equal measures.
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?
How did you feel afterwards?
What happens afterwards?
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. The receptionist was friendly and efficient, and I managed to book when I wanted and at fairly short notice.
First impressions?
Walking along Sloane Street, past Chloe, Hugo Boss and Cartier, I started to get the feeling that my invitation to the Peak Health Club was going to deliver a pretty special experience. I walked through the Jumeirah Carlton Tower Hotel's revolving door, helpfully pushed for me by the doorman, and headed to the concierge desk to ask where the Peak Health Club was. The concierge commented on my coat and said what a great colour it was. How nice! He took me through the twinkling hotel reception to the lift up to the ninth floor and delivered me to the Peak Health Club's glass doors. We had to ring a bell to enter, and the receptionist came and let me in.
In the health-club reception area, there was a desk and some smiling receptionists. Behind the reception desks, I could see a walkway through to a dining area, and another room, lined with windows and fab views across the city. The sense of space and light was very impressive.
How did they welcome you?
The receptionist gave me a warm welcome, and a consultation form to fill out. She offered me a glass of water with either lime or cucumber; I opted for the lime. I liked the question on the form: "How do you like your treatment - firm, medium or light?" Always good to get these all-important questions answered in advance.
What happens next?
My therapist, Tracy, took me up a winding staircase to the spa. I could see sweeping views across the city through huge windows which lined both sides of the building. At the top of the stairs was a large, very modern gym with an array of Techno-gym equipment, polished floors, more lovely views, and a good ambience. If only all gyms were like this...
The spa treatment rooms were off to the right-hand side of the gym. There are six treatment rooms at Peak Health Club: three are used for facials, and three for massage and body treatments. The treatment room that Tracy took me into was deliciously fragrant and a good size. There was a tea-light arrangement on the bed, and flowers and candles dotted about the room. Lovely touches. I was starting to look forward to my treatments.
There were two large mirrors in the treatment room, an Environ machine to one side of the bed (used for targeting acne scars, pigmentation problems, peeling, stretch marks and so on), a work surface, tissues and mani/pedi equipment. There was also a dressing table sunken into the wall, with a decorative display of different nail colours alongside the flowers and candles.
Tracy asked me to undress for my treatment. She showed me the coat hanger on the door for my coat, and left the room. I stripped to my undies and clambered under the towel on the bed. Tracy returned and checked that I was warm enough, comfortable, and ready to begin my treatments.
Which treatments did you have?
I had a Peak manicure (£35 for 50 minutes) and an Environ Prescriptive Facial (£65 for 60 minutes).
What were the treatments like?
Tracy began with the Peak manicure. I sat half-propped-up on the adjustable bed with my hands resting on a towel for this treatment. Tracy expertly filed, soaked, exfoliated, moisturised, and oiled my nails.
I had asked for a deliciously deep reddish pink for the colour, but Tracy couldn't open the OPI nail-varnish bottle! She tried another similar shade. Couldn't open it. Even I tried! No luck. Tracy was embarrassed but maintained her professionalism at all times. She went to one of the other treatment rooms to get the shade I preferred from there. Still no joy with opening it.
I decided that I would be happy with my second-choice colour of deep aubergine and Tracy carried on with the treatment. Slight blip forgotten, although if I had been going out that night and wanted my shade to go with what I was wearing, it could have been a problem.
Next, my Environ Prescriptive facial. Tracy informed me that Environ was a brand that was new to the Peak Health Club, but it originated from South Africa (just like Tracy) and she had trained using it. Tracy couldn't praise this high-intensity cosmeceutical skin-care line enough. The enthusiasm was very encouraging as I'd never experienced Environ before.
Tracy analysed my skin to see which products to use, then started by applying cleansing milk and Alpha gel. These two products acted together as a non-grainy exfoliator. Next, Tracy steamed my face, using a mobile steamer, while simultaneously massaging a cream into my face. She cleansed my open pores, and followed with some creams and a dreamy face massage.
Tracy then applied a serum, followed by an algae mask, which she mixed into a paste from powder. Tracy told me that the mask would solidify and she would peel it off. She asked if I suffered from claustrophobia, because usually you would have your whole face covered, apart from your nostrils. I thought this would be quite strange, although I did want to try it. But as I was recovering from a cold, I wimped out and chose the easy-breathing option with my mouth uncovered as well as my nostrils.
While the cool algae mask was setting on my face, Tracy massaged my neck and stiff shoulders. The massage was heavenly. The mask felt pretty heavy on my face and it was quite liberating when it was removed. Tracy showed me the pure white mask she'd peeled off: it was an exact replica of my face. How strange! My me-mask looked a bit like the guy from one of the Halloween movies...
How did you feel afterwards?
I felt great. I was chuffed with my pretty nails, and my skin felt really soft! The massage had also broken down the tension in my shoulders.
What happens afterwards?
Tracy offered to get me a robe and slippers if I wanted to lounge about after my treatment, which, of course, I did. She left me relaxing on the couch, came back with the aforesaid items, then arranged to take me on a tour of the health club before my lunch. I met Tracy back in reception, where she took me to the large changing rooms to offload my belongings.
There are big mirrors in the dressing-room area, along with a water station, and cotton buds, cotton balls, body lotions, hand creams and numerous hair-drying facilities. There is a long row of clean showers, each containing clearly labelled shampoo and conditioner -- brilliant! In the adjoining spacious changing room, there is a generous amount of seating along the edges of the room, and plenty of lockers. The lockers are ample in size, locked using a card key, and contain a couple of coat hangers to keep your clothes pristine.
I changed into my robe, which was amazingly soft and heavy, although the slippers were the usual spa attire. Tracy and I went back up to the lovely wooden-floored gym where a handful of people were exercising. We then had to walk through the middle of the gym, past enthusiastic gym-goers, to the opposite side of the building to get to the treatment rooms. I admired three more deliciously fragrant rooms which are specifically used for massages. I must admit, I felt a bit out of place in my robe, wandering past people pumping iron.
We then got in the lift and went from the ninth to the second floor, where the pool is located. Shame that the lift on the outside of the building wasn't working. En route, we wandered through Peak Health Club's state-of-the-art golf simulator area. There's a huge screen with a hitting mat, where you can play on 62 of the world's most famous golf courses without leaving the health club.
Another buzzer, another glass door, and the pool receptionist came to let us in to the large pool reception area: a lot of space, palms and greenery, and a few seats. The 20-metre swimming pool looked very inviting, with just one person swimming lengths and two people chatting on seats at the side.
After my tour, I enjoyed lunch in the Club Room, on the ninth floor. My three-course buffet lunch (£19) was very tasty, healthy and nutritious. There were lots of comfy sofas to nestle down on, as well as more formal tables and chairs. I was the only person in a robe dining, as I sat alongside a man feasting in his suit, and a couple of ladies lunching. As a solo diner, I appreciated the great range of newspapers to browse through, while I wasn't gazing out across the fabulous panoramic views of London, lost in my own post-treatment thoughts.
As I dined, I could hear the sounds of gym machines from the tenth floor. They were pretty quiet, though, and didn't intrude on my spa bubble.
Was it worth it?
The Jumeirah Carlton Tower is a 5-star hotel with 5 stars oozing from every luxurious corner. Some of the spa treatments are pretty expensive. Out of my budget, but definitely worth every penny.
What else could you have?
The spa menu at Peak Health Club is pleasingly lengthy. There is a healthy list of Pevonia facials, which are tailored to individual skin-types and current concerns. You can add extras to your facial to make the most of your spa time: eyebrow shaping, lip or eye treatments, electrical enhancements, and so on. Men's treatments include facials, waxing and macho manis/pedis.
There's an appealing range of body treatments and wraps on offer at Peak, as well as day packages including complete access to all the facilities: gym, aerobics classes, pool, Jacuzzi, sauna and steam rooms. Lunch and a glass of champers are also included.
Reading the massage list sent me into a swirl: there are so many to choose from and you can decide the length of time you want your massage to last.
What do you wish you'd known before you went?
That I would really (and most unusually) want to have a workout in the gym. And a swim before my treatments.
Any special features?
The glorious views across the city.
Who do you think would like it?
Hotel residents and moneyed Sloane Street visitors. Anyone looking for an upmarket urban health club / spa retreat with all the trimmings in central London.
Why did you give the spa this rating?
We gave the Peak Health Club 4 bubbles. The health club is very grand but refreshingly unpretentious and unintimidating. It is a wonderful place to relax and focus on your own health and well-being, in your own unrushed time. I felt that the staff really cared about making me feel comfortable and making sure that I had everything that I needed, without being intrusive. Everything was top quality. The treatments were delivered by professional, highly qualified therapists -- and all in unique surroundings in central London.
Why no fifth bubble? A number of reasons. It was a shame that there wasn't a relaxation room to chill out in after a treatment. There was the Club Room, which was great, but not quite as spa-hushed as I'd have liked. Wide-screen TVs on low volume showing the news in English and Arabic just aren't very "spa". Also, if you had a treatment around lunchtime and you wanted to sit quietly afterwards, you might well be disturbed by lunching folk.
Also, the massage rooms are reached via a walk across the gym; and the pool, Jacuzzi and sauna are seven floors down, which made the whole spa experience a little disjointed. Having said all that, Peak provided everything you could want from a health club and spa, and each individual element was spectacularly good.
See more on how we rate the spas.
Would you go again?
I would love to. I could easily spend a whole day at Peak, whiling away the hours.
We visited the Peak Health Club in April 2009.
See also:
* Contact Details for Peak Health Club
* Manicure
* Facial
|
|
|