Review of Cowshed Clarendon Cross, Notting Hill, London

Cakes while you wait at Cowshed, Clarendon Cross

Cowshed Clarendon Cross, Notting Hill - 3 bubbles

These stylish and sociable treatment rooms in Holland Park offer a quick lunchtime fix, a pre-party pep-up, or more serious massages and facials in chic surroundings. Fun with a friend, but also good for the time-pressed and those who enjoy spa treatments the most when they're accompanied by some soup and a sandwich.

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?

Who do you think would like it?

Why did you give the spa this rating?

Would you go again?

First impressions?

On the curve of a building where two streets meet, Cowshed in Holland Park is like a discreet ship's prow in this trendy area of antique shops and bijou restaurants. The sign is low-key, the spa also. It was a hot day when I visited, and the door was invitingly open.

Once inside, I wasn't sure whether I'd stumbled into a coffee shop or some kind of lending library. There was a tall wooden reception desk to my right, and a café kitchen counter to my left selling cakes. Straight ahead, was a large black wooden circular table, with a huge white enamel jug of blue and yellow flowers in the centre, and twelve white wooden chairs pulled up around it. Here were people browsing on computers, reading newspapers, eating salads, and drinking glasses of champagne. It was shortly after noon! The goodpeople of Holland Park obviously have greater stamina than I do...

I spotted four white chairs -- mani-pedi stations, and all full -- curving round the windows opposite the reception desk. So, spa-type activity after all.

How did they welcome you?

The receptionist was perched behind the tall wooden reception desk. It was so old-fashioned, I expected her to dispense apothecary ointments, rather than look up my appointment on a screen, which is what she did. There I was on ye olde computer!

What happens next?

The receptionist ascertained that I had never visited this particular Cowshed before, and so posted me to a spare seat on the round table to fill in a refreshingly short consultation form. I had no allergies, wasn't pregnant, and knew my doctor's telephone number off by heart. Job done. Someone offered me refreshments, and I opted for fresh mint tea, which came in a pottery teapot with a matching blue pottery cup and saucer (only slightly chipped). I could have had ordinary tea, or a strawberry and banana smoothie, or some courgette and basil soup. Or, some chocolate brownies.

Form filled, I looked about me. Grey slate floor, wooden walls. I sipped my mint tea and watched someone having their soles sanded with a small machine with a circular sanding disc. Little clouds of dead skin cells floated away on the breeze. Ooh, I wanted one of those machines at work on my feet! Ooh, I did so not want those skin cells to end up in my tea!

I waited a bit more and looked around at white wooden shelves stocked with Cowshed products. On the floor were white enamel buckets containing more products. The loo is downstairs through a large wooden door. I thought there were two, but one was being used as a store-room, as I discovered when I opened the door.

After a while, my therapist came to fetch me and installed me at the farthest mani-pedi chair, right next to the windows. Each station has its own individual TV on a shelf opposite the chair, but they were showing random channels and no one seemed to be watching or listening to either BBC News or Price-Drop TV. Some people were chatting, but largely people were reading magazines while their therapists worked away.

Which treatments did you have?

I had the Cowshed manicure(45 minutes, £40) and the Cowshed pedicure (60 minutes, £45), and I had them both at the same time which was rather fabulous.

What were the treatments like?

My therapist got me comfortable in my chair, put my feet in an enamel bowl of warm water, a cushion on top of my stomach, my tea on a little table next to me, and asked me to choose a colour from a basket of the Essie range. I chose a rather fabulous mauve. "For the fingers, too?" Um, no. I had to root around in a separate "naturals" basket and even then, couldn't decide. My therapist had infinite patience and painted several shades onto my fingernails so I could choose. I chose a barely-there pink.

At this point, my second therapist arrived. One for my hands and one for my feet. Joy! The only trouble was, with one therapist soaking my feet and another one my fingers, I had no spare limbs to drink my tea.

Despite my lack of tea, my therapists were delightful. My feet and fingers were soaked, exfoliated, relieved of their cuticles, and moisturised in perfectly synchronised action. I have to say, I was delighted with the results of the mini-sander on my feet (watching my own dead skin cells float into the ether) and equally pleased to note that the therapist fitted a new disc after my sanding.

What happens afterwards?

I ate some very delicious asparagus salad at the large round table. I ate it very carefully, too, minding my newly-minted nails.

Long-term effects

My manicure lasted almost a week without chipping; the pedicure still looked perfect a week later.

Was it worth it?

I think Cowshed offers good value for money.

What else could you have?

At Cowshed Clarendon Cross, you can choose from a variety of massages, facials, peels and scrubs. You can also try the famous Cowgroom where two therapists work on you at the same time, one tidying your brows while the other is filing your nails, for example. Ideal for those pressed for time. There are also treatments suitable for pregnancy (using Mama Mio products), St Tropez spray tanning, and IPL and waxing for hair removal. You'll need a patch test 24 hours in advance of having your lashes or brows tinted.

What do you wish you'd known before you went?

Cowshed Clarendon Cross is a treatment rooms and not a spa. There are no water areas at all. Best for a quick-fix or pep-up, though some of the treatments have a relaxing element built in, such as a scalp massage while you're having your nails done. I didn't have a massage or anything that involved me donning a robe. I don't even know if they have robes. They do have four treatment rooms downstairs for the massages, scrubs and waxing, but they certainly don't have any changing rooms or lockers that I could see (and I looked). So temper your spa expectations accordingly.

Who do you think would like it?

Office gossips. Ladies who lunch. Yummy mummies. Cowshed is at its best experienced with friends as the mani-pedi chairs are very close together so you get a good overhear of other people's problems with their toes. Also, Cowshed Clarendon Cross is a fabulous environment for a private party. You close the spa, your guests move from treatment to treatment, and then the chef cooks you all dinner to share at the round table. Great idea.

Why did you give the spa this rating?

We gave Cowshed Clarendon Cross 3 bubbles. I loved my treatment and thought the therapists did a sterling job. They worked miracles on the raggedy skin round my nails, and everyone made sure I was comfortable at all times. I just didn't buy into the "have your feet done next to someone's sandwich" concept. If you're a time-pressed high-maintenance local, though, you'll love it.

See more on how we rate the spas.