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Gentlemen's Tonic, Mayfair, London - 4 bubbles
Sceptical Spy was invited to visit Gentlemen's Tonic for a deeply-cleansing steam facial. He left these central-London treatment rooms feeling refreshed and relaxed. Seriously self-indulgent grooming for grown-ups in the heart of the West End.
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?
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?
First impressions?
Immaculate. Gentlemen's Tonic Mayfair is tucked away in Bruton Place, a quiet, mews-like street off Berkeley Square in the moneyed heart of the West End. The treatment rooms are spotlessly clean and elegant, with the right masculine vibe: lots of dark wood tones, discreetly lit shelves of products in understated packaging, dark laminate floors.
How did they welcome you?
Very warmly. There were two members of staff on reception; one of them was my therapist, Maria. They both greeted me almost as soon as I'd set foot in the door, and immediately knew who I was from the time of the booking. Extremely efficient.
What happens next?
My therapist, Maria, introduced herself, then led me downstairs to the complex of rooms below. She left me to take my clothes off (which I wasn't quite expecting to have to do for a facial).
Which treatments did you have?
I had the Steam Facial. This treatment promised to "deep-cleanse and exfoliate the skin, which helps to unblock the pores."
What were the treatments like?
Maria began by examining my skin and eyes, and told me I was slightly, though not catastrophically, dehydrated. She sprayed my face with a fine mist to moisten my skin, and covered my eyes with small pads.
A prolonged burst of warm steam then began opening my pores. Maria applied a warm foam of salicylic acid to "further encourage the pore-dilating process" and began a (thankfully) painless extraction to remove any blockages on my nose and forehead, applying gentle pressure throughout.
When my pores had been fully "extracted", Maria coated my face with a Dermologica mask, which she left to soak in and do its work. While I laid back, enjoying the mask's bracing herbal scents, Maria gave my hands and feet a gentle massage which I enjoyed.
After about ten minutes, Maria cleaned the mask off my face and then sprayed my face with a cooling mist to "shut the pores up" again. It all felt very beneficial; soothing and relaxing. Maria is extremely good at giving advice, she is a voluble conversationalist, and gave me lots of pointers to what I ought to be doing in my daily facial routine (including, inevitably, where I'm currently going wrong).
How did you feel afterwards?
Much fresher and brighter. There was an almost waxy sheen to my skin, which felt tauter and much less dry than when I'd arrived. That in turn gives you a distinct uplift in confidence. You really do feel better about yourself.
What happens afterwards?
Maria brought me a glass of water, and invited me to get dressed again in my own time, before returning to reception. She had lined up three products that I might consider using: a moisturiser, an exfoliant and an eye cream, I didn't feel under pressure to buy them, though.
Long-term effects
I met friends for lunch immediately afterwards, and two of them who didn't know I'd just had a facial commented on how good I was looking. I can't think of a better result than that. Even when shaving the next morning, I noticed that I still looked cleaner and less blemished.
Was it worth it?
Given the location and the amount of investment that has clearly gone into GT, as well as the quality of the treatment and products used, I think the prices are quite fair.
What else could you have?
Full-body exfoliation, hand and foot treatments, waxing, massage, barbering, reflexology, Reiki, and comprehensive image consultancy.
What do you wish you'd known before you went?
Not to have shaved that morning. I'd shaved at 8.30am and although my treatment wasn't until noon, Maria advised me to allow at least eight hours before a treatment next time. She said even the least sensitive skin can suffer unduly under exfoliants if you've shaved too recently, so she used an especially mild version of the facial mask on me.
Any special features?
Maria herself is a special feature! She's young and very charming, and answered all my questions without missing a beat, or making me feel I was being given any kind of sell.
Who do you think would like it?
Men who like to look after themselves, obviously, but Gentlemen's Tonic is also a good place for beginners. There is nothing intimidating about the atmosphere. Gentlemen's Tonic is several cuts above somewhere you might just pop in for a wet shave or quick massage. The kind of place that encourages you to take grooming seriously, but in a way that makes it fun and self-indulgent rather than being a matter of boring routine.
Why did you give the spa this rating?
We gave Gentlemen's Tonic 4 bubbles because we couldn't really fault anything about the experience, from the staff approach to the cleanliness and stylishness of the facilities.
See more about how we rate the spas.
Would you go again?
Definitely. Compared to other venues in the locality, the prices at Gentlemen's Tonic are relatively reasonable, and there is no stinting on the quality of products.
We visited Gentlemen's Tonic in February 2010
See also:
* Contact details for Gentlemen's Tonic
* What should men expect at a spa?
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