Review of Four Seasons Park Lane

The rooftop spa at Four Seasons Park Lane

The view from a treatment room at Four Seasons Park Lane

A sauna with a view at Four Seasons Park Lane

Four Seasons Park Lane, Mayfair - 5 bubbles

The rooftop urban spa at London's Four Seasons Hotel on Park Lane will satisfy both the style-conscious and the spa-lover. We loved the spacious thermal facilities and the private relaxation pod. Try some fabulous skin-friendly spa treatments from ESPA, The Organic Pharmacy and Omorovicza, and indulge yourself with natural and organic treats. Make the most of the panoramic view of Hyde Park and beyond (even from the sauna!) in this stunning location.

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?

Who do you think would like it?

Why did you give the spa this rating?

Would you go again?

First impressions?

Four Seasons Park Lane opened in 2011. If "Four Seasons" and "Park Lane" don't spell out top-end luxury for you, then we're not sure what would. Four Seasons built an extra floor on top of the hotel specifically to house their spa, and commissioned top architects and designers to make it very much more than a simple addition.

How did they welcome you?

Cordially. Step out of the lift (easily found in the main entrance hall) and the spa reception desk is straight in front of you. A friendly therapist greeted me and took me to sit down in the bright, airy lounge area just round the corner. She offered me a drink and handed me a consultation form to fill in whilst I rested on a comfy, contemporary white chair.

The lounge is where you get your first taste of the spa's USP. There may be other luxury hotels with spa facilities on Park Lane, but none can boast a rooftop spa with curved-glass floor-to-ceiling windows giving you an uninterrupted view of Hyde Park (and over to Buckingham Palace if you stare hard enough). And the view goes all the way round the spa: from the lounge, to the spa cafe, to the treatment rooms themselves (though there are curtains for the shy).

I had time to admire the view as the consultation form was quite brief. I was having a facial, so got a form specifically for facial spa treatments (meaning I didn't have to fill in a whole list of questions that weren't relevant).

What happens next?

A therapist then showed me to the wet and thermal spa area, and through to the changing rooms, giving me clear instructions on how to operate my digital locker. From the spa reception, the spa splits into single-sex facilities for the changing rooms and wet and thermal areas, joining back up in another spa lounge on the other side.

The spa designers have carefully considered every room, every walkway and every object. A specially commissioned sculpture sits just outside the changing rooms and smaller pieces are scattered around. The spa cafe's long, alabaster up-lit table is quite something.

The changing rooms are a pure white, softened with the curves of the bench and dressing-table. The space isn't huge, but the spa doesn't accommodate a large number of visitors in one go. The showers and toilets are minimal and sleek, with high-end fittings and all the toiletries you might require. The dressing-table surface was supplied with mirrors, toiletries, and various accessories, all in white frames and containers to match the counter-top. Bottles of mineral water were free to take from a basket.

Daring to disturb the perfect neatness of the room, I changed and got into my silky-soft robe and perfectly-fitting plastic slippers. Three chic American ladies were just leaving, and no one else was around, so I went to enjoy the sauna in solitude...

You remember the view I mentioned? After showering under one of many types of "rain" falling from the experience shower, I once again enjoyed a view over the park, but this time from the large sauna window! The airy sauna, lit with natural daylight and with curved, contemporary tiered benches, felt much less claustrophobic than some tiny cabins. As no one can see in from that height, you can climb to the top bench and enjoy the view in the warmth.

The steam room is a slick, dimly-lit, rather masculine room with dark marble or granite walls and a carved steam-outlet. Both this room and the sauna were perfectly heated and spacious enough to fit in a few more spa-goers.

The vitality pool is lovely to look at, but a little less exciting in practice. The square pool has a dramatic, black shiny ceiling with a large oval section of inset blue lighting and a rectangle of daylight. The pool is equipped with curved metal loungers with bubble jets, and what seemed to be just one other underwater jet at calf height. I pressed the two buttons to try each out for a while, but I felt the pool a bit too cool to linger in; it was warmer than a swimming pool, but cooler than many hydrotherapy pools or Jacuzzis.

After a bit more steam, I showered then went through to the warm spa lounge to wait for my therapist. This long, narrow lounge has no windows, as it is designed to be a cosy pre-treatment cocoon. It's warmly decorated with comfy seats, muted tones and a feature wall-heater,. Herbal tea and dried fruit was available for a quick snack.

Which treatments did you have?

I had the Omorovicza Gold Hydrating Facial (80 minutes, £175), which was created exclusively for this Four Seasons hotel spa.

What were the treatments like?

My therapist, Carole, greeted me in the lounge and took me through to my chic, minimal treatment room. The curtains were open so I could gaze down on the bustle of London while Carole explained the stages of my treatment and the theory behind the Hungarian spa brand, Omorovicza.

Carole closed the curtains and left me to slip under the covers on the wide, deeply padded treatment bed. She returned and checked that I was comfortable before beginning the facial.

Carole began by cleansing my face and spritzing my skin with a gorgeous neroli-scented toning spray. When my skin was prepped, Carole told me that she would apply an exfoliating peel mask, designed to boost collagen production. The Omorovicza Copper Peel is a two-phase mask, with a copper paste and a lactic acid activator. Carole applied the paste before adding the activator, and I felt a very slight tingle on my skin. After just a couple of minutes, Carole removed the mixture, cleansed my skin, applied a cream, and began the unique Omorovicza massage.

Carole told me that this facial massage had been created by the spa brand, and it certainly was different to others I have experienced. Carole combined soothing strokes, gentle lymphatic drainage and a plumping technique from my jawline upwards, using all her fingers in a strumming action. After the facial massage, Carole applied a deep cleansing mask that contained mineral-rich moor mud and massaged my shoulders and neck.

To finish, Carole applied an eye cream and illuminating moisturiser to my face, and smoothed a gold-shimmer body oil along my shoulders and down my arms.

How did you feel afterwards?

Even though the results-driven facial had combined a peel and a stimulating massage, I felt very relaxed. Carole made me feel very comfortable at all times during the treatment, and performed every stage seamlessly.

Carole opened the curtains (after asking if I would like this) and left me to drink some water and come round in my own time. I got up from the treatment bed and revelled in being a flagrant exhibitionist for a couple of minutes before donning my robe to leave. I don't imagine there are many places where you can stand scantily clad, lording it over a capital city from a glass-walled treatment room.

What happens afterwards?

Carole met me outside the treatment room and showed me to my relaxation pod. Every treatment room is paired up with a pod, so there's no need to worry about finding a space to relax after your treatment.

The relaxation pod is probably best described as a more spacious and plush version of a first-class sleeper pod on a transatlantic flight. Each pod has a wide, comfortable bed with an adjustable head-rest, neck support cushion, soft covers, and a curtain to shut you off from the world. There were a couple of glossy magazines to read (Tatler and Conde Nast Traveller) and noise reduction headphones with a choice of channels of music.

Carole brought me a pot of herbal tea and left me to relax. Under the bottom of the curtain, I could see the therapists taking great care to tiptoe past the pods so as not to disturb the guests.

After relaxing for half an hour, I returned to the changing rooms and admired my smooth, glowing skin in the mirror. The facial left my skin looking very even, plump and bright, and the gold oil had left a subtle shimmer across my collarbone: a perfect finishing touch before a night out.

Was it worth it?

A visit to the spa at Four Seasons isn't cheap, but it will make you feel extremely special. It is worth paying extra to guarantee that level of service, luxury and privacy.

What else could you have?

Spa treatments at the Four Seasons have a focus on both well-being and results. Wisely, the spa has chosen three spa brands that aim to achieve results using skin-friendly natural ingredients.

From the brands ESPA, The Organic Pharmacy and Omorovicza, you can choose facials, body wraps and polishes, pre/postnatal body treatments, a foot ritual, and massages for both men and women.

If you're really looking to splash out, the Sky Suite is the ultimate in private luxury. Complete with its own double treatment room, lounge and changing area, you can book time in here for some exclusive indulgence. Yours for £1,000 for 180 minutes.

Who do you think would like it?

Anyone with a generous budget looking for private pampering.

Why did you give the spa this rating?

The spa at Four Seasons gets a well-earned 5 bubbles for offering a perfect spa journey. The spa may be stunning to look at, but the experience of a spa-goer has clearly been an important factor in the design, too.

Your spa journey -- from the bright, welcoming reception, through to the well-equipped changing rooms, the relaxing wet and thermal area, a warm, cosy lounge before your treatments in a peaceful, comfortable room, then ending in a private relaxation pod -- is exactly the way a luxury spa day should be. Add some delicious treatments performed by friendly, professional therapists, and you've pretty much reached city-spa perfection.

See more on how we rate the spas