Review of Beauty à la Carte at Fortnum & Mason

Beauty à la Carte at Fortnum & Mason, Piccadilly- 4 bubbles

The Beauty à la Carte treatment rooms are tucked away at the back of the second floor at Fortnum & Mason. Don't let this worry you. This hidden spa secret has the power to refresh and revive you mid-shop.

First impressions?

What's on offer?

Which treatments did you have?

What were the treatments like?

What else could you have?

Food facts

Was it worth it?

We loved

We didn't love

Who do you think would like it?

Why did you give the spa this rating?

Would you go again?

First impressions?

A bit of an adventure. There are signs announcing the spa, but they can be confusing. I only narrowly avoided having a conversation about cushions. At the spa, a modest reception desk stands outside a white door. Once you're in the spa, gilt chairs, flock wallpaper, and a respite from Piccadilly.

What's on offer?

These are treatment rooms rather than the full spa experience, but you do get a robe. There are no heat facilities, pool, or comfy relaxation room. There are three treatment rooms, a carpeted waiting area with three chairs, and that's it. Across the other side of the store is a room for manicures and pedicures; this is light, bright, and overlooks Piccadilly (nail treatments with a view: no end of entertainment).

Which treatments did you have?

I had The Flagging Shopper (55 minutes, £50) which is a foot treatment and back massage combined. It targets the areas most likely to suffer when you're shopping: your feet, all that walking; and your shoulders, all those heavy bags.

What were the treatments like?

My therapist, Sarah, collected me from my gilt chair and took me through to one of the treatment rooms. Candles twinkled, and a small chandelier overhead shed a soft light. The spa has obviously been carved out of an area historically used for other purposes, so the treatment rooms are built round fireplaces and some odd ceiling choices, but are no less interesting for that.

Sarah started by bathing my feet in a zesty foot refresher of Aromatherapy Associates essential oils, which is always a soothing start to a treatment. She scrubbed my feet, refreshed them with hot towels, and massaged them all over with a stimulating gel. I thoroughly enjoyed feeling my cares trickle out of my toes.

Once my feet were tingling, Sarah asked me to turn onto my front on the treatment bed so that she could begin the stress-relieving back massage. Sarah's massage was excellent. I asked for firm pressure, and that is what I got. She hunted down knots in my shoulders, kneaded my neck, and found muscles I never knew existed in my lower back and proclaimed them areas of tension, to which she paid attention. At the end of the massage, I could move my laptop shoulders much more freely and felt a lot less stressed. I contemplated kidnapping Sarah. One of these massages a week would make the world of difference.

However, I relented, so other spa-goers can also marvel at her skills.

What else could you have?

A range of treatments using Aromatherapy Associates, SPC, Sisley and Environ products, as well as Margaret Dabbs beauty for the feet. Your facial can be customised according to your every wish, and include cleansing, exfoliation, steam, extraction, massage using shiatsu pressure, lymphatic drainage, high-frequency treatments or microdermabrasion. (Something to please everyone, then.)

You can have massages (including hot-stone massage), wraps, manicures and pedicures, waxing, St Tropez tanning, eye treatments and reflexology. There are treatments specifically for men, and for mums to be. You can also have mini-treatments, so if you've only got 30 minutes to spare in your lunch hour, you can make the most of it.

Look out for the varying packages on offer, too. The Mother and Daughter package allows you to spend a morning or afternoon together, with all the delights of a back massage, facial and manicure, together with champagne and chocolates.