Review of Sofitel So SPA, St James

Sofitel So SPA, St James -- 5 bubbles

Sofitel So SPA in St James is a stylish London hotel spa with a French twist. Your "spa butler" will tailor everything to your preference: lighting, music, fragrance... Choose from Carita or Cinq Mondes treatments and find time for an elegant lunch in The Balcon, too. Sofitel So SPA is perfect for a peaceful and luxurious spa day alone or with a friend.

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?

The Sofitel London St James is elegant and luxurious. The designers have taken a classic London building (a former bank) and preserved the historic features, while transforming it into a hotel and spa that exudes French chic.

The spa entrance is just off the main hotel foyer to the left. I went up the illuminated walkway to the spa's main desk, where a member of staff immediately offered me a glass of water and a comfy seat by the reception area.

Sofitel So SPA is on three levels, two of which are above ground, so natural light falls into the spa through huge windows (which passers-by can't see through). The ornate plasterwork, marble columns and wooden banisters have all been refurbished and worked into the contemporary design. Glass and metalwork panels (think Rennie Mackintosh's deco roses) and the bright pinks, purples and yellows of the velvet upholstery complement the original features.

What's on offer?

Sofitel So SPA offers the services of a "spa butler", tailoring everything in your spa experience. Dimmed or bright lighting? Cool or warm? Music? Fragrance?

The small changing area downstairs is clean and neutrally decorated. There is just enough space to change into a robe, and do your hair and make-up afterwards. There are two showers, a toilet, and plenty of lockers; activated with your own code -- no need for a pound coin. All the showers in Sofitel So SPA are luxurious "rain sky" showers, with products from L'Occitane.

The gym is well equipped, but is not in the same part of the hotel as the spa. Also, there is no swimming pool. This means So SPA isn't your best choice for an all-day fitness extravaganza. As it is a discreet and peaceful spa, neither is So SPA the best choice for a raucous girls' outing.

The five treatment rooms are decorated in neutral tones with dark wood, which sits perfectly with the original features.

You can take post-treatment refreshments at the tea bar -- a long marble table with grand seats in the retail area -- or in the quiet relaxation room on the mezzanine level upstairs. Here, there are three loungers, each with their own noise-reduction headphones playing a range of relaxing tunes, and glossy magazines. The tea menu ranges from flowering osmanthus to white peony.

Which treatments did you have?

I had been invited to the spa to try the Claret-Coquet acupuncture face-lift (40 minutes, £145).

What were the treatments like?

My therapist, Elena, greeted me as I arrived at reception, and we headed downstairs to a treatment room. The treatment bed was restfully white. A quiet, drifty soundtrack played.

Elena explained that she would need to place needles in my arms and lower legs, and ascertained that this was possible without me disrobing. (It was. It was summer.) I hopped onto the treatment bed and immediately discovered that it was the most comfortable bed I have ever experienced. I was very tempted simply to snuggle down into the pillow and snowy-white duvet and have a nap. But Elena had other ideas and woke me up by asking me about my health in general. Sleep? Stress? Digestion? She took my pulse and contemplated. I contemplated that if, at the end of the treatment, I had skin as flawless as Elena's, I would be very happy.

The treatment involves needles. There is no getting round this. It is an acupuncture facial, after all. Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medicine; the therapist inserts disposable needles into the body at specific points where it is believed they will balance the flow of “qi” -- the body’s energy.

There was no cleansing, toning or other friffery. With care, Elena inserted a thin, gold-plated needle into each arm and each ankle (plus an extra one in my forearm to alleviate the effects of my cartilage-damaged knee -- not standard but tailored). I felt no pain as she inserted the needles, as I breathed an out-breath, but I did feel something akin to an electric shock as she moved them into the right place. She then moved on to inserting needles at various points in my forehead, around my eyes, and in my cheeks and chin. I felt that Elena was choosing the sites of the needles carefully, and that she tailored the treatment to me as an individual.

Once all the needles were in place, Elena said she would leave me alone for "around 15 minutes" and I heard the door close. The world was quite quiet after that, and I did my best to relax.

When Elena returned, she removed the needles one by one. One of the needles in my right cheek obviously left a red mark, as she dabbed at the area with aloe vera. She said the redness would soon subside (which it did) and took me back upstairs where I had a refreshing cup of tea.

The aim of facial acupuncture is to improve blood flow and tone the muscles. I think the facial did both those things.

What else could you have?

Alongside facials, massages and beauty treatments, the spa menu plays with the theme of French gastronomy and presents the treatments on offer as "starters", "mains" and "desserts". Sofitel So SPA uses two brands for spa treatments (both French, naturellement): Carita and Cinq Mondes. Carita offers anti-ageing ingredients for the results-driven amongst us, while Cinq Mondes offers a more natural alternative for skincare purists. There are specific treatments for men, mums-to-be and new mums.

The double room with a hydro-pool and another with a Kohler chromotherapy bath allow an aromatic soak before your treatment. You can have a traditional hammam ritual, too -- a slathering of rich, black mineral soap before a steam, then an invigorating scrub to finish.

The pedicure stations behind the tea bar are regal, plush thrones fit for the most majestic of toes; the "martini and manicure" is a perfect "dessert" to finish a spa day. The cocktails are designed to match the colours of the OPI polish!

Food facts

I didn't have any food on this visit, though one of my fellow Spies tells me I should have treated myself to lunch in The Balcon or afternoon tea in the Rose Lounge.

Was it worth it?

As it is set within a five-star hotel, Sofitel So SPA may not fit into everybody's budget for regular spa visits, but the spa isn't overpriced given the level of service.

We loved

The staff: impeccably polite, professional and friendly, yet never forced.

That treatment bed. (I still dream about it.)

The fact that, after my acupuncture facial, people spontaneously approached me to inform me that my skin was glowing.

We didn't love

Not scheduling time for a post-spa treat in The Balcon.

Who do you think would like it?

With the great double rooms, Sofitel So SPA is perfect for a couple, or two friends who want a relaxing day out. It's also welcoming if you want to spa alone.

The disabled access in Sofitel So SPA deserves a mention. The spa is on three floors, but a lift can take you between all three. The disabled changing room is also fitted with a rain shower, as in all the other rooms. So even if you are in a wheelchair, you don't have to miss out on anything in So SPA.

Why did you give the spa this rating?

On our second visit, we gave Sofitel So SPA a second well-deserved 5 bubbles. The spa is beautiful and cleverly designed, the service top-class, and the acupuncture facial effective.

See more on how we rate the spas.