Review of Ushvani, Chelsea

Ushvani, Chelsea - 5 bubbles

Ushvani is a luxurious day spa that offers Malaysian treatments in a calm and private environment. The treatments are timed so you have the hydrotherapy pool and steam room to yourself, and are personalised to your needs. The delicious Ushvani products use natural ingredients, in keeping with the spa's philosophy of holistic well-being. The spa is pricy but perfect if you're after mental relaxation as well as physical harmony.

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?

Cadogan Gardens is just around the corner from Sloane Square. The Grade II listed townhouse has a large number 1 hanging outside. The spa sign is on a tiny plaque on the wall. Press a buzzer and someone comes to let you in. From the start, this spa feels very exclusive. Indeed it is.

Inside, Ushvani is an amazing combination of original Edwardian features and the tranquillity of Malaysia. The reception area is backed by a vast wooden staircase wide enough for Edwardian ladies to sweep down it in elegant ball gowns. Hand-painted batik hangings make a dramatic statement, above the reception desk. Tall wooden shutters carved with hibiscus flowers and a tank of dreamily-swimming orange fish (a symbol of prosperity) make you feel suddenly very far from Chelsea.

I was welcomed by name, offered a seat on a curved wooden and leather bench. Someone gave me a cool cloth to refresh my skin. A tray arrived with flip-flops, and my shoes were taken away. A nice way of moving from the hectic world outside to the gentle spa world within.

What's on offer?

The lower ground floor is for women only; so, girls, arrive 45 minutes before your treatment to enjoy the hydrotherapy pool, experience showers, steam room and relaxation room. A separate men's treatment room upstairs has its own shower. Also upstairs is the Sentosa Studio, which offers yoga, Pilates, and meditation.

The couples room, the Asmara Suite (which means "love" in B'hasa), is a huge room furnished with Malaysian dark wood furniture with deep comfortable cushions, two massage beds divided by a screen, and its own sunken stone bath.

The changing rooms are decorated in soft browns and oranges, and were immaculate. There are 14 wooden lockers, with robes, towels and water inside. There is a large mirror, a hairdryer, brushes and combs, and plenty of cleanser and moisturiser. The loo and the two showers were spotlessly clean. The showers had both shampoo and conditioner and there were plenty of spare towels to hand.

The hydrotherapy pool is warm, with firm underwater jets. The steam room is hot enough to warm your muscles, along with tiny twinkling lights in the walls. The showers offer tropical mist and a cold setting for those who like the invigorating.

There is much attention to detail at Ushvani: not only was there somewhere to hang my towel, but also somewhere to put my glasses beside the pool. The aim of the spa is to give very personalised treatments and to allow plenty of privacy. I met no-one else while I was there because the treatments are timed so that only one person is using the pool area at any time. The spa therefore feels very calm and quiet; there are no other spa-goers to bump into, no therapists clip-clopping on hard floors, and no music plinking and plonking.

The gently lit relaxation area is quiet with soft sofas to lounge on, but no magazines. This is deliberate and is supposed to help you relax and clear your mind.

Your therapist will come and find you and give you a ten-minute warning when your treatment is due. A nice touch as this gives you time to change out of your wet swimming costume and into your robe.

Which treatments did you have?

I had the Ushvani Signature Facial (90 minutes, £130).

What were the treatments like?

Delicious. The treatment room was cooler than the heat experiences, but my therapist, Victoria, did let me know that she could heat the treatment bed if I got cool (as you do when lying still for 90 minutes).

Victoria began by talking with me to see what I what I wanted to get out of my treatment, as each treatment is tailor-made to your needs. She made sure I was comfortable on the wide and firm bed, whizzily adjusting it to raise the area under my knees (which helps to prevent lower backache with longer treatments) and my shoulders. You can choose the music to listen to (soft jazz or Chinese instrumental?) or link your own iPod to the spa's music system. Very personalised.

Victoria began my treatment by asking me to breathe deeply three times from an aromatic balm held in her hands, then combined massage and facial treats for the next 90 minutes. We started with a double cleanse, then exfoliation using anti-oxidant hibiscus flowers, and a nourishing mask. All of the products were Ushvani's own.

While the various ingredients did their magic on my face, Victoria treated various areas of my body to a relaxing massage: feet, hands, scalp and shoulders. This wasn't deep pressure massage, as Victoria used just her palms and fingertips; the aim is lymphatic drainage rather than teasing out knots. I loved the scalp massage in particular; this always winds away my tension. I also loved the scents of all the products, which added to the relaxing experience, in particular the coconut and kemiri butter on my hands and feet.

At the end of the treatment, Victoria adjusted the bed so I could sit comfortably and brought me a glass of water. She then talked me through what she found during the treatment, explaining that my skin was very dry and I should a) drink more water b) book in for a body treatment.

What else could you have?

The range of treatments is deliberately limited. There is just the one signature facial and four massages: Malay, Balinese, Pregnancy and the Signature massage that uses a blend of techniques. The shortest massage Ushvani offers is 90 minutes. The extra time allows for really deep therapeutic effects.

You can also book in for body wraps and scrubs, choosing from ingredients such as papaya, ginger and kaffir lime, green pea, and coconut milk.

If you book the Asmara Suite, you'll enjoy a three-hour session with two hours of treatments along with drinks and healthy snacks.

Food facts

I had hibiscus tea in the candle-lit tea room upstairs after my treatment, along with some wintermelon (sugary dried fruits).

Was it worth it?

You don't come to Ushvani if you're anxious about how much you'll spend. The spa is very exclusive and luxurious, and the prices reflect that luxury. However, the sheer delight of having such personal attention, plus the sense of being listened to and looked after is well worth the cost.

We loved

The exclusivity, the own brand products, which are exceptionally good, and the very high standard of treatments. The therapists train for four months before being allowed to work with clients.

We didn't love

You need to go back to the changing room to dress before you sip your post-treatment hibiscus tea. Would be nice to adjust back to the world while still in a robe.

Who do you think would like it?

Locals: Ushvani hits the spa spot for getting yourself back to yourself -- for both women and men, and couples.

Anyone who wants some real luxury. A-listers who want to be alone. Jet-setters who need to catch up with the time zone before tackling business meetings. Those poor souls who declare themselves "cash rich and time poor".

Why did you give the spa this rating?

On our second visit, we once again gave Ushvani 5 bubbles. Ushvani is a spa created by someone who loves going to spas, and not by a therapist or a business-person. The treatments are exceptional, the atmosphere tranquil, the personalised service perfect. Tiny details aside, Ushvani certainly deserves to retain its 5 bubbles.