Review of Himalayan Day Spa, Chiswick

Himalayan Day Spa, Chiswick – 4 bubbles

A chic, subtly Asian themed set of treatment rooms on a popular high street, the Himalayan Day Spa offers an extensive range of Pevonia treatments and signature Himalayan therapies and day packages. Our Himalayan massage was perfectly executed, and well worth the (rather affordable) fee.

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 smart corner building with a heavy wooden door, on the popular shopping-and-dining street that is Chiswick High Road.

Inside, the Himalayan Day Spa has chic, subtly Asian décor, with contemporary wicker furniture, dark wood flooring and decorative carvings against tones of coffee and cream.

What's on offer?

Reception is on the ground floor, and there is also a smart, spacious toilet. Downstairs there are four treatment rooms, including one dual room and one with a hydrotherapy bath. Outside the treatment rooms is an alcove with two chairs, for relaxing in post-treatment.

Which treatments did you have?

I had a Himalayan massage (£60, 60 minutes), described as a "unique blend of Swedish circulatory strokes, deep tissue and detox massage designed to heal, relax, detoxify and balance both your body and mind."

What were the treatments like?

My therapist, Claire, left me to change and get comfortable on the massage bed. When she returned, she made sure I was comfortable before beginning the treatment.

Claire checked what pressure I would like, and I gave my usual answer of "as hard as you feel necessary to shift my knots". Claire laughed and said "no pain, no gain, eh?" She then started the massage with some gentle, warming strokes, building into some very exact, very firm pressure.

The combination of strokes Claire used reminded me of the mixture of deep-tissue, lymphatic drainage and Swedish massage techniques I have experienced during a Balinese massage. Although at times the massage was quite uncomfortable, I could feel Claire had pinpointed areas of tension in my shoulders, hips and knees, and I could feel the knots start to dissipate as she pummelled them. A deep-tissue massage is never going to be a pain-free process when you've been hunching in front of a computer screen, and haven't had a massage for a couple of months!

I've had many a massage where my request for firm pressure gets pretty much ignored by a therapist, and I leave feeling like I'll need another massage in just a few days. Claire put so much effort into massaging away my knots, she left my limbs feeling like jelly! By the time I had left and headed back to the Tube station, I had a definite spring in my step, and felt calm.

What else could you have?

Pevonia treatments, as well as some signature Himalayan treatments and packages.

There are 12 facials to cater for all skin types and concerns; Swedish massage, deep-tissue massage, aromatherapy massage, hot-stone massage, pregnancy massage and the effective Himalayan massage that I tried. For the body, there are also scrubs and wraps, and hand and foot treatments.

Beauty treatments include face and body waxing, facial threading, sunless tanning, manicures and pedicures.

There are packages for him, for her, for couples, and for mums-to-be. The spa can also be hired if there are more than four in a group.

Food facts

No food is served here. There was a tray with glasses of water (with a slice of cucumber) beside the reception desk. I wasn't offered a hot drink.

Was it worth it?

For a therapist who listens to what you want, and for such a good massage, £60 for an hour is an absolute bargain.

We loved

The massage. Claire used the exact pressure I had asked for, and worked thoroughly and intuitively around areas of tension in my body.

We didn't love

This spa is stylish, but it isn't particularly tactile. Contemporary wicker chairs in a softly lit alcove might be nice to look at, but they don't offer the comfort of a relaxation room.

Who do you think would like it?

Locals wanting a discreet, chic place to pop into for a treatment.

When I arrived, a customer was just leaving, thanking the spa manager for "yet another fabulous massage". She had dropped in for a lunchtime treatment before heading back to work for a meeting.

Why did you give the spa this rating?

We gave the Himalayan Day Spa 4 bubbles, because it isn't really a day spa where you can lounge around for a few hours, but it is a set of treatment rooms where you can stop by for a top-notch massage.