Review of Harbour Club Spa & Clinic (Amida Spa), Chelsea

Harbour Club Spa & Clinic (Amida Spa), Chelsea - 4 bubbles

Shy Spy was invited to the exclusive Amida Spa at The Harbour Club. Once she'd managed to find it, it was hard to convince her to leave, especially since she had the pool all to herself. The "ultimate pre-party facial" was pretty special, too. She's seriously considering a move to Chelsea to become a member...

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?

What do you wish you'd known before you went?

Any special features?

Who do you think would like it?

Why did you give the spa this rating?

Would you go again?

First impressions?

As it was a gloriously sunny day when I visited the Harbour Club, I decided to walk from Wandsworth Town train station instead of getting a cab. This meant that I could enjoy the sunshine, but this also meant that I had to rely on my map. Unfortunately, my map wasn't very accurate. A helpful passer-by pointed the way. The Harbour Club is, in fact, tucked around a blind corner from Sainsbury's -- you think that you're about to turn into a riverside industrial estate. The Club isn't much to look at from the outside, either, rather like a large green aircraft hanger parked on the end of a row of houses. Once inside, however, the smart, understated interior makes you realise why this club has 7000 members.

The Harbour Club isn't like your local leisure centre. Look at the membership prices. The Harbour Club is exclusive. Members aren't paying for glitz and glamour, but a more refined type of R&R. Princess Diana became a member at the Harbour Club after her previous health club sold pictures of her to the tabloids.

If you want to take advantage of the gym and other sports facilities, you have to sign up as a full member. However, you can visit the Amida Spa within the Harbour Club as a day guest, and you get to use the wet spa facilities.

How did they welcome you?

On entering the main reception, I was greeted politely by one of the three staff members at the front desk. They showed me through to the Amida spa area. The therapists at the spa reception desk greeted me equally politely, and one of them took me on a brief tour of the facilities.

The Amida spa is a recent addition to the Harbour Club. It was an expensive project, and it shows. The whole spa is beautifully designed with an air of modern urban luxury -- from the cool, white curves in the reception area to the clean, dark lines of the wet spa. Coloured lighting in rich red and sky blue, used against white and slate grey, creates a stylish look and a relaxing ambience.

Near the reception desk, there's a small hairdressing unit and a manicure area. The changing rooms are through a door to one side of the desk, and the treatment rooms and wet spa through a door on the other side.

What happens next?

One of the therapists gave me a robe, and I trundled off to the changing rooms to get ready. The changing areas are cleverly divided in adult, family, and junior changing rooms. As a single spa-goer, you won't be disturbed by noisy kids, even on school holidays.

All the changing areas have fantastic facilities. The adult changing rooms contain their own sauna and steam rooms, plenty of toilets, showers (with Molton Brown toiletries), comfy seats and wide-screen televisions. There are plenty of lockers with ample space for changing, mirrors and hairdryers, and lots of spare towels. Family changing rooms also include nappy-changing and breastfeeding areas.

The only drawback is not being able to walk directly into the wet spa from the changing rooms. You have to cross the spa reception to get there.

The wet spa area has a half-width, narrow swimming pool for adult spa guests only. There's a "salt-inhale room" (a very pleasant aromatic steam room to clear the sinuses), a sauna/sanarium, heated relaxation beds poolside, and an "aroma room" (a tepid, tiled room with a faintly herbal smell).

There is a hydrotherapy pool with enough space for ten or so guests to share it at one time. I was lucky enough to have arrived at the Harbour Club on a quiet day, so the pool was all mine! In hindsight, I realised that I should have arrived earlier to spend more time relaxing in the pool...

Kids are kept to the family pool (or "Waterfall Pool" as it's described in the brochure). There's also a main pool for serious swimming, although you have to be a club member to use this.

Which treatments did you have?

I had the Harbour Club Signature facial (60 minutes, £125). It's a facial designed for the spa by the product director at Elemis. Billed as "the ultimate pre-party facial", it includes some of the Elemis anti-ageing products. It also promised to be a good treatment to get dull skin glowing.

What were the treatments like?

My therapist, Chanelle, came to collect me from the wet spa. She gave me plenty of towels to dry myself off with, which was much appreciated. I followed her through to my treatment room. It was spacious, tidy, and decorated to the same standard as the rest of the chic spa. Chanelle left the room while I changed out of my robe and wet bikini. After making sure I was dry, I hopped onto the very comfortable, and warm treatment bed. I snuggled down under the big, fluffy duvet.

As with all Elemis treatments, the treatment began with a foot cleanse with warm, damp flannels. Chanelle began the facial by cleansing my face and eyelids, followed by a creamy exfoliant. My spa senses identified what I think was a whiff of Papaya Enzyme Peel. Once she'd prepped my skin, Chanelle applied the first mask -- the Pro-Collagen Quartz Lift. She painted the mask onto my face in a thick layer, leaving it to work while she massaged my neck and shoulders. She repeated this process with a second peel-off mask, so Chanelle spent plenty of time massaging my neck, shoulders, arms and hands. A real bonus for a facial! As I was tucked under a duvet on a warm bed, I would have been snoring if I had been there much longer. Just in time, Chanelle rang a tiny bell to signal the end of the treatment.

This was a gentle treatment, and the Elemis products had a lovely scent to them.

How did you feel afterwards?

As the facial had included a good amount of massage, I felt relaxed as well as having a glowing complexion. I think that Elemis facials are some of the best around as they usually leave my skin looking very smooth and bright. This one was no exception. I have combination skin that can get a bit dull and prone to breakouts, and this facial left my skin soft, even-toned and fresh. I left the spa looking as if I'd caught up with those extra hours of sleep that I'd missed over the preceding days!

What happens afterwards?

After my facial, I glided off to the changing rooms to get ready for lunch in the restaurant. I enjoyed a crayfish and shaved fennel salad with a light dressing -- pretty much as healthy as you can get. The salad was tasty and just the right size. It's the sort of food you would expect in a smart bistro or deli café. The menu at the Harbour Club offers of a selection of salads, pasta dishes, and some more filling options and daily specials. You can order soft drinks or alcohol.

There's an outdoor terrace for sunny days. The restaurant is cleverly divided into an adults-only side, for people who want to have a quiet meal, and a family section. This is next to an activity playroom to keep the small ones out of trouble. The club also has a well-equipped crèche, so the Harbour Club is one of those rare destinations where you could still have some relaxation time if you're unable to find a babysitter!

Was it worth it?

Absolutely. I loved the luxury wet spa and my great Elemis facial. I also felt that I'd enjoyed a little bit of exclusivity.

What else could you have?

In the spa area: A whole range of Elemis treatments, plus Sisley facials and glycolic peels from Jan Marini. There are men's treatments, ionithermie and anti-cellulite treatments, and the massage menu includes Thai yoga massage and Hawaiian Kahuna massage. There are complementary therapies and medical treatments on offer in the spa's own health clinic. Try acupuncture, osteopathy, Chinese medicine, or the mysterious-sounding "injectables". Hairdressing and beauty services are on offer, along with manicures and pedicures.

In the health club: There is a lot to keep you busy if you become a member. The Harbour Club has three swimming pools. The 25-metre Lane Pool, an adult-only spa pool and a 14-metre Waterfall Pool, where children are welcome during the day. There's a well-equipped fitness room for those who like to add a workout to their spa day. A group exercise studio offers a range of classes, including boxercise, tai chi and yoga. Pilates buffs will love the specialist Pilates equipment studio. Those who prefer cycling furiously on the spot will enjoy the spinning studio, with space for 19 cyclists and a regular timetable of classes.

There are 13 tennis courts, four of which are on the roof. The club boasts the most indoor courts in London, as well as the UK's first Paddle Tennis court. What's Paddle Tennis? It's a form of tennis played on a small court, surrounded by glass walls. The ball bounces off these walls, rather than smashing them. (Although that could be fun, too.)

The Harbour Club has its own dry cleaners and offers a personal laundry service.

What do you wish you'd known before you went?

To get a cab there! If you don't know this area, this is advisable as the Harbour Club is hard to find. I'll remember to take £1 for the lockers, next visit. And leave more time to relax in the wet spa, too.

Any special features?

I think the well-thought-through adult-only and family areas are worth a mention. It's hard to find a spa with a crèche, plus it's equally hard to find a health club that isn't full of noisy kids in the holidays.

Who do you think would like it?

Anyone who is willing to pay for the privilege of some privacy and exclusivity would like being a member here. Having said that, you won't feel out-of-place as a day-spa guest. The treatments at the Harbour Club are at a similar price to other city spas, too.

The Harbour Club spa is very serene, so it's perfect for a day of peace and quiet with a partner or friend.

Why did you give the spa this rating?

We gave The Harbour Club spa 4 bubbles. As a health club, the Harbour Club is hard to fault but, as Spa Spies, we were only there to rate the spa.

The customer service is great, and the wet spa is beautifully designed. My treatment was effective and professional. Chanelle explained all the stages of my treatment, including what products she was using. She discussed my skin type with me, and what I wanted to achieve, plus she treated me in a friendly, professional manner. Each stage of the treatment felt just about spot-on, too, with a relaxing medium pressure massage, and the products being applied and removed gently enough to not disturb my state of post-treatment bliss.

Yet it would have been lovely to take my bliss to a quiet relaxation area with loungers on which to have a nap or read a magazine. There isn't one at the Harbour Club. Also, in an ideal world, you wouldn't have to walk through a reception area to access the wet spa. For these reasons, the spa gets 4 bubbles.

See more on how we rate the spas