jo-sent-me

City Slicker

2011-11-09T03:25:00.000-08:00

Hard to imagine that Edinburgh's One Spa, the first serious city spa in the UK, is 10 years old. Can you imagine looking out over Edinburgh from the rooftop hydropool above - only the Castle has a more interesting view! I talked to them recently about the changes that have occurred over the last 10 years of spadom...and even in Scotland, that home of the dour and brave, men have taken to spas like the proverbial ducks to water. In fact they now make up a qaurter of the spa's users and membership. However when guests are looking for something a little gentler and warmer the laconium looks golden and inviting.

To celebrate their birthday One Spa is introducing a new ESpa Enzyme Facial - which peels and plumps - wonder how that is going to go down with the guys?

BodyHoliday3

2011-10-24T07:33:00.000-07:00

Well good to know not everything is perfect. Head of Wellness stood me up and my caci facial disappeared off the face of the beach...however I did have a terrific Chi Nei Tsang massage from a really terrific Tao therapost called Toby Maguire. Not too many places offer this TCM stomach massage while a great number of people really dislike having their stomach touched. I am very keen on it as it can be quite strenuous but it does shift any sluggishness in there. This one was exceptional, even more so because I slept for part of it!
Final thoughts on Body Holiday - very good value for money and if you make it work for you it won't get any better. It's all inclusive, including a treatment a day and at least a choice of about 12 activities from golf to scuba, spin to walks as well as yoga, pilates, tai chi and meditation. Everyone os given a 30 minute slot with a personal trainer - hope for Felix, who runs the gym and whose body looks as if its made of iron...but he has the kindest smile...

BodyH 2

2011-10-23T06:03:00.000-07:00

Still loving the view of the beach and sea from the spa. What is impressive is that even when the spa is full...and there are 33 treatment rooms, a fitness centre and exercise studio, it still seems calm and uncrowded. But best of all there is NO MUSIC pumped into the rooms...oh the joy of the gentle whir of the air-con rather some horrible tinkling, wheezing, fake chanting or sub Enya...bliss. And while the resort is supposed to be full you are rarely conscious of the fact as so many are out water-ski-ing, tubing, running, playing golf,tennis, walking, mountain biking, pilates, yoga, snorkelling or simply lying down...and that's before they hit the spa... Am also fascinated by the clientele - all ages, all sizes from early 20s to early 80s and from super skinny to simply super!

bodyholiday

2011-10-22T06:56:00.000-07:00

At the BodyHoliday in St Lucia (still known in places as LeSport)...which has just had a major refurb, and I must admit is very impressive. There is still some finishing work being done, but the guests don't see to mind, after all they were alerted to it and given a massive discount (50%) for putting up with it. However there is so little noise and now it is mostly cosmetic - planting gardens and finishing the pizza style restaurant. The rest all runs smoothly, while the spa, the Oasis, see top left, is far above it and nothing impinges upon the peace and quiet experienced up there. It looks down on the beach (see right) and is a very calm area. Surprising really as there are 33 treatment rooms, a plunge pool and relaxation area as well as an ayurvedic pavilion and an outdoor area for head, neck and shoulder massage.

So far have only had one treatment - one of the signature massages, a St Lucian Sizzler which was more relaxing than sizzling...but had a therapist, Rosalie who has a very good touch. Guests get one treatment a day as part of their package (which is all-inclusive) and a huge choice of activities - everything from yoga to golf. Other treatments and extra activities are, of course, extra, so little wonder that it's almost always 80-90 per cent full. Surprisingly, as I'm not a great fan of food in the Caribbean, the food is good. The good thing about the BodyHoliday is it does what it says on the tin

la prairie 2

2011-10-12T09:16:00.000-07:00

Am always fascinated by who comes to places like this...and although it's almost full...hardly see anybody. Occasionally pass in a corridor or at spa reception...and see a few in the dining room. Mostly Europeans at the moment - women with scary faces and eavesdropping gather none of them done here! silly...

a couple of very elegant elderly Italian couples and a rathar good looking Asian couple, could be Korean, could be Taiwanese. Spa area very ordered and smooth running, while the medical centre the soul of discretion.

Food is delicious if a tad fancy, although wildly healthy - grills, baked, salads and wonderful broths ...many paying lip-service to the growing element of the clientele with a smattering of Asian fusion tastes.

Had a great yoga session today with Veronique. V worried because my back playing up at the moment but she just concentrated on gentle ways to create the spaces at the base of the spine and bewteen the vertebrae.

Terrible music throughout - but then I hate most spa music

Had a

You meet the dietician on arrival and choose your food for the day ahead...as I'm only here for a few days am opting for healthy eating rather weight loss...pity.

la prairie

2011-10-12T08:52:00.000-07:00

How it's grown! When I was last here Clinique La Prairie consisted of just two buildings - a medical centre and the Residence...it now has four...but it is still compact with just 69 rooms. The spa, though, has grown and is v impressive with 17 treatment rooms, hydrotherapy, chromotherapy, steams and saunas as well as rather glamorous pool and a host of massages and beauty treatments.

Over at the medical centre, where here are also rooms and suites you can have your bone density scanned, get a new hip, new face, new boobs or simply have a filler or two, not to mention its renowned Revitalisation Therapy - cells taken from sheep embryos which once were injected into your buttocks...but now you can take orally.

Had a terrific yoga session this morning with Veronique. I haven't done yoga for years having had a bad fall...and this woman not only gave me back confidence, but also did wonders for my aching back with special asanas

burn-out

2011-10-07T07:08:00.000-07:00

Forget stress...forget sleep deprivation...the new buzz word(s) is burn-out. Spas are fallin gover themselves to now offer special burn-out packages...Viva Mayrvivamayr is one, while http://alpadisiusiAlpa di Suisi in the Italian Dolomites is another. while a whole lot more are joining in.

It stands to reason really - if you're stressed you get tired, if you get over-tired you can't sleep, if you can't sleep you get exhausted - therefored stress+exhaustion+sleep deprivation = burn out time.

Mind you, the current economic climate isn't helping to de-stress any of us...perhaps this is the moment to take time for yourself and even if it's just for a few days to go somewhere quiet, nurturing and most of all relaxing

the works

2011-09-25T07:30:00.000-07:00

Facial acupuncture, which has existed for centuries in China is still making headwat in the west with a number of very good practitioners. I've had a series of treatments from John Tsagarishttp://johntsagiris.com where I once 'enjoyed' having over 100 needles in my face. However had one this week with Annee de Mamiel www.demamiel.com visiting London from New York. This time I had a few needles on my face but others on various parts of my body, and while they did whatever needles stuck in your legs , between your fingers and in your feet do, she gave me a facial including a massage with jade rollers and a going over with tuning forks along my meridians...or whatever. The vibrations across my chest, which I got from the latter, were quite strong and quite strange. Suffice to say the following morning my breathing was noticeably easier!

The treatment I was enjoying at Fortnum and Mason's Beauty Roomfortnumandmason.co.uk

which lasted a good 80 minutes is known as a 'seasonal attunement', as Traditional Chinese Medicine believes that our bodies as well as our emotions change with the seasons, hence wevneed to adjust to those changes. She deals with this through acupuncture and her own specially formulated seasonal oils. I felt great immediately afterwards and my skin looks terrific. However the following day tiredness set in - odd how bodies react to various things.

But the treatment and the woman are fantastic...can't wait until she returns to attune my creaking carcass for winter. Also the woman herself is a walking miracle - who only on a recovery

spa vibrations

2011-09-10T09:36:00.000-07:00

This is one of the strongest therapies I have experienced anywhere - it is the Spa Bath Sound Therapy at Chiva Som. Given that we are all supposed to aim for good vibrations within our body (like everything else if the frequencies within the body become unbalanced it affects our wellbeing and stress levels), this treatment is geared to assist vibrational healing. I have had something similar before which used cymbals, singing bowls and Tibetan bells which I found deeply relaxing. However this, adminstered by a sweet man called Danchai Chernprateep - half Chinese, half Thai - was supposed to be much more rigorous. I had been warned by Pilant, my advisor throughout my stay at the spa, that she had been sick after her first treatment! Yikes, I nearly called it off as I had a two hour car journey to Bangkok the following day.

But, I didn't, I carried on in the name of research. Indeed I found the treatment restful and relaxing and had a terrific night's sleep that night. Woke refreshed and ready for the journey...but by the time I hit Bangkok the after effects began to catch up with me.

Whatever it had released into my system I needed to take to my bed - and missed a half day's shopping into the bargain.

I slept straight through until the following morning - about 16 hours non-stop. I felt fine when I woke but after calling Pilant to find out whether this was usual or not...back came the reply that my body obviously needed serious rest.

Suffice to say I had a perfectly normal day and no more signs of heaviness and tiredness...but for the first time on my return to the UK I had no trace of that heaviness that accompanies jet lag.

travel wellbeing

2011-09-03T08:29:00.000-07:00

I have got airport angst. I used to love airports, they were glitzy, glamorous and invariably the gateway to somewhere warm and wonderful or exciting and exotic. Now they fill me with dread - it's not just the queues, the security or even the simple bad manners of many of the people working there - they are simply places to keep, herd and dehumanise us while at the same time trying to extract as much money as possibly by serving indifferent food in uncomfortable watering holes. I'm sure it's quite different if you are cocooned in First or Business Class but the majority of us aren't. Interesting really that most places of refuge for the frazzled traveller i.e.spas are to be found only within the Business and First Class airport lounges.

British Airways are provided by Elemis but only for up the front travellers

Emirates has a two storey spectacular in their Dubai Business Lounge (only snag here, once you get in, you have to pay for your treatments!)

The Virgin ClubHouse at Terminal 3 is possibly the best of the lot, but again only for upper class

which is why I have to applaud some of the innovations found in airports for the humble traveller. Recently I spotted a Beauty Bubble at Nice where for 10Euros you could get an express blow-dry or manicure. Munich is dotted with little Sleep pods where you for a few Euros you can have a little peace and quiet all on your own. I know Clarins has a little manicure place at Gatwick, and a few others are now offering massage chairs but give me Bangkok anytime. Here for a few bucks you can have a back and shoulder massage with a good shot of oxygen to revive you after a long, long flight.

My dream airport treatment would be a dry floatation bed - just lie down in a darkened room and let the bed take your weight for total relaxation - I wouldn't mind the hassle if I could look forward to one of these.

hot vitality pool

2011-08-22T09:36:00.000-07:00

I spent hours in the warm vitality pool at Espa's spa at the Europe Hotel in Killarney just soaking up the views, the warm sunshine (Yikes! even in Ireland), while at the same time having my thighs and buttocks pulverised by the warm jets. Obviously what is good for the body is in a place like this...also good for the soul.

Managed to heave myself out of it to have a glorious wrap, scrub and massage - the Dosha Specific ayurveda inspired ritual. Funny place to choose for an Indian inspired treatment - still...it had the right effect - pure pampering and relaxation....

spa spirit

2011-08-17T10:09:00.000-07:00

What was I saying about location? about how some places truly lift your spirits and help you feel better, easier, more relaxed even before you enter a spa. I am currently in such a place - theeuropehotel.comthe Europe Hotel in Killarney, Ireland and visiting Espa at the Europe. But before I even hit the spa the view from my room is so serene and tranquil that all thought of the journey and work evaporated. I am looking over the lakes which are still and silver in tone, but best of all they are surrounded by the blue/violet/deep green colours of the McGillycuddy Reeks, Killareney's famous mountain range. Last night the whole scene was washed by gold as the sun set in almost clear sky, while this morning a wisp of mist just floated over the lakes - I couldn't stop gazing at it and so before my treatment ( a two hour pamper session of scrub,wrap, massage)I just took up residence in one of the two outdoor vitality pools and while my flabby bits were being pounded by the jets, simply soaked up the scenery.

spa serene

2011-08-14T10:22:00.000-07:00

While we may well visit a spa to have our bodies pampered and relaxed, just as often we need solace for our spinning brains and over-stressed minds, which is why location can be so important. I love the silence of the desert, the wide open spaces of the bush, the sound of waves and anything at all to do with the Himalayas. However, every so often I come across a place which literally takes my breath away...one such place was the Six Senses spa at Ma'in Springs in Jordan. A short drive into the mountains from the shores of the Dead Sea takes you almost into the heart of the hills and as the road narrows and gets more and more winding you feel the world almost falling away. Before you know it you are completely surrounded by ochre and red toned crags and cliffs as you pull up in front of an old arched entry. The hotel is a fairly ordinary building but just a little behind it is a gorgeous facsimile of a small Berber fort which is the spa. It comes with its own natural pool into which hot mineral-rich water flows down the mountain side. Behind the pool is a hidden cave which is like a natural sauna. Of course there are treatment rooms for the more usual massages, wraps and facials...but it's the pool, the water and the near-Biblical landscape that you remember.

fit and wild

2011-08-11T06:01:00.000-07:00

I love Tara Wood - she is the woman responsible for what is going on in this picture, the creator of WildFitness.http://wildfitness.com She thinks we have all forgotten how to move naturally and wants to return us to our animal agility. When I first met her I told her I didn't run...within 24 hours not only did she have me running but also pushing a wheelbarrow full of logs - up an alp! She was at the time holding one of her wildfitness weeks in the French Alps, now you'll find her in Crete...but best of all at home at Watamu beach on the Kenyan coasts. This is where WildFitness comes into its own with the ocean, the beach, the jungle and a nearby mangrove swamp where guests (victims) of all ages, sizes and strengths are put through their paces. But it's not total hell, there is some gentle yoga, hours lazing on the beach and great massages to soothe aches and pains. She will then of course lecture you on what and how you eat - but then she knows what she's talking about. But then she is probably the fittest person I know, and also the woman with the strongest body! There are occasional wild days in London parks if you want to get a taste of what it's all about...but it is difficult to beat the sun, the air and the space of Watamu. The holiday gets your head working as well as your body

spa drama

2011-08-05T05:49:00.000-07:00

re the seriously sexy Espa Life at the Corinthia Hotel London looks like!!! And this is just the recliners and the pool...

spa glamour

2011-08-04T07:29:00.000-07:00

Wow! the thermal area of Espa Life at London's Corinthia Hotel is possibly one of the most glamorous I've ever seen - deep, dark and seriously sexy. The relaxation area (see pic) faces a wall of flames (a fire, nothing dodgy) through which you can see the granite vitality pool complete with bubble beds, jet massage chairs and a host of jets to frighten away your flabby bits. Further on there's the signature Espa ice shower and a gorgeous stainless steel lined swimming pool...all it needs for perfection is Johnny Depp in the shower and I might never leave

light

2011-03-28T03:25:00.000-07:00

At last -spas's have lightened up. Literally. Once upon a time if a hotel made a spa it was in a couple of dark rooms somewhere in the bowels of the earth...now places are being created wwhich are flooded with light. The lastest, fanciest, most glamorous is on top of the Four Season's in London. Every treatment room (and there are nine of them) has a wall of glass with jaw-dropping views of the London sky-line, Hyde Park and beyond. Why on earth would I want to lie down and close my eyes when I can have a bird's eye view of one of the greatest cities on earth. Trouble is, you can never satisfy everybody...perhaps I should spend the day in the spa cafe instead and creep in for a treatment once night falls. Go see for yourself and tell them Jo sent you

frigidarium

2010-05-12T05:58:00.000-07:00

I've never been really keen on icy cold water...like plunge pools, ice fountains et al...especially after I've just been steaming or sweating in a spa. Now I realise I've been conned. Have just visited Herculaneum, the town just near Pompeii which was submerged by the same volcanic eruption of Vesuvius, and seen one of the very first spas. The Romans practically invented spas (SPA even comes from the Latin salus per aqua, Health through Water) and when building them made one major difference between the mens and the womens variety - both had heat rooms, the tepidarium and caldarium, but the womens' spas were minus the cold bath, the frigidarium. Now I will never feel guilty again if I don't fling myself into a freezing cold bath or pool...

beds

2010-05-11T07:04:00.000-07:00

You would think, wouldn't you, that a massage bed is simply a massage bed. But surprisingly there is a world of difference from spa to spa - some are too narrow, some a little rickety, more don't have a proper headrest, so you leave the treatment with a crick in the neck, while others are too high or too low. BUT I have found the bed to end all beds - at the Espa Spa at Gleneagles. This is the queen of all massage beds. It moves at a flick of a button - not just up and down, but it produces contours on which you can rest your knees and ankles while it can mould itself around your back and shoulders...and then when the therapy ends, it gently eases you into a sitting position. Best of all it's heated...what more could any body want?
www.gleneagles.com/spa

are you sitting comfortably

2010-05-03T12:37:00.000-07:00

There is really a market for everything. I have always found sitting cross-legged for relaxing or meditation very uncomfortable. I know I should ignore the pain in my ankles or the stretch in my thighs...but... I know all you need to meditate fully is to be comfortable, but by the time I've plumped the cushions, tried to align my spine and clear my mind I am invariably stressed and tense...and need to start all over again. But now I discover some clever, unstressed meditation master has devised the ultimate meditation chair - low, comfortable with a slight forward tilt to hold your spine in the exact position! If I get one of these then I am fast running out of excuses on not finding the right time, atmosphere, place to meditate. They tell me there is even a folding one in case I want to take it to the garden, the park or...(no, not the pub)

the best

2010-04-23T11:50:00.000-07:00

I'm often asked which is the best spa I've been to...and it's a question I can't answer. I like one for its location (the foothills of the Himalayas), another for its programmes (the South Tyrol) and another for its food (Thailand). But the truth is it's not the spa I rate as much as the therapists. People spend a fortune on the look, the decor, the flowers and the unguents when really, what matters, is the person who touches you. I've come across some truly talented therapists and quite a few dud ones. I'll alert you to them as I go...

being good

2010-04-16T11:13:00.000-07:00

I really, really want to be good and keep to the guidelines given to me at Viva Mayr - but it's really difficult when travelling. I need to be wheatfree and cow's milk free but try telling that to your Italian hosts as they serve two different types of pasta with lashings of parmesan. Even pretending to be a vegetarian doesn't help, when you're served that glorious Tuscan bread soup, followed by aubergine tucked up in a delicious cheesy blanket.
Of course I loved every minute of it but it is extraordinary how quickly your stomach reacts when, it too, is trying to be good. Back came the heaviness and bloating in an instant.
Ah well...worse things happen at sea...back to the ryevita and soya yoghurt in the morning...

why do they do it?

2010-04-14T15:08:00.000-07:00

I'm often invited to visit and sample a new spa, which obviously the hotel or resort is immensely proud of. I've just returned from such s visit - to a beautifully restored old villa in Fiesole overlooking Florence. A vast amount of money and much care, thought and pride - especially watched over by the Italian version of English Heritage, so that every wood, stone, corner etc. had to be historically and architecturally accurate - has been expended on Il Silviatino, and given the fact that so much of the originl carvings and frescos were vandalised by a former owner, the work has been seriously impressive.

So what we have is an elegant Italian villa, set in immaculately planted Italianate grounds overlooking one of the most famous Duomos in all of Italy...and what do they do? Install a Thai spa - Thai treatments, Thai therapists, Thai decor. Should somebody remind somebody that the very word SPA comes from the Latin - salus per aqua - one of the reasons why Roman baths were famed throughout the known world. Or is it me, just wanting to preserve a little of their heritage?

Any thoughts?

facial

2010-04-12T15:18:00.000-07:00

I'm not really a great fan of facials, but I've just had a Sisley anti-ageing version which has left my skin looking refreshed and alive. Normally I like really heavy duty jobs with steams, scrubs and extractions. This was gentle by comparison but with a very good facial massage and soo relaxing. Mind you the bed helped - it was a glorious contoured heated one which completely enveloped me and in no time I am sure I was snorting and dribbling. Had the facial at Harrods Urban Retreat which is frenetic on the outside with every type of product and treatment on offer, but once you are led down the side corridors to the specialist rooms...all is calm.

more mayr

2010-04-11T09:23:00.000-07:00

one thing to look out for if you book to go to Viva Mayr - try to arrive later in the day...that way you will not be wandering around looking vacant and lost. The clinic is terrific once it gets going...but unless you know the ropes it is very confusing for those first few hours. Your treatment doesn't really get under way until you have your first consultation with a doctor...and most of these are in the morning. What it means for you is that you have no idea what to do until that happens...what to eat, what you are allowed etc. and you are dependent on other guests and the dining room staff to keep you informed. So don't waste time wandering and wondering...get there late afternoon, have your last meal (or what amounts to one) and then start afresh in the morning...with your first glass of epsom salts...
Don't worry too much...in the end it's worth it

more detox

2010-04-10T08:45:00.000-07:00

Have just returned for the Viva Mayr on the shores of Lake Worth in Austria...ohmigod! I'm not really complaining...but the toxic headache was worse than ever and took longer to get rid of. The powers that be, don't approve of headache relieving drugs...but after 30 hours and the only pain relief offered was in the shape of a suppository...I ran for the Nurofen.
Did they not realise that my nether regions were fully occupied with the results of the early morning epsom powder...that to try and introduce any further activity to that part of the body...may well have ended in tears and been a tad messy.

In spite of everything...my stay. though short, was worth every minute. In between tests, massages, almost meals, educational lectures...there was a lot of fun and my diet began to change for the better
More to come...

my toxic body

2009-11-23T09:59:00.000-08:00

Every once in a while - and remember I have massages like most people have sandwiches - I have a truly memorable treatment. It's not so much the treatment itself (although it can be) but mostly it's the aftermath. I had such a massage the other day at the Sequoia Spa at the Grove in Hertfordshire. It's a rather glamorous spa with a huge local following, so I knew it was going to be professional - what I did not expect was what it did to my body. It was one of their signature massages, a Thai compress job. Now I have had any number of these before, where hot compresses of herbs and rice are pounded or smoothed onto your body to help relax the muscles before the therapist goes to work. A lovely stream of hot oil was drizzled on my aching shoulders and then massaged in with deep strong strokes, and then the compresses were called into play again. I felt relaxed afterwards and kept the oil on for a couple of hours to benefit from it. I did what I was told and drank huge amounts of water before and during dinner, and was thrilled to notice that all the tension had disappeared from my shoulders and that pain at the base of my spine was hardly there.

And then...I woke in the middle of the night with what felt like red hot iron bars going from my neck up to my head. If I hadn't felt like this before, I would have been worried - a migraine? a brain tumour? The imagination runs riot at 4.a.m. No, it was my toxic body trying to clear itself. For what happened was the massage was so good, so thorough and so right that it was releasing the toxins I was holding hostage. I drank a few more gallons of water, and kept doing so for the next 24 hours, for that is how long it took for me to revert to what I term normal. My body still feels looser and relaxed and I have vowed to get the train to Watford as often as I possibly could and book Chris for this treatment - he is a really gifted therapist.
www.thegrove.co.uk

look-see

2009-11-20T02:59:00.000-08:00

I truly admire the way so many spas take infinite care over our comfort and well-being. I've always been impressed by those little bowls of lotus blossom or pebbles or crystals, which are carefully placed under the massage bed, so that we have something other than bare boards to look at during the treatment - no matter that our eyes invariably close. Is it possible to lie down and keep your eyes open? I'm not sure...but just in case, have something pretty to look at. However this aspect reached its height when the Over-Water Spa first opened at the Conrad Rangali Island in the Maldives - the whole floor is made of glass, and as the treatment rooms are on stilts over the water, you have the most amazing view of coral and fish of every imaginable colour. Totally magical. Sadly my eyes began to close, even though I was willing them to stay open! But then fish are supposed to have a relaxing and soporific effect - think of all those aquaria in dentists' waiting rooms....
www.conradrangalimaldives.com

machines

2009-11-16T07:57:00.000-08:00

I'm in favour of anything that helps the body relax during a treatment. Warm beds and rooms are top of the list, sensuous smells and occasionally (very occasionally) soothing music. I love those massage chairs you are sometimes offered while having a manicure but I have just experienced one of the best things ever. It's called a SilentChi machine and I encountered it at the newly opened Spa at the Grand Hotel, Stockholm. It is Raison d'Etre's first own brand spa and has all sorts of special therapies and treatments especially devised for this northern pamper palace - one signature treatment, called Be Rested, has this machine as part of it. After your feet have been massaged, anointed and then placed in those rather fetching plastic bags before being wrapped in towels, your feet and legs are raised and placed on a small machine - which then gently rocks your body to such an extent that gradually you can feel each vertebra gradually relax and loosen so that your spine and back lose any muscle tightness and rigidity., thus preparing your body for a great massage. It only takes about 10 minutes and once you get used to the rhythm you want it to continue for ever. Apparently if you have one regularly your aching and rigid muscles become almost normal! Sheer magic - I'd love one at the end of my bed so that I could have a session whenever I wanted or needed one. (www.rasiondetrespa.se)

rome

2009-11-11T04:15:00.000-08:00

One of my favourite city spas is the one at the Cavalieri Hilton in Rome. It is so opulent that it looks as if it belongs in a Fellini film - there is even a roaring fire in a very grand fireplace next to the swimming pool - in case la signora feels a little chilly. There are candelabra, animal print chaise longues, marbles, gilt and jade wherever you look. And then there is a huge state-of-the-art fitness studio (not that I spend too much time there)...and just in case it all sounds a little tame for current visitors they have just installed a climbing wall in the gardens. Suffice to say that the hotel is built on the highest of Rome's seven hills and the views of the city are breath-taking from every aspect...can you imagine what they will be like from the top of the wall? Having never thought of climbing up a wall...although occasionally I have been driven up one by annoyances...this could be the temptation I need...except would it be too scary? and would I break a nail? I think in the meantime I'll settle for a little light retail and then some reflexology to combat the pavement pounding. www.romecavalieri.com

best facial?

2009-11-10T09:45:00.001-08:00

I'm very pernickety about facials and lose patience with most of those available. I think there is far too much going on for one small area - too many products, too many serums, lotions, masks, exfoliations and then, at the end something for your face, your eyes, your mouth, your neck...it's enough to make your skin sag. However there are exceptions and I am always thrilled when I come across one. Eva Lom still gives the best facial imaginable - but you have to book her and none of her pupils. She has healing hands and a profound knowledge of the body and the mind.

However Daniela Steiner spas have a truly great facial..it could have been designed for me...a serious cleanse and scrub and exfoliation, plus extractions. How can you possibly have clean skin with those horrible tiny blackheads lurking in the creases and crevices...but then best of all they start working on the rest of your face. Any stray hairs are removed, eyebrows shaped and dyed if necessary, as are your eyelashes. The whole lot in one fell swoop while you are lying on a warm bed. Why don't more facials include all of this...it saves time in the long run as you don't have to keep making different appointments for different things.

Her flagship spa is at her home base Rosa Alpina in San Cassiano in the Dolomites (www.rosalpina.it) but you can also find the facials at her spas in Monaco, Sicily, Sharm el Sheik, Cairo and New York (www.steinercosmetics.com).

ayurveda cont.

2009-11-06T11:11:00.000-08:00

What most people know about ayurveda treatments comes from that enticing photograph of a stream of oil being poured onto the forehead - onto the 'third eye'. Called a shirodhara this is such a powerful therapy that it should not be undertaken, or even prescribed lightly - and most serious practitioners will not recommend it for anyone staying in a resort or centre for less than three days.

In the hands of the ill-trained or uninitiated it can truly disrupt the nervous system (why do you think the Japanese adopted a similar routine as water torture!). So if it is suggested to you be very careful. But one thing is for sure, if you are staying at an ayurvedic centre for the recommended seven days, then by all means experience it. I know that if I had one a day for five days I would come home with a totally refreshed brain.

Sometimes if the doctor will not allow you to experience a full shirodhara, he might allow you a thakradhara, which is its younger, weaker relative. The treatment uses buttermilk...and while the smell can be really off-putting, it lasts just moments, for the rest of the time you will be in a deep, deep sleep...it too. is a great relaxant.

ayurveda

2009-11-05T11:32:00.000-08:00

I really, really wished I liked ayurveda treatments more than I do. I truly believe in their efficacy and as a medical discipline I have nothing but wonder and admiration for its philosophy of prevention other than cure.

I have also visited some of the most extraordinary and wonderful ayurvedic retreats in the world - and some of the most basic ( a heated wooden coffin anyone?)- and I have had oils introduced into parts of my body where I was unaware of any apertures. Plus I have met some extraordinary talented ayurvedic doctors and practitioners...and yet..

Although I must say that my latest such massage (you can't say that I don't try) was a particularly good one. It was at the rather grand underground spa at Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodphur (it's the place where Liz Hurley got married - the palace, not the spa) where Dr Mony, the resident ayurvedic doctor despatched me for the full abhyanga. Many people still expect a traditional type of massage, but the ayurvedic version is more of an application of oil, so that by the end of it you are slithering around on a table resembling a butcher's block like an out of control eel. But I have to admit the masseuse was so adept that I was asleep before I knew what was happening, and my body felt relaxed and mobile by the time she had finished. And yet hours later, after a couple of showers and a bath I could still get a whiff of the herbal oils deep in my pores - is that why I still don't love it?
www.tajhotels.com

WHILST I'M AT IT........

2009-10-23T09:19:00.000-07:00

Don't you just hate the waft of bad breath as your facialist gets down to business? Recently I had a very good facial - not always the case - and the products had a most delicate and pleasing fragrance but every so often the therapist was obliged to breath and with it came a blast of stale, end of the day breath. In fairness it wasn't garlic or cigarette but it was distracting and a reminder that if you are getting up close and personal bad breath is a real no-no. (Sara P.)

HEAD MASSAGE SUPREME

2009-10-23T09:11:00.001-07:00

Have just had the most delicious head massage of all time! Lorraine, the Moulson in Moulson Devern in Bourne Street, London SW1 (020 7730 6818). As anyone who knows me will vouch, I am a woman in perpetual search of a 'proper' scalp massage that is not all pressing and poking but a vigorous agitation of the hair follicle roots. Lorraine's method is even more thorough and pretty much takes in the whole body as she exorcises all your stresses and tensions. THOROUGHLY RECOMMENDED - she is also one of the finest colourists you are ever likely to come across! (Sara P)

2009-10-17T07:41:00.001-07:00

Which bit of "Please don't get any oil in my hair" do many, many therapists not understand? Sometimes it is just not possible to do the full shampoo and blow dry after a treatment, so you simply ask the therapist to keep oil away from the crowning glory. Some nod and keep oil away from the crown of the head and not from the face, others manage most of it but not the neck, a few will wash their hands and give you a dry scalp massage and very, very few will wrap your head in a band or towel. I now bring a shower cap with me...not attractive I know, but better than looking like an oil slick at the bus stop.

more therapists

2009-10-08T12:18:00.000-07:00

I cannot emphasise the importance of the therapist - he/she is the key to any good treatment...and I have been very lucky to have experienced some amazing practitioners over the years. When Xuba sang to me it reminded of a sweet Thai woman at the Banyan Tree spa in Phuket. She was one of their most senior therapists and taught at the academy there, and she must have been one amazing teacher. When she had finished working on my muscles and joints - she taught me to dance using movements which would help stretch my body and makeit more supple.

And then there was the Thai master who was visiting the spa at the Oriental Hotel in Bangkok ( believe me one of the most beautiful spas in the world), who asked me to lie face down on the floor mattress to prepare myself for a true Thai experince. Some minutes later, nothing had happened and I was wondering when it was going to start - I coughed, moved a little, shifted my position until eventually I had to look over my shoulder to see if he had disappeared. He hadn't, he was praying - I have to admit the only man who has ever done so before touching my body. I know it's a temple...but this was special. I eventually had one of the best massages I have ever had!
(www.banyantree.com
www.mandarinoriental.com)

For those of you who think this blog is being written by a schizophrenic - it is not...the running component is provided by my friend and business partner, Sara P, who will provide the enthusiastic amateur approach to spas for those who are a tad intimidated or unsure of what a visit to such a place might be

RUNNING UPDATE!

2009-10-05T03:40:00.000-07:00

Did 7 miles on Saturday (that is not even a third of a marathon!) and was pretty dead for the rest of the day. Good job I've got 7 more months of training - knees permitting! Went and had a Thai massage to ease my achy bones. I love Thai Therapeutics in Beauchamp Place, London SW3 (020 7589 3709) - no website, I'm afraid and not to be confused with Thai Therapeutics in Oregon, USA - although they may also be wonderful.

All the girls in London are Thai and do very workmanlike massages particularly concentrating on any areas you identify as needing their kneading. As someone who spends her life in search of a the perfect scalp massage I have to say that Noi comes close to doing a pretty good one.

An hour is £60 (with cheaper rates during morning hours). Don't forget to say - Jo Sent Me!

xuba2

2009-09-27T21:49:00.000-07:00

Did I say she sang to me? Having held the cowrie shells to my ears so I could hear the sea, Xuba then broke into this low,sweet chant which , in spite of its low volume seemed lound and intense because of her proximity to my body splayed on the massage table. It was bweautiful and quite moving and infinitely more preferable to other spa sounds which I am fast becoming allergic to. I loathe most of spa music and always ask for it to be turned off, much preferring the hum of the air-conditioning to the sub-Enya offerings, not to mention the clang of Tibetan bells or the song of the hunchback whale. Although I am very happy at one particular Italian spa where you get Puccini along with your pedicure

xuba

2009-09-26T21:46:00.000-07:00

No matter what a spa has to offer in treatments, therapies, products, incense, silks and fluffy towels...it is of little consequence to your wellbeing unless the therapist is good. Some are quite good, others well trained,( a few are gifted with healing hands - but that is so rare) and every so often you find an exceptional one. I did yesterday. She's called Xuba and is at the Chi Spa at Shangri-La's new Villingili Resort in the Maldives. Not only does she have one of the happiest smiles I have seen in a long time but she has such a strong yet soothing touch. She knew exactly what my jet-lagged body needed before I even lay on the massage bed. Of course you have to fill in one of those rather vacuous questionnaires they now give you at most spas...but she knew long before glancing at that where my aches and pains were. Within minutes I was totally relaxed and spent the 90 minutes drifting in and out of sleep... and left totally relaxed. I had the spa's signature treatment which used seashells a little like hot stones...except they also asked you to listen to them and the sound of the sea... I slept like a baby last night, and can't wait to have another treatment with Xuba. There are very few Maldivian female therapists - so she is a rare creature and if you are coming this way...I would recommened booking her.
(www.shangri-la.com)

dubai

2009-09-25T21:29:00.000-07:00

Having had a little rant about the dearth of spas or spa treatments at airports - places we have all the time in the world with very little to do except buy stuff we don't really want, I was thrilled to see a huge on at Dubai airport yesterday. Oh woe, alas, alack - it might be a lovely spa - huge, airy and spacious but the treatments are sooo expensive...a minimum of 25 minutes for $50. And you only have access to it if you're travelling business or first. Although you could have your nails polished for $9 - only polished mind you. It makes both BA and Virgin seem like the milk of human kindness.

For anybody following this...let me assure you it is not I who will running the London Marathon but my half demented partner Sara P who already has problems with her knees...I will be celebrating her taking to the road...with just another massage...

2009-09-24T09:33:00.000-07:00

This blog may take on an interesting twist having just heard I have secured a place in next year's London Marathon. Whilst this was not confirmed I could kid myself it wasn't happening - but now it is, well that's a very different matter. Eddie Izzard eat your heart out! I am going to need my massages more than ever and they will cease being a treat or indulgence but a sheer necessity to keep me on the go. Six years ago I had never run beyond the end of the road, five years ago the prospect of doing the Great North Run ( half marathon) was monumental - have now done two, and three years ago today I was little more that six weeks away from doing the NY Marathon. So, I know what I'm talking about when I wonder what madness has got into me and propelled me to apply to run London - and now there is no going back! I am tempted to keeping writing but I need to put on my kit and get pounding the pavements...................

WORLD'S CHEAPEST MASSAGE?

2009-09-24T08:18:00.000-07:00

Just so this blog is not seen as too elitist I thought I would share details of the cheapest (non-beach) massage I have found anywhere in the world . You do need to find yourself in downtown Kigali (capital of Rwanda) at the Novotel where an hour's Swedish-style massage was £10. Having spent time staying in the city where the showering facilities were limited the chance to have a massage in order to have a shower was too good to miss. That being said, the massage was extremely good even if the rather brisk rub down to remove excess oil with possibly the roughest towels ever was interesting! As was the wall socket which hung rakishly loose and intermittently powered the fan.

THE 'AMATEUR' JO-SENT-ME

zurich

2009-09-13T04:22:00.000-07:00

Am leaving for Zurich for a couple of days to walk in seriously good air and am just thinking of the last time I visited...it was pure, unadulterated indulgence. I was going to review the spa at the Dolder Grand - as its name suggests an imposing fin de siecle hotel which has been jazzed up and extended by Richard Rogers. The spa is in the extension and is as modern as tomorrow - they have even made a meditation walk funky and up-to-date. Anyway the pampering began as soon as I was picked up by the hotel limo at the airport (feel my pain), and the driver handed me a card with instructions on how to organise my massage en route. Yup, the car seats were massage chairs. I could have a full back massage, a neck and shoulder version or a type of shiatsu all with different pressures- sadly the 20 minute journey didn't allow time t.o experience all three, but I can assure you it's a glorious way to travel

tummy therapy

2009-09-06T06:02:00.000-07:00

Many spas, or is it therapists(?) rarely go near the stomach when massaging - and in fact many clients don't want their stomachs touched, unless it's with the wing of a butterfly which is of no use at all. The Chinese, as in many other areas, have got stomach massage right. It's known as Chi Nei Tsang and it is a massage with a message. No Traditional Chinese Medical therapist would pussyfoot about when giving this treatment, they dive straight in with fingers prodding and poking and using strong strokes around and across the stomach. It can be painful - but then it gets everything going, all those organs huddled together in mid-body are separated and revitalised. To the Chinese the stomach is the centre of energy which is why this is such an important element of their treatments.

If you're a tad squeamish about going hardcore to begin with, then head for the Ushvani Day Spa in London's Cadogan Gardens where the Signature Massage includes a good strong stomach massage. Most of the treatments available here are based on traditional Malayasian and Indonesian therapies - both of which have been influenced by the Chinese. It's a very calming place to visit and entering it is rather like visiting one of the better girls' schools with its dark carved wood and hush everywhere. Indeed I expected to see Margaret Rutherford in a tweed suit at the top of the stairs, not a slip of a thing in traditional therapist wear.

THE NEW SPA AT THE DORCHESTER

2009-09-02T01:41:00.000-07:00

Went for a massage with my daughter on Bank Holiday Monday. First time back at the Dorchester Spa since its make-over in May which was MASSIVELY overdue. Now a vision of shining whiteness - very feminine - although, probably slightly off-putting for a chap wanting a bit of pampering. Still we enjoyed it. Excellent Swedish massage and, as someone in perpetual search of a decent scalp massage, pretty damn good! Very comfy bed, heated pillow popped as neck support when turning over and nice, weighty eye mask to keep out the light. Slightly irritating muzak and deeply annoying fire alarm trial which had me catapulting off the bed as if touched with an electronic cattle prod (worth noting this happens twice each Monday afternoon at 3.30 - AVOID).

THE 'AMATEUR' JO-SENT-ME!

airports

2009-08-26T13:01:00.000-07:00

Airports are turning into some of the most stressful places on the planet - which is why WE NEED MORE SPAS in them. Elemis have two at Terminal 5 and one in JFK - and while they are uber-relaxing you can only access them if you're travelling Business or First. If you are one of the chosen few then head for a pre-flight treatment, they only take 15 minutes and you choose whichever part of your body needs attention - arms, feet, face, back. I love the Shoulder and Scalp special. Best of all you get to relax in the most amazing massage chair ever invented - it's called an Intelligent Massage Chair and is something you would buy if you had a windfall .You can't book in advance, just turn up once you've checked in and put your name on the list.I long for more airports to be like the one in Bangkok where there is a plethora of massage, manicure and beauty places. The best on offer is the Oxygen head and shoulder massage - 20 minutes for five dollars and an ideal pick-me-up after a long flight. You straddle a special chair and while your head, shoulders and neck are massaged you breathe pure oxygen from a special tube up your nose. Only downside is that at the end of the treatment the plastic tube delivering the oxygen leaves an impression on your face of something resembling Salvador Dali's moustache!

You get some pretty strange looks...but who cares, you feel great

meditation

2009-08-21T09:32:00.000-07:00

For some years now I have been advised in spas, retreats, wellness centres, health clinics to meditate. And I have listened and taken note. Believe me I have had classes, guidance, advice in temples in Thailand, ashrams in India and tried TCM in the comfort of my own sitting room. I have talked at length to friends and acquaintances who meditate and quiz them on how they manage - when and where.

And believe me I have tried - sometimes for weeks on end, sometimes for months, but in the end sheer frustration at my own inability to be calm defeats me.

I have read all the research on the benefits to health of meditation - lowering blood pressure etc etc...and yet...I give up. And yes I have read Eat, Pray, Love and sympathised so much but really cannot find the time to spend a month at an ashram.

I have started again...in my own little way...and no I don't do candles, incense, Tibetan bells et al...I don't even sit in the lotus position

Any advice out there?

superchicks

2009-08-18T09:29:00.000-07:00

Cat Dugdale and Georgie Thompson are two true super chicks - Cat is a full time trainer and Georgie has a day job as a Sky Sports presenter. Together they set up Iamsuperchick training programmes by girls for girls. They operate mostly in London parks - and the occasional nightclub, but next month they are launching fitness videos which you can use alongside on-line training programmes and interactive personalised diaries.

I know how good they are for there are very people who could get me running around Hyde Park at seven o'clock in the morning - for a start I can't run. But I signed up for their week long Little Black Dress programme and punished my body in the early hours for a whole week. Did I feel better - you bet, once I'd stopped aching.

If you can't get to their park practices, or don't want to spend a fortune getting fit check out iamsuperchick.com and get off the sofa...

mandarin oriental

2009-08-17T07:41:00.000-07:00

It's taken them a little time to get there...but Mandarin Oriental hotels have finally recognised their Asian provenance and introduced a whole series of new therapies to their spas, based on the tenets of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

I'm a great fan of TCM in all its elements, although I'm thrilled you can now get the herbal cures in tablet form, rather than boiled up pond life which you had to smell and drink. And while I'm still not sure about Cupping, if a practitioner said I needed it I would give it a whirl.

What Mandarin has done is simplified the therapies and slightly westernised the consultation procedure. This is turn is based on the balancing of the body's yin and yang (just out of interest, my yang is almost permanently out of control) you have to do is fill in a simple questionnaire which is them examined by the therapist and a particular massage based on the meridians, is prescribed for you.

Best of all, depending on what your type is you are despatched afterwards with suggestions of which foods to avoid and which foods are healing for you often with some simple exercises.

A new twist on one of the oldest medical disciplines on earth...

marbella

2009-08-15T08:22:00.000-07:00

She seemed nice enough when we were introduced...rather gentle and sweet as she led me to the hammam. Her name was Nadia and she was from Morocco. Her task this morning was to introduce me to one of the treatments newly introduced to the spa at the Marbella Club - the Hammam Morjana Ritual.

As I entered the hammam she was laying towels down on the mosaic tiles and gestured for me to lie there, face down, and then began to massage my tight, locked shoulders. Her firm touch gradually eased the joints, ably abetted by the scented heat and steam. Next step was a dowsing with buckets of warm water and a thorough soaping with a rose scented product...soon I was lulled into a deep relaxation as more warm water was thrown over my body.

But then it all changed...the gentle Nadia turned into a fiend...first with a scouring glove that felt as if it would remove rust from an acient chip pan. She covered every inch of my body without an ounce of mercy...the only place where it was nearly enjoyable was on the soles of my feet. Then beckoning me to stand, she soaped me all over again and with more bowls of water removed the suds. I was grateful the scouring had stopped when she threw a bowl of ice cold water over me. The screams and yelps must have carried through to the rest of the spa, but nobody came to rescue...as she continued to hose me down with an icy cold spray. By which time I was running around the one pillar in the place trying to avoid her...before she allowed me to hose myself , which I did gingerly and half-heartedly from the feet up.

Respite came when she sat me down to shampoo my hair and cleanse my face. The relief of the warmth was almost overwhelming until...another bowl of cold water rinsed off the shampoo. By now I was ready to punch her...but too clever by half she persuaded me to lie on warm, dry towels as she performed a final massage using a rose and argan oil.

I finally forgave her as she wrapped me in warm towels and blankets and dimmed the lights in the relaxation area as I fell into a deep sleep. In truth when I woke my skin was glowing and squeaky clean. I just wish I wasn't such a coward.

The Hammam Ritual is one of a number of new thalassotherapy treatments, programmes and cures now available at the Marbella Club. If you opt for a three or five day programme, look away as you leave the spa as the resort's legendary buffet is laid out in all its glory just a few feet away from the spa entrance!

foot Prince (and Princess)

2009-08-15T07:07:00.000-07:00

Summer is a killer for feet - they are always on show and rarely look their best, unless you have just pranced out of a pedicure. Nails look ragged and skin has all the resemblance of the outer rind of some ancient cheese. They are the one bit of the body we tend to neglect until almost the last minute and then rush for a quick fix at a local salon or a worse than amateur go at home.

REMEMBER THESE

* the best pedicure anywhere you will find at the hands of Samuel Soh. Sadly Mr Soh is based in Hong Kong, at the Barber Shop in the Mandarin Oriental...but if you're ever heading that way, book him at the same time as you book your ticket, to make sure you don't miss out on one of the great treatments. Armed with a roll of tiny chisels, Mr S sets about returning your feet to the shape and texture they should be. With these instruments, he cuts nails, carves out corns and callouses, removes all scaly and hard skin before polishing your toes with a colour of your choice (best to bring your own). There is no pain, no blood, no hassle. This is an original Shanghai Medical Pedicure which he learnt at his father's feet and has now passed onto an able pupil, Ben, if you can't get an appointment with the real thing

* Bastien Gonzalez, is another foot purist and works between London, Paris, New York and a few luxury resorts in the Indian Ocean ( One&Only in the Maldives and Mauritius). He too attacks the feet with all the ferocity of an iron fist in a velvet glove ridding them of all hard skin, callouses et al. He also promises to make your toes look like the inside of a shell. He does. He even has own foot products - cream from Euro34, the silkiest talcum powder and a free from all additives nail polish. Find him two days a week at the Cadogan Hotel, London (it's £110 a pop - but you come away with almost new feet)

* The Daniella Steiner spas in Paris, Monte Carlo, Italy and Egypt offer pedicures which combine chiropdy with the beautifying elements. This treatment cannot be carried out in the UK as most pedicurists are not medically trained as they are in Europe. It takes just over an hour and you emerge with almost new feet

Can't get to any of them? Then Geraldine Howard, one of the founders of Aromatherapy Associates, has the best advice on feet. Keep all samples of moisturisers, night creams, oils etc that you can find (even those sachets that you find glued to magazine pages) by your bedside...and every night just massage some into your feet. It doesn't matter whether the cream is for necks, hands, face or eyes - any attention our poor feet get is better than none. If you're feeling wildly extravagant Geraldine's new rose oil is a serious treat...and you only need a tiny amount.

Medi Spa

2009-08-15T06:44:00.000-07:00

Had a rivetting meeting at the EF MediSpa in London's Kensington Church Street. The EF stands for Esther Fieldgrass, the founder of this seven storey box of tricks, who trawls the world on the look out for new research, new therapies, new machines and new treatments. The MediSpa is half magician's lair, half serious holistic beauty clinic.

If you're looking for cosmetic dentistry you'll find it here as you will find botox and fillers. But you will also find nutritionists, naturopaths and sleep therapists, as well as the very latest information and treatments on weight reduction and skin tightening.

One of the most popular of all treatments is the Vaser High Definition Liposuction, and this is one of the few places outside the US where you can find it. Using ultrasound technology it removes fat from truly stubborn areas of the body...and should you require it, it can redistribute that fat to other areas. For instance, while I was there a client emerged from a session where she had fat removed from her thights and then introduced to her butt, to give her a pert posterior! It is apparently far less painful than conventional liposuction and you can even have it done in a lunchtime.

Looking for something a tad less painful, then also on offer is pain free permanent hair removal. Later this year Esther is opening a bigger clinic in Chelsea with more and even more advanced treatments.

eco spas

2009-08-15T06:34:00.000-07:00

Is there such a thing, I wonder, as an Eco Spa. I know any number of spas and wellness centres are now claiming to be eco friendly and oh-so-green and I am trying to get my head around the concept.

I have visited spas where every sheet, towel, robe and pair of slippers used is made from unbleached organic cotton, where only natural fabrics are used in the décor and vegetable dyes in the design, and only local woods and bamboos have been used for furniture and doors. I have been massaged and pampered with oils and lotions made only from indigenous and natural products, where the juices, snacks and salads have all being grown organically just outside the back door and where every drop of water is recycled…and yet...

...I worry. How can I be sure that the amount of water needed for laundry, let alone the hydrotherapy treatments, swimming pools, steam rooms, jacuzzis, or indeed even for keeping the place clean, is absolutely necessary or even properly recycled And as for the electricity that used to keep the place warm, to fire the saunas and hammams and to facilitate the cathiodermie and CACI equipment not to mention the air-conditioning in the gyms, fitness centres and yoga studios and all of this before the aforementioned pools, hot tubs and whirlpools have to be heated. I’m not sure it’s all done with solar panels. The question is – how should a spa user deal with such a dichotomy? Has anybody out there got any ideas?