Tag Archives: spa

JW Marriott Absheron Hotel, Baku

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The Marriott brand is known worldwide for their luxury hotels and five star service. I experienced this first hand at the Marriott Hotel in Baku, Azerbaijan, the Absheron, where I was invited to try the spa and Fireworks restaurant. The Marriott fits into the impressive Baku skyline, it is a huge building with an imposing façade. Centrally located, I imagine this hotel is a popular choice for business visitors to Baku, yet when I visited I noticed crowds of young locals enjoying the outdoor eateries.

The spa is up on one of the highest floors, with incredible views of the city and a calm, quiet atmosphere. The therapists were very smiley and happy to be attending to our every need. Face down on the massage bed, I could have been anywhere in the world and for a moment I definitely forgot I was in Azerbaijan’s booming capital city. As I’d expect from a Marriott establishment, the massage was wonderful, personalised and attentive, relaxing and soothing. The treatment concluded with a glass of refreshing iced tea to hydrate and wake us up. We sat for a while in the relaxation room, in the comfiest chairs overlooking the entire city and the amazing Caspian coastline. After an invigorating shower, we travelled back down to one of the Marriott restaurants.

There are four dining options, we were in the oriental terrace restaurant, Fireworks. On Fridays this restaurant holds a beer and kebab buffet, a casual, fun night equally popular with tourists and locals. I cannot fault the service which was amongst the best I experienced in Baku… very friendly and accommodating, English-speaking waiters made our dinner very enjoyable. Luckily, the head chef was on hand to choose our meal for us as I was completely bewildered by the choice and variety on the menu.

After glasses of chilled Prosecco, a selection of Middle-Eastern meze was delivered to us: mangal (aubergine) salad, hummus, halloumi salad, and warm flat bread. The flavours were vibrant and the dishes were extra moreish, I couldn’t resist nibbling away for ages. A mixed grill arrived soon after for main course: an array of juicy fragrant meats dressed with spices and presented with grilled vegetables. Fresh watermelon was a palate-cleansing, healthy end to the meal.

Wandering away from the epic Absheron building, lit up gloriously, I knew I would remember my evening here fondly for years to come. It is a giant in the Baku empire that offers everything a guest could ever want.

More information here.

Thoroughly Modern Milly travelled with British Airways, London to Baku.

Royal Mansour Spa, Marrakech

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The spa at Royal Mansour is awe-inspiring, a temple of wonderful white arches and palatial patterns. The building itself is a staggering 27,000 sq ft, an authentic Moroccan spa with its own separate private entrance and driveway, it is reason alone to visit the Mansour property, and many do come for a day of ultimate relaxation.

In a country that is so relentlessly hot this pure and peaceful retreat is much appreciated by guests. Down a serene walkway you reach the main lobby hall, a spacious room to sit and reflect before your chosen treatment. Those guests wishing to use the facilities first have plenty on offer: two hammams, a hairdressing salon, manicure and pedicure suites, Watsu bath area and relaxation area are all available for your perusal. If you get peckish the Salon de thé is a lovely cafe with healthy dishes, herbal teas and fresh fruit juices.

The treatments are numerous and varied, catering to all requirements and needs. I was most interested by the range of products and brands available for the facial therapies. The inclusion of marocMaroc, Sisley, Dr Hauschka and Chanel strongly represent French, German and Moroccan beauty traditions. Each option has a different focus, be it age prevention, moisture, balance, deep cleansing or luxury indulgence. Some of the facials have set layouts, others can be tailored to fit specific skin types and the client’s preferences.

I breezed in, instantly cooled by the icy interiors. A citrus drink was given to me to sip at before my marocMaroc facial. I was keen to try their brand of facials after experiencing the products already in my room. marocMaroc was the first luxury skincare line to combine Moroccan pleasure, comfort and efficiency. It hopes to tell a story of this beautiful country whilst pampering and soothing all your senses. Made from all natural ingredients the products manage to be high quality but low maintenance.

My facial was lovely, not intrusive nor prescriptive, but purely for comfort and indulgence. The therapist layered my skin gradually with different products to remove dirt and to exfoliate – gently freshening and brightening the skin. A mask and thick cream added much needed moisture for my sun-exposed skin.

After the treatment my therapist escorted me to the relaxation room to relax and wake up! I stood on the small balcony and felt amazingly refreshed and clear headed.

The Royal Mansour spa is a paradise waiting to be discovered, once you have entered this white wonderland you will never want to leave. A shelter for the soul and refuge for the body.

More information here.

www.royalmansour.com

Hammam de la Rose, Marrakech

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There are so many wonderful luxury hotel spas to choose from in Marrakech – for something really authentic head to Hammam de la Rose in the city centre.

At this quiet retreat we experienced superior service and wonderful treatments. Wishing to try something traditional, we were both intrigued by the hammam and massage ritual. A hammam is a steam room where Moroccans go each week to cleanse themselves. This treatment is an incredibly important part of Moroccan culture and life. Men, women and children will visit their local Hammam at least once a week, and spend two or three hours there, catching up on gossip with their friends and following the long rituals until their skin glows and feels silky soft. In Morocco it is an integral part of normal life, but for us it was a very special and unique thing to try.

Different spas approach this ritual in different ways, but most follow a few simple steps. I was allocated an individual therapist to perform the treatment. I was washed down, scrubbed and exfoliated until my skin felt fresh and revived. First I was taken into an enclosed steam room where bowls of warm water were poured swiftly over my entire body, soaking me then special black soap was rubbed roughly over my skin. I was then left to rest and relax lying on the warm tiled bench. Ten minutes or so later I was shown into another steam room for a full invigorating rub and cleanse, wonderful smelling products were used made from argan oil, orange blossom and other natural ingredients.

After moisturising it was time for the massage, a gloriously lengthy treatment releasing all tension and stress from my body and soothing my scrubbed skin. I felt instantly calmed by the firm therapist whose hands worked away constantly at the persistent knots in my shoulders and upper back. We completed our time at Hammam de la Rose with a cup of hot mint tea.

It was the perfect morning in Marrakech. Everyone must try a hammam at least once and I can’t think of a better place to go than Hammam de la Rose.

More information and book here.