Tag Archives: massage

Spa and Sustenance at La Sultana, Marrakech

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La Sultana is part of the ‘Small Luxury Hotel of the World’ group and successfully offers guests authentically Moroccan five-star accommodation. This lovely property is steeped in tradition and beautifully designed. With various riads to choose from, the different rooms and suites evoke alternate characters, moods and styles, there truly is something for everyone. It is a petite hotel, intimate and cosy but it is easy to find your own space to relax. The central courtyards offer oases of serenity and peace, with trickling fountains, lush greenery and pretty pools for cooling down during the hours of sweltering heat.

With our accommodation already arranged, we sadly couldn’t test the rooms but found just enough time for a short spa treatment and evening meal. Here we found a moment of quiet despite being located in the midst of the medina.

The small scale indulgences were modest but wonderful and the attention to detail is obvious throughout the building.

The fragranced hallway leads you to the small spa which offers a large variety of specialised treatments. After changing we descended a precarious spiral staircase to a warm room for a 30 minute massage. Asked beforehand about our preferences, we were each able to customise the massage to best suit our needs. I chose to concentrate on back and legs and chose the sweet vanilla oil. Relaxed and destressed, I was almost asleep by the end.

Before supper we had a few minutes to enjoy a hot cup of herbal tea and the thermal pool, revitalising our bodies before the feast ahead. With seating around an illuminated outdoor pool and a local musician playing in the cloisters, the setting for dinner could not have been more romantic and special. Moroccan classics and contemporary dishes can be found on the menu, so for those staying at the hotel there is plenty of choice each evening. We selected a mixture of both cuisines though it was the more traditional dishes that stood out. Pigeon pastilla with rich and meaty, while the lobster ravioli was an innovative and extravagant option. My chicken tagine was tender and vibrantly flavoured with lemon, a popular recipe in Marrakech, made here to the highest standards. Following several glasses of well-matched Moroccan wine, we completed the meal with expertly poured fresh mint tea.

La Sultana is quite simply a lovely place to be, awakening every sense to the Moroccan way of life and leaving you with a lasting memory of this miraculous city.

More information on La Sultana here.

www.lasultanahotels.com

Many thanks to Visit Morocco and Travellink Morocco.

Spa Satori, Manchester

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Follow the High Street into the Northern Quarter and eventually you will reach Spa Satori, Manchester’s favourite holistic health and beauty retreat. Established in 2002, this independent spa has built a reputation for providing the highest standard of healthcare and wellbeing treatments. Offering a wide variety of spa and beauty therapies for both men and women, the experienced and passionate therapists strive to offer you the most rewarding spa experience.

With an extensive list of treatments including the ‘Ultimate Stress Relief’ Massage, Hot Volcanic Stones, balancing Reflexology, detoxing Colonic Hydrotherapy, 100% Organic Eminence Facials, Shellac nails, Waxing and many more, Satori will remedy and relieve any stress and strain and beautify you from head to toe.

When we arrived the spa was blissfully silent, we slumped down onto the plush sofas and enjoyed a few minutes relaxing whilst heated lavender cushions were placed around our shoulders. Before long we were in one of the rooms lying on gloriously soft warm beds, ready to be pampered. Two dedicated therapists talked us through which treatments would suit us best. I had a 1 hour Eminence Organic facial and my friend opted for the lava shell body massage and we both completed our sessions with the specialist Hopi Ear Candle Therapy.

My facial soothed and refreshed my skin removing dead skin, extracting dirt and alleviating blocked pores. The massage was gentle but worked deep into the muscles to remove all tension. Spa Satori offer an unrivalled list of treatments and the Hopi Ear Candle treatment is just one of the more specialist therapies you can experience here. We both found it very interesting to try this, lying still whilst a candle burns down sucking wax from your ear and clearing your sinuses. I’m not sure how different I felt afterwards but I definitely felt healthier.

This luxurious retreat left me feeling revived, rejuvenated and refreshed before boarding the train back to London. A lovely place to spend the whole day or just pop in for a quick treatment whilst in town.

More information here: www.spasatori.co.uk

Thoroughly Modern Milly travelled with Virgin Trains.

Typical journey time between London and Manchester is just 2h 7m on one of the state-of-the-art tilting trains, six days a week. Engineering works slow things down a little on Sunday mornings, but by lunchtime they’re operating services – at 2h15m – just a shade slower than Monday to Saturday. Trains every 20 minutes, six and a half days a week.

Booking in advance and travelling off-peak is the best way to get great deals – including some fantastic First Class bargains. Single fares start at: Advance Standard £12.50  and Advance First £38.00, book here.

Bali Health Spa, Manchester

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Bali Health Spa is cleverly concealed in the aromatic streets of Manchester’s Chinatown. But once you have found theinconspicuous entrance and made your way up the staircase you will not want to leave in a hurry. This Balinese-inspired day spa and tea house is instantly calming, a welcoming retreat from the busy streets of the city centre.

After jumping off the tram and running through the streets, we still arrived embarrassingly late for our 11am massages. The staff were unfazed though, efficiently placing slippers on our feet and escorting us upstairs to the couple treatment room. We were talked through the special features of our chosen massage (the BALI Signature Energising Massage) which uses their own oil blend and herbal poultice. Both therapists focused on our individual needs, for me this was the tension in my mid and upper back.

The spa treatments incorporate both Western and Asian techniques and are carefully tailored to suit each client. The room designs take inspiration from world class spa resorts, luxury hotels and Asian massage centres hoping to offer a simple but special luxury. Our room was petite but very comfortable, with soft heated beds and a delicious scent in the air. The treatment began with a warm foot flannel followed by the herbal poultice. My therapist then worked her way through the stiff knots ensuring the pressure was strong enough for me throughout. In just 35 minutes we were both totally soothed of all aches and pains, too relaxed to even get off the beds. As a parting gift the staff gave us the herbal poultices to take away and use in a relaxing bath at home.

Rejuvenating pods are a special feature at Bali Health Spa and enable the venue to cater for large groups. Twelve pods with built-in massaging seats are available for use on the second floor. You can create your own private sanctuary with the 30 or 60 minute massage programmes, or use the facilities whilst enjoying another beauty treatment. As I sat in the comfy leather chair drinking my lemongrass tea, I was lucky enough to receive a thorough pedicure. A lovely girl soaked and sanded my feet, removing all dry skin and exfoliating until they felt softer than ever. After an hour of luxurious pampering, she added the finishing touch, a coat of red Jessica nail polish.

Open seven days a week with impressively convenient hours, the Bali Health Spa is a haven for ultimate indulgence. Whenever life in the real world gets too hard, this beautiful spa will alleviate stress and put balance and beauty back into your day.

More information here: www.balihealthlounge.com

Thoroughly Modern Milly travelled with Virgin Trains.

Typical journey time between London and Manchester is just 2h 7m on one of the state-of-the-art tilting trains, six days a week. Engineering works slow things down a little on Sunday mornings, but by lunchtime they’re operating services – at 2h15m – just a shade slower than Monday to Saturday. Trains every 20 minutes, six and a half days a week.

Booking in advance and travelling off-peak is the best way to get great deals – including some fantastic First Class bargains. Single fares start at: Advance Standard £12.50  and Advance First £38.00, book here.