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london’s
A city seeped in history,
buzzing with culture and
brimming with innovation,
London has some of the
best spa experiences in
the world.
Londoners take their home city’s
incredible history for granted, but as
a tourist, it’s impossible not to wonder
at the millions of stories each cobbled
street could tell. There’s the grandiose
pillared buildings of Knightsbridge that
evoke all the glamour and elegance of
the 1920s socialite scene, the dingy
railway arches that inspired many a
horror story and the towering muse
houses that still have separate entrances
for the servants from their hay day
in the Victorian era. Indeed, London
has been dramatised so much in film,
theatre and literature that it is literally a
living storybook. Alongside this historic
gravitas, there is a vibrant culture and
a population renowned for innovation
and the spa world is no exception.
The city has some of the most exciting
new spa concepts in the world and is
paving the way for new technologies
and treatments…
spadestination
writer Emily Jones
spasanctuaries
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138 AsiaSpa 2010 1392010 AsiaSpa
urban retreats
MANDARIN SPA
As you walk up to the spectacular home of The Mandarin Oriental
in London, doormen in red coats usher you into a world of marbled
opulence, setting the bar high for the spa experience to follow – and
it doesn’t disappoint. Having recently been voted “Best UK Hotel
Spa” by Condé NastTraveller, it is a decadent experience that draws
on the brand’s Asian heritage. Set in the basement, the clean, stone
finishing and statues of Asian gods complement a softly lit Jacuzzi,
steam room and solarium, as well as a tranquil relaxation area.
Using ESPA products, the treatments are each tailored towards the
individual, from the deep tissue massage, which uses fragrant ESPA
oils, to the pampering pedicures, which are done while the guest
lies on a heated bed.
www.mandarinoriental.com/london/spa
AMAN SPA AT THE CONNAUGHT
The Aman Spa in London is the first spa to open outside of an Aman
resort and is already a huge hit with Londoners seeking an exotic
escape without leaving the city. Bringing a little piece of Aman
resorts to London, the spa is decorated with natural light wood, clean
lines and subtle lighting to keep the focus on complete relaxation.
Treatments are inspired by countries where Aman has a presence,
including India, China, Thailand and Native America. All products
and techniques used in these treatments are then sourced from their
country of origin.The “Inspired by India” treatment is the ultimate of
these experiences for complete relaxation. With a deeply meditative
approach, the experience aims to balance the energies of the body
leaving you feeling “calm and harmonised”.The experience begins
with an aromatic Indian footbath, followed by a body scrub with
relaxing essential oils, a Chakra balancing treatment and a Samadara
facial.The entire experience is an otherworldly lesson in tranquillity.
www.the-connaught.co.uk/Aman.aspx
this page: Spa Intercontinental treatment room; Mandarin Oriental spa reception; the Aman spa at
The Connaught; and COMO Shambala Spa glass oil bottles atThe Metropolitan. opposite page: A
synchronized massage at Mandarin Oriental.
ALCHEMY THE CENTRE
Located down a hidden alleyway in Camden Market, Alchemy
The Centre is an oasis of calm in amongst the clamour of this busy
district. The centre takes a holistic approach to wellness, focusing
on discovery and transformation of body and mind. Some of the
newest and oldest methods sit side by side on the treatment menu
and guests can take meditation classes or enjoy a range of holistic
therapies. A huge range of yoga classes are also available from
Ashtanga to Hatha, as well as life counselling. The Holistic hot
oil massage combines techniques from all over the globe, while
the acupuncture sessions are conducted by Chinese medicine
professionals. The centre provides Londoners with a calm and
welcoming community, where they can escape the busy rush of
the city and find inner harmony.
www.alchemythecentre.co.uk
SPA INTERCONTINENTAL
This cool and elegant urban retreat has a Middle Eastern vibe with
deep mahogany furnishings and mosaic tiled treatment rooms.
A speciality of the spa is the steam temple, a treatment where
a combination of mud and clay is applied to the body and face
and then left to be absorbed by the skin as guests sit in a crystal
steam room. The ocean wrap is also a must try. Clay and then oil
are applied to the skin before cocooning the body in a wrap and
lowering the guest into a dry floatation tank for the ultimate relaxing
experience. The Elemis facials are also expertly executed, with
special day packages, such as the “English Rose” experience tailored
to include local products and oils. The spa cuisine is the perfect
way to end the experience. Bento boxes of healthy, wholesome
lunches are offered along with a glass of Champagne to complete
the pampering. www.spaintercontinental.com
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140 AsiaSpa 2010 1412010 AsiaSpa
where to stay
THE MANDARIN ORIENTAL
An incredible and historic building, the Mandarin Oriental in
London provides an unforgettable hotel experience. The building
was originally a top London gentleman’s club and there is still
an atmosphere of a colonial establishment, with maps and travel
memorabilia decorating the walls and traditional furnishings
providing a truly five-star experience.The suites overlook the whole
of London and one glimpse out the window provides a sweeping
view of Big Ben, The London Eye and St Paul’s Cathedral, which
provide a glittering backdrop to the mahogany furniture, Persian
rugs and sparkling marble bathrooms.
www.mandarinoriental.com/london
THE METROPOLITAN
A truly chic experience, The Metropolitan has been a celebrated
hangout for the rich and famous since its opening and The Met Bar
is a place to see and be seen. The décor is elegant and minimalist,
peppered with touches of modern art and splashes of vibrant colour.
The rooms take full advantage of the beautiful views over Hyde Park
with huge windows providing a light and airy space and décor kept
simple and modern to provide a tranquil, urban oasis.
www.metropolitan.london.como.bz
THE BERKELEY
Like a resort in the middle of Knightsbridge, this hotel may be just
a stone’s throw away from the celebrated department store Harrods
but with a rooftop pool.The fabulously intimate Blue Bar and white
wood panelled rooms, makes it feel like a luxurious country home.
The Berkeley expertly fuses traditional hotel values from its long
heritage in London with modern service – the perfect example of
this fusion is the way ipads are provided on the oak desk alongside
the embossed notepaper.
www.the-berkeley.co.uk
beauty boutiques
PENHALIGON’S
Appointed by the Prince of Wales himself, Penhaligon’s flagship
store in Covent Garden is like a trip back in time with Victorian
fragrance bottles lining the wallpapered walls and traditional leather
cosmetics cases dotting antique chests. Shoppers enjoy a uniquely
personal experience and pick up traditional scents, candles and
bath and body products.
www.penhaligons.com
SPACE NK
Space NK sources the latest cult beauty products and offers a
carefully edited selection of high quality, original and effective
ranges from innovators and specialists around the world, such as
NARS cosmetics, Aromatherpay Associates skincare and Maison
Francis Kurkdhian candles.
www.spacenk.co.uk
NEAL’S YARD
Born in 1981 in Covent Garden, Neal’s Yard was one of the first
pioneers of natural remedies in skincare, which launched the push
against the synthetic chemical approach to skin and healthcare.Their
vision was to provide a holistic approach to health and beauty and
all products are still made naturally in their headquarters in Dorset.
www.nealsyardremedies.com
spadestination
this page: The Berkeley rooftop pool. opposite page: COMO Shambala Spa back massage at The
Metropolitan; Outside Mandarin Oriental; and Six Senses Spa hydrotherapy pool at Pan Peninsula.
SIX SENSES SPA AT PAN PENINSULA
Providing busy Londoners in Canary Wharf with a 650 square
metre spa escape, Six Senses provides a retreat from city life with
its range of rejuvenating Asian-influenced therapies combined with
holistic lifestyle guidance. An airy yet relaxing space, the spa fuses
elements of traditional Asian architecture with modern facilities
such as a luxurious bio-thermal circuit with a chromotherapy steam
cabin, crystal laconium, traditional dry sauna, sensory shower and
hydrotherapy pool.The spa recently launched a range of pioneering
treatments, which use Voya products, the first genuinely organic
seaweed-based cosmetic products in the world. Originally from
Ireland, the brand uses hand-harvested seaweed, which is organic
certified in a range of traditional Irish seaweed baths and treatments.
The Voya body treatment is not only incredibly effective but also
completely relaxing. The skin is polished to glowing perfection,
while the seaweed products infuse the skin with natural oils that
both intensely moisturise the skin and relax the muscles.
www.sixsenses.com/six-senses-spas/pan-peninsula
THE BERKELEY
Like walking into a Saint Tropez-style hangout, The Berkeley has a
fabulous rooftop pool overlooking Knightsbridge. Surrounded by
white pillars, with classic aqua tiling, this spa is an oasis of calm that
feels more like a rustic countryside getaway. Using [comfort zone]
products, most of the treatments provide a classic spa experience.
The “ultimate spa ritual for her” starts with a rejuvenating fruit full
body peel, which is left to naturally absorb dead skin cells and is
then showered off to reveal incredibly smooth skin. Essential oils
are then massaged into the body and a customised facial hydrates
the skin leaving it glowing. www.the-berkeley.co.uk
COMO SHAMBALA AT THE METROPOLITAN
The COMO Shambala Spa is both minimalist as well as comfortable.
The moment you walk through the door, you are greeted with
the COMO Shambala’s notoriously welcoming service and the
therapists are incredibly passionate and knowledgeable about what
they do. There’s a practical approach to the spa experience, with
simple steam room and treatment rooms, where the focus is on the
end results – this means it appeals to men as much as women. The
signature massage is not to be missed. Guests choose one of the six
signature blended oils that have been specially created for COMO
Shambala and are applied using a massage combination of long
strokes and deep-tissue massage. The technique was developed in
London drawing influences from Thailand and Scandinavia and is
constantly updated with new methods garnered from the COMO
Shambala resorts around the world.
www.metropolitan.london.como.bz
9. wellbeing
110 AsiaSpa 2011
THE ECO AND THE ECONOMIC
Adam was not the first person to launch
LOHAS in Asia, he discovered that a
Japanese publishing group had been using
the term in Japan since 2002. Equally,
Asian consumers were aware of the term,
which had become synonymous with green
living. “In Asia, the LOHAS movement
almost had a cult following. It was seen as
something outside of the norm, something
that conscious, trend leaders were behind.
Essentially, it was ‘cool,’” he describes.
Adam immediately saw the marketing
potential for a movement that
was already deemed ‘cool.’
“The fact that it’s a consumer-led
movement that no one is driv-
ing really excited me,” he says.
“I thought ‘now I have a great
opportunity to take this one
step further and give it shape
and structure. I could make it
the common language between
businesses and consumers and
ultimately, leverage this movement to make
sustainability happen faster.’ Markets are all
about finding a way to speak to people in
a language they understand and here was
a movement that was already doing that.”
While Adam doesn’t take ownership
of LOHAS as it is essentially a people-led
movement, he has put in place a regional
team of volunteers that know the most about
LOHAS and are able to help businesses be-
come more sustainable. He personally works
with everyone from private equity funds to
help them invest in sustainable businesses
to small start-ups to help them launch in a
sustainable way. “The ambition would be
for our logo to be a free accreditation that
consumers look for.”
Two months ago, he launched “THE
HUB by LOHAS” (thehub.lohas.com), a
free online networking portal for sustain-
able businesses. The hub allows members
to share ideas and information and tap
into like-minded people to market their
business. “I see LOHAS almost as a kindly
uncle to many of these businesses,” Adam
says. “Everyday I meet so many inspir-
ing people who are not only setting up
businesses but trying to do it in the right
way. Through THE HUB by LOHAS we
are trying to champion these people and
help their businesses grow because if
they do well, it proves to the world that
we can continue to enjoy our way of life
but we don’t have to destroy the world in
the process.”
Indeed, what makes Adam’s campaign
so engaging is that his approach is intrinsi-
cally different to the standard eco warrior;
he understands that worrying about the
planet is all very well, but ultimately,
businesses and people still want to make
money. Essentially, if it doesn’t make
commercial sense, the whole concept
will never really fly on a grand scale.
“Operating sustainably is all about using
less resources, which makes sense from
an economic perspective as much as it
does from an eco perspective,” says Adam.
“I think we’re moving into a
very different era now. There
are more and more people
in the world and more and
more resources are needed.
Those resources are becoming
harder to find so if you rely on
resources as a business and
you don’t have the strategy to
mitigate that, you are going
to make less and less money.”
FUSING THE SPIRITUAL WITH THE
COMMERCIAL
If anyone is going to change people’s
approach to our world’s resources it is
likely to be someone like Adam – a person
who has been a key player in the corporate
world, someone who has made decisions
that have an impact on the planet and
who has himself gone through a shift in
the way he perceives our world. “Over
“I am a believer that there is such a
thing as global consciousness and
I think that as much as we try to deny it,
we are part of the natural fabric
of the world.”
– ADAM HORLER
wellbeing