Last week, I finally got around to using my Wahanda spa vouchers, which I'd been looking longingly at every day for a few hectic weeks when I was too busy to take a much needed day off. But after one late night too many, I decided enough was enough and after researching spa days until my head span, I headed over to City Point Club in Moorgage, armed with my vouchers. I chose their Retreat Spa Day package; an option I felt would be a particularly treat for an impending birthday I wish wasn't happening...
On arrival, the very friendly receptionist gave me a tour around the spa. As tours went, it was pretty good: she showed me everything I needed, while acknowledging that as a bit of a spa-addict I pretty much 'knew the drill' and would want to get on and explore. My first impression of the club was that it looked a lot like a fantasy world from a sci-fi series: dark, muted colours and mood lighting in the corridors help shake off the stresses of the outside world from the minute you arrive, and essential oils set the mood for relaxation. On the other side of the main entrance it's a different story: the large gym is a hive of activity with personal trainers on hand to help you out.
Read on for my verdict on the Spa
Continue reading >>
Spa visits certainly promote health and happiness in the individual, but until now the pleasure has been entirely a self-indulgent one.
Now, however, you can make a small gesture towards helping those less fortunate than yourself, for every spa treatment you've ever had. Wahanda have just teamed up with Charity: Water, a not-for-profit organisation that does some fantastic work in helping provide clean, safe water to the one billion people on the planet who have limited access to it.
What you can do to help is simply submit your reviews to Wahanda and they'll donate £1 for each writeup they receive. Most UK spas are now included on the site, so whether you've had a facial, massage, full spa break or even had your teeth polished, you should be able to find it in the directory and share your (positive or negative) experience.
More information can be found here.
My birthday's coming up in a few weeks, and I'm in the (admittedly enviable) position of trying to decide where to spend some Wahanda spa vouchers. I want to do something relaxing; to spend the best part of a day somewhere close-by that feels as little like being in London as possible, where I can do my best to forget about the years pressing down upon me.
After spending a hefty chunk of my evening browsing the site, it occured to me that there is so much variety out there that there really is something to suit everyone - the trick is knowing what sort of experience is right for you. If you're the sort of spa-bunny who wants to get pampered and fussed over, you can do that. If you're the sort who wants to be entirely left to it, you can do that too (thank God). If you want an express treatment that will leave you looking and feeling amazing in as little time possible, that's also an option, as is a hard and punishing workout. And let's not forget that some people loathe spas, finding them more of a stressful, expensive ordeal than a calming and relaxing luxury.
You can even get your teeth polished and gleaming if that's what makes you feel good. And whichever option you go for, do you prefer the experience to be a communal one, with friends, family members or maybe a partner - or is this something to be enjoyed alone?
So, today's question is: what do you look for in a spa, and what do you absolutely want to avoid?