The first thing you notice when you walk into the Mandara Spa, in the basement of the Park Plaza Hotel on Westminster Bridge, is the sheer scale of the place. Where most of the Spa’s I am lucky enough to visit are small and perfectly formed, the Mandara Spa is huge, open, and very, very appealing.
As you walk out of the lift and pass the gym reception (where a slight guilt trip follows when you remember you haven’t actually been to a gym for months), take a left and you will be greeted at the calm reception. From there, you’ll be guided through to the lounge area, which is packed with refreshments (the orange water is superbly refreshing on a warm day), to fill out your consultation card and meet your therapist, who will ask you to choose from a selection of fragrances and then lead you on to your beautifully appointed treatment room.
The Mandara Spa combines the modern elements of the Hotel which houses it, with traditional Asian design. Water features are strategically placed, the flow of which is believed to absorb negative energy. Bamboo, low lighting and Sanskrit writing all add to the atmosphere, and stepping into the massage room was like stepping straight into Bali. Authentic furniture, candles and top quality fixtures give the space a real sense of opulence and luxury. Traditional music is piped through the speakers and as you don your dressing gown and slippers (along with those super-sexy disposable pants), you feel the troubles of the day start to melt away. Blissful.
Of course, then the real fun starts. I had opted for the Mandara Harmony treatment (£140), which should be rebranded as 2 hours of pure heaven. First, your feet are washed, dried and massaged with the scented oil you previously chose. Next, you receive a full body cleanse and are then coated in a thick, muddy body scrub and wrapped up tight, before showering off in the wet room. Finally, the best bit of all – a full body Balinese massage. I’m not going to fib, by this point, I was so relaxed I was drifting in and out of dreamy consciousness, while expert hands kneaded out any knots in my damaged back and relieved tension from all my key areas. I would have been quite happy to lie there forever – so very good.
I left the Spa feeling incredible – satiated and on top of the world. I literally floated back up through the reception area into the sunshine, feeling pampered, happy and ready to take on the world. Personally, I wouldn’t change a thing about the experience and would recommend making the trip down to Waterloo to experience this little slice of Balinese heaven for yourself. Lovely.
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JJ - Editor
Londoner. Excessive Tea Drinker. Foodie. Party Goer. Geek. Email jj@thislittleladywenttolondon.com.
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