One treatment I have been looking forward too is a Swedish Massage, it has been a while now since I have been for a massage and it was perfectly timed. Based in Belsize Park here in London, right opposite the tube station, you will find Spa and Massage. Spa and Massage aim to make having a massage easy, especially for the busy. With a chain of five spas across central London - Belsize Park, Fitzrovia, Chiswick, Earls Court and Queensway and being open from 10am until 11pm seven days a week, they offer a walk-in, no appointment necessary service.
Now I am already sold on what an amazing idea this is. Whenever I want a massage or feel the need for a massage, I want it at my convenience and sometimes, I might have a spare hour to fill and want a bit of pampering, with this service, you can absolutely do that, plus there is an offer on on-site consultations for physiotherapy.
Now I am already sold on what an amazing idea this is. Whenever I want a massage or feel the need for a massage, I want it at my convenience and sometimes, I might have a spare hour to fill and want a bit of pampering, with this service, you can absolutely do that, plus there is an offer on on-site consultations for physiotherapy.
Walking in to the parlour I was greeted with this amazing orange scent that was burning, a scent which is completely calming and it smells just divine. I was immediately welcomed and offered a drink before being introduced to Crissa my masseuse for the next hour. I had opted for a Swedish massage. A Swedish massage aims to relax the entire body and this is accomplished by rubbing the muscles with long gliding strokes in the direction of blood returning to the heart. Additional techniques include circular pressure applied by the hands and palms, firm kneading, percussion-like tapping, bending and stretching.
Each massage uses one of their organic aromatherapy oils and they use essential oils extracted from herbs, flowers and fruits to naturally enhance well-being. Mine happened to be Lavender which I absolutely love the scent of and more so its description which is "This relaxing blend of English lavender promotes a sense of inner peace and harmony while easing nervousness, and irritability. Additionally lavender helps support the respiratory system, aid in natural detoxification, and promotes restful sleep".
Once I had time to sit back and relax whilst taking in my surroundings, I was led through to my treatment room, which had the lights nicely dimmed with mood music playing in the background, at a level that you noticed it, but not so that it took over the atmosphere of the room. Crissa showed me the treatment bed and where she would like me to lay for the treatment and them left me to get undressed. It is worth noting that for most massages, you will be asked to remove all of your clothes except underwear - for some massages I have left my bra on and for others I have removed it, for this treatment it was removed.
Having got myself comfy on the treatment bed with my face through the specially designed hole, towel over my backside, my treatment began. I was asked how much pressure I would like and what I was used too, so I opted for whatever Crissa felt was needed as she is the professional. So starting with my shoulders, I had mentioned they had felt sore for the past two weeks and the same with the bottom of my back, but everything else was fine, other than sore feet from a lot of walking - we are talking 20k steps per day for the last week alone.
Starting with my shoulders, which where rubbed with differing kinds of pressure being applied and even with the hardest of pressure, I could feel those knots and aches disappear and my shoulders become less tense and more relaxed. Moving from my shoulders, Crissa made her way massaging up and down my spine, paying particular attention to my lower back which always aches. Then to my arms and again massaging my hands and fingers right to the tips - pure bliss. Then my legs and feet. I am usually not a fan of anyone going anywhere near my feet and anyone who reads my blog will know I detest it, but this was just heaven. I think because my feet have been so tired and ached, it was just heaven, again I could feel all the stress and tension simply melt away and by this point I was pretty much on another planet drifting off to sleep I was so relaxed and at ease.
Once the back part of my treatment was complete, I turned over onto my front and again my feet and my legs were given another once over from the front before Crissa worked her way up my arms, back to my shoulders and then to a head massage to finish off the treatment, by which point I am convinced I had drifted off and was well on my way to snoring.
The entire treatment was just heavenly. I was very comfortable and at ease with the massage and fully knew what to expect. The treatment bed was warm and comfortable and my aches, pains, tension and stress have all disappeared. For the first time in months I can shrug my shoulders without wincing and sit down without the need for 3-4 cushions behind my back for support, Crissa is clearly exceptionally amazing at her job.
The service I received at Spa and Massage was exceptional. It was welcoming, informative and the best Swedish Massage I have ever had. What's more is the pricing is just amazing;
- 30 minutes - £39
- 60 minutes - £59
- 90 minutes - £79
- 120 minutes - £99
Add to that there is a choice of massage - Swedish Massage, Deep Tissue Massage, Sports Massage, Thai Massage, Reflexology Massage and a Foot Massage not forgetting pregnancy massages and even a signature 4 handed massage which sounds more divine than I can imagine.
So as you can see, this really is amazing value for money and for me it offers something that little bit different, especially for Londoners and those of us who reside here, being able to pop in unannounced for a massage and not have to pay an exorbitant amount of money is really something special and the service you get is just as good as a high end spa, if not better because everything is tailored to you. For me, Spa and Massage is a service well worth looking into and trying, especially for a last minute or unexpected treat.
Does this sound like something for you?
This treatment was offered to me in return for a review, but all opinions are my own.