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Editorial Review
The spa market, once solely depicted by luxe centers of relaxation, plush robes, and $300 eye creams, has of late been saturated by a generation of no-frills, inexpensive and rather banal, smaller spas.
Yet, before making any unfair comparisons, it is important to realize two things. 1. Getting what you paid for is great. 2. Getting more than what you paid for is even better.
With ski-high prices, and less than enthusiastic workers, luxe spas may not always live up to their dollar sign equivalents. But with fairly priced treatments, though lacking the perks of heated tile floors and cashmere-blended slippers (both worthless when leaving you broke at month’s end), the chance of walking away satisfied is much more likely.
When I booked the Royal Bath Treatment at Supple Spa I was a bit skeptical. Though the receptionist promised I would leave feeling like a queen, it just didn’t resonate. My queen days have been long forgotten, as winter’s cold wind leaves my skin sullen and dry, anything but regal. And, while I fortunately have become accustom to hour-long massages, I had never really experienced a full body scrub. Why? I exfoliate once a week in the shower, and so I never saw the need to pay for a stranger to scrub me down with coarse salts. Except, it’s always good to try something new and I was dying to know how up close and personal these scrub treatments really get.
My fist impression of the spa was that it didn’t have a distinct atmosphere, or specific decorative angle for that matter (though it did have some unbefitting disco-esque light decorations for the holiday season). I relaxed for a few minutes on an excellent massage chair, and was then lead to my treatment room after handed a shower cap and white disposable panties. I giggled as I slipped them on; indeed they were my first pair.
Up first was the aromatherapy deep-tissue massages, which was fabulous. My therapist was quiet though welcomed feedback and adjusted her pressure accordingly. Then she brought out a large mixing bowl filled with a coarse-salt and oil mixture. At first, as she slopped it on my back it felt a bit strange. Being massaged with coarse-anything takes a few moments of getting used to. But then it felt pretty invigorating. And yes, it was a full body scrub (apart from the skin covered by aforementioned panties).
Next to the massage table was a wood basin (lined with what looked like a large plastic shower cap), filled with steamy water scented by the fresh lemon slices and rose petals floating on top. My therapist sprinkled essential oils into the water as I stepped inside. She massaged my shoulders, and as I began to wipe off the salts, I smiled. My skin had never felt silkier.
After closing my eyes in the warm aromatic bath water and feeling the water glide off my newly polished skin, I did feel like a queen. Forget that I could hear the occasional phone ring or door buzzer go off, in the end none of that really mattered.
I hesitate to write this next line because in many spa reviews it often seems embellished. Still, here goes. When I met up with a friend after my treatment, he told me I was glowing. I laughed it off, wanting him to think it was the natural queen in me. But he was right, I really was glowing, and now we all know why.
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Supple Spa
Map-it
