Spas

Luxuriate in London

Indulge in a spa treatment at The Lanesborough Club & Spa. BY KATIE SKRZEK

Go with the Flow: Hydrotherapy pool

PHOTO: © THE LANESBOROUGH CLUB & SPA

THE LANESBOROUGH Hyde Park Corner London SW1X 7TA United Kingdom tel 44 20 7259 5599 oetkercollection.com M y husband and I recently traveled to London, England, on vacation, our farthest trip since the pandemic started. We were there for longer than a week and planned to squeeze in as much sightseeing as possible during our stay. Ahead of our trip, we knew we would want to mix in some relaxation, so we booked a couple’s massage at The Lanesborough’s spa halfway into our visit.

The property is located on the southeast side of Hyde Park, not far from Buckingham Palace. We arrived at The Lanesborough for our afternoon couple’s massage after a busy morning of sightseeing. The grand luxury mansion is striking. After a busy few days exploring the city, we were more than ready to luxuriate with massages at The Lanesborough Club & Spa.

We weren’t guests of the hotel, so the front desk attendant escorted us to the spa, located on the property’s lower level. After checking in and filling out the requisite health forms, we each had an attendant escort us to the men’s and women’s locker rooms. The spa facilities are secluded from the rest of the hotel. The walk from the spa check-in desk to the rest of the facilities felt as though we were venturing through a labyrinth to a dreamlike destination.

The bright women’s locker room boasted beautiful hanging floral-inspired lighting fixtures. Several spacious vanities featured large mirrors and a variety of hair and skincare products. The attendant brought me to a locker and showed me how to set the code. The locker included a waffle weave robe and heavy plastic slippers, which I donned before meeting my husband in the relaxation room.

We spent a few moments in the relaxation room enjoying sparkling water ahead of our appointments. The room offers a variety of seating

options, with solo lounge chairs as well as seating grouped together. Curtains in a circular layout in the center of the room provide added privacy. As we finished our drinks, our therapists came to bring us to the treatment room.

Before beginning our massages, our therapists offered different scented oils to choose from and went over problem areas we wanted to target during the massages. We both chose the more neutral scent, and I asked my therapist to focus on my shoulders and neck, which tend to bother me after traveling. They left so we could get situated on the massage tables. As requested, my therapist focused on my shoulders, upper back and neck. She applied medium pressure and worked out tension particularly at my shoulders. To me, the perfect massage is both effective and relaxing. My therapist achieved this, and the treatment left my body feeling fully relieved of tension and in a sublime state of relaxation.

Following our treatments, we stopped in the locker rooms before returning to the relaxation room. We didn’t utilize any of the other spa facilities, as we wanted to see more of the city the rest of the day. We each ended up sitting on opposite sides of the relaxation room for a few moments, shielded by the curtain, before realizing the other was back in the room. Our therapists brought us tea. The unique blend included turmeric, apple, peppermint and rose hips. It was a subtly sweet herbal blend without tasting overpowering. We finished our drinks and slowly returned to the locker rooms to change before departing back through the labyrinth to the outside world.

The Lanesborough Club & Spa is open daily. Guests of the hotel enjoy complimentary access to the gym, hydrotherapy pool and separate male and female saunas and steam rooms; spa treatments may be booked for an additional fee. A variety of treatments are available including massages, body treatments, body scrubs, Tata Harper facials, manicures, pedicures and full-day offers.

Our experience at The Lanesborough offered the perfect vacation from our vacation. The massages left us feeling relaxed, refreshed and ready to explore London.

Elegant Retreat:

Spa treatment room (top), and changing area (bottom)

PHOTOS: © THE LANESBOROUGH CLUB & SPA