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What do I want from my spa treatment? The elixir of eternal youth wouldn’t go amiss, naturally, but failing that I want
to feel special; I want to take time out from my busy life and luxuriate in me time; I want indulgence; and yes, I want to walk out at the end of my session not just feeling like a weight has been lifted, but looking – indefinably – better, too. I want people to look at me and wonder what my secret is. Too much to ask? Absolutely not, the concierge at The Lanesborough’s new spa assures me. And so we opt for an Ila facial, encompassing powerful and precious anti-ageing ingredients (three types of gold, count them, and frankincense, no less), coupled with sonic wave therapy and massage (because I love a “doing” facial) and a dose of inner healing (if there’s anything I’m sceptical about it’s this). I escape the bustle of Hyde Park Corner and slip into the plush, subterranean world of the spa, where I don a robe and ensconce myself in the comfortable lounge to await my therapist. Curled up in a private corner, with a book and a steaming cup of the spa’s own-blend tea, I can’t help thinking that I have already ticked off taking time out, luxuriating and indulging from my list (I’m a mum – moments like this are few and far between). All too soon my reverie is interrupted, but I needn’t worry, things are about to get infinitely better…
In the treatment room I’m settled onto the comfortable bed and swaddled in the fluffiest of towels. The lights are turned low and an hour of pure bliss follows. The facial incorporates wonderful massage and the Ila products feel and smell divine. At the end, my therapist uses a Tibetan singing bowl. I giggled when she suggested it, but I have to admit that there is something magical about the sound. It is deeply relaxing and the perfect end to the treatment. LSJ Gold
Face Therapy, £120 for a 60-minute treatment. The Lanesborough, Hyde Park Corner, London, SW1X (020 7333 7064; lanesboroughclubandspa.com)