- Where: Thai Square Spa, Covent Garden, London
- Who went: Cassandra Kempster-Roberts
- Treatment: Pre Birth Essential specialised maternity treatment
- In a nutshell: A 1 hour 15 minute session to relieve all-over aches, swollen legs and feet, fluid retention and stress.
- Best for: Working mums-to-be in central London in need of an exotic post-work distress – or any mum-to-be with tired legs.
- Watch out for: If you don’t feel comfy lying on your left and right side, this specific treatment isn’t for you – at two points during the massage, you’ll need to be in these positions.
Review: "The first thing I notice about the Thai Square Spa is the sweet, attentive staff. As soon as I walk in that evening (it’s open until 9pm most days), I feel like a princess – even when just walking down the stairs from the main foyer to enter the actual spa, my coat and bag are carried for me! Before entering this main body of the spa, I exchange my shoes for what’s best described as Thai-style grass flip-flops.
"After ditching my clothes for a super-soft robe, I’m greeted by a cup of delicate herbal tea on a lounger. As I lie back and gaze around I realised the interior décor alone would transport and de-stress you – I feel like I’m in a temple! As well as specific treatments, you can do full-day and half-day spa packages (such as a 4-hour post-birth treatment), and I can see how swanning about in here for that amount of time would be relaxing in its own right.
"My therapist (Noo) meets me and takes me to a nearby treatment room. I sit on a stool, with Noo kneeling in front of me at my feet. She tips a small dish of salts, lemongrass and other goodies into a basin of warm water. My feet are washed, then exfoliated with a cloth and some kind of Jasmine-scented cream. This is my Princess Moment No.2!
"After gently drying my feet, Noo helps me onto the massage table, protecting my modestly with a towel as I disrobe and lie on my back. She makes sure I’m happy with the room temperature, then lightly covers my eyes with a small towel.
"Noo begins to massage one side of my body – first the leg, ankle and foot, then up to my arm, wrist and hand, before moving to the other side, all the time avoiding my torso and tummy. After being at a computer keyboard all day, I decide Noo’s forearm, wrist and hand massaging should be an essential for anyone who ever touches a computer/laptop/iPad/smartphone. My legs already feel less weighty and relaxed, but it doesn’t stop there…
"I roll onto my side, and it’s in this position that the backs of my calves, thighs, sides, back, neck and scalp get their respective aches and tensions massaged away. I then roll onto the other side, and the same happens again, so no hard-to-reach curve of calf or hamstring gets forgotten.
"I return to lying on my back, and Noo reached under the back of my skull, pressing and massaging up and over my head. She then gently helps me sit upright where I am and helps me slip the robe on so I flash nothing. Noo climbs onto the table behind me (yes, really!), gently pummeling at my shoulders and back to finish off my treatment.
"After I’ve dressed, Noo waits with me as I put my shoes back on and leave. I feel all smiley and limber, and my feet and legs feel lighter even with my hefty winter boots back on. Thai Square has only been on the London spa-scene since December 2010, and after my experience, I sure hope this newcomer stays."
Details
Price: £95 for Pre Birth Essential, 1 hour 15 minutes
Other specific packages to highlight: The exotic 4-hour post-birth package, Special Delivery Indulgence, sounds divine and would no doubt be a welcome gift for any new mum. There are also bridal and gentlemen’s packages, too.
Website: www.thaisquarespa.com
Contact: 020 7240 6090, thaisquarespa@btconnect.com
