At the Montcalm Royal London House, we are proud to host a wide range of amenities and luxuries for our guests. One of these is our Montcalm spa deals and if you’d like to know more, then simply ask at reception or book online. All guests at our hotels can book sessions giving them full access to our treatments and therapies. One of our most popular treatments is our hot stone massage therapy, one of the most unique forms of full body massage being used today. This ancient technique incorporates a wide range of physiotherapy techniques and is used by many cultures.
The history of the hot stone massage
Using stones as a form of therapy has been a feature of many cultures around the world. The practice dates back almost two millennia and has been seen throughout history in Africa, Egypt, Europe and Asia. Hot stone massages may have originally come from China, where hot stones were laid on the skin above a bodies internal organ to heal injuries. As with much of the healing processes of ancient civilisations, many of these proto therapies were tied up in religious ceremonies and steeped in folklore and mysticism. Of course, we now know the true nature of the neurological and physiological effects that hot stone massages provoke.
How to perform a hot stone massage
The modern hot stone massage became popular in the early 90’s and has been sued in the West ever since. Our Montcalm hotels use this classic style and use basalt lava stones as their tool of choice. The stones are warmed up in a hot bath, before being placed on key areas of your body. These stones are heated to around 110 to 130 degrees, hot enough to cause a reaction, but not hot enough to cause pain or damage to your skin. These smooth, often black hot stones are placed on parts of the body that will trigger your body to relax. This will release any tension and tightness in your joints and muscles, and begin the relaxing, healing process which makes hot stone massages so popular.
Interesting facts about the hot stone massage
So what makes hot stone massages so special? There are plenty of spa treatments available at the Montcalm Hotels, so what are the unique qualities of this ancient tradition that sustain its popularity?
The rocks are organic
The rocks used in hot stone massages are formed from the lava flows of volcanoes and are of a smooth and black quality. These rocks are also polished, and due to their colour and density, are incredibly well suited to heat retention. These stones then, make for great sources of heat on the body, and their steady radiating allows no damage to be delivered to the skin tissue.
Helps to focus mindfulness and meditation
During some hot stone therapies, the therapist will swap between colder marble stones and hotter stones. This is because the fluctuation will help to change blood flows within your muscles and causes a relaxing feeling in your body. This easing of tension and loosening of muscles has a great benefit on anybody trying to focus their energy on meditation, which is made easier by a relaxation of the body.In conclusion then, this ancient massage method is great for both the body and the mind, giving you the chance to better your comfort and your physical health.
+44(0) 7525 594 562
