What Spa Treatment Do You Need?

Going to the spa is always a real treat and really should be the highlight of your day: so, it’s even more of a let-down when it’s not. You probably splashed a bit of cash too, so you must really think about your expectations and make sure that you’re going to a place that can meet them. The first and most obvious step is choosing the right place, after that I would say that it is imperative that you know what you’re getting into when you choose your treatment: so this article will give you a list of things to consider before you book.

Choosing the Right Spa

As I mentioned above, going to a good spa is certainly not a cheap exercise. So, the first bit of advice is that if the deal you have found seems too good to be true – it probably is. Sure, there are wonderful exceptions when they are offering a one-time deal on specific treatments, if it is off-season from when they usually get guests or if they are running a promotion for a special occasion like Valentine’s Day.

If the entire spa menu is cheap as chips – RUN. There is a reason for this and, service aside, it probably has a lot to do with cheap products and a certain level of quality-control that both can lead to nastier consequences like skin reactions and infections. My advice is to save for longer and then go to one good place. Don’t ever let the prestige of a place stop you from having a look at what they offer and at what price: more often than not, there will definitely be at least two options that you can consider treating yourself to.

When it comes to bang-for-your-buck, nothing compares to the Montcalm Spa Deals. You will clearly see that this is an example of a 5-Star spa that offers almost incomparable luxury, while also being attainable by those of us who are not hotel heirs. Two of the Montcalm Hotels have full spa facilities, but are completely different from each other in terms of the products and treatments that they offer as well as the rules about what facilities you have access to, so – as you will hear throughout this article – always make sure to read the fine print!

Whether you choose to indulge at the Montcalm Marble Arch or at the Beauty & Melody Spa at the Montcalm Royal London House, you are bound to have a wonderful time: but it all rests on making sure that you choose the right place for the experience that you desire.

Choosing the Right Spa Treatment & Communicating with Your Therapist

The rest all depends on your choice of treatment and communication with your therapist: so, this is all on you, friend to speak up about what you want and ask questions. Here is a quick checklist that you should go through when booking your treatment to make sure that you get exactly what you want and are not met with awkward surprises when you arrive or leave. Remember: they are the experts and they can help you choose the right treatment for you if you give them all the information they need.

1. If you would not be comfortable with your therapist being a certain gender, then be sure to state your preference in advance. They will not usually ask (unless you request a therapist by name) and will place you with whomever is available.
2. Allergies, Medical Conditions & Past Surgeries: it is entirely your responsibility to disclose this to your therapist. Even things that you may not think are relevant might be things that they have been told to handle differently or use different products for. This includes pregnancy: fortunately some spas, like the Royal London House, offer pregnancy-specific massages.
3. What is your Desired Outcome? Do you want to feel relaxed & destressed? To feel reinvigorated with more energy? Do you suffer from insomnia? Do you have localised pain that you want eased? Do you want clearer skin? And if the last one, then do you have an important event coming up in the next couple of days? Because some facials are for long-term clarity and will leave your skin irritated and red for a couple of days.

They will then recommend treatments designed for this purpose. Otherwise, they will assume that you know what you want and just book what you tell them to.

4. Lastly, communicate with your therapist if you like or do not like something. If the pressure if too hard or too soft, if you are not comfortable undressing fully, if you would prefer to have your treatment in silence and especially if you have a sensitive area that you specifically want them to work on or avoid completely.

Some Essential Tips: What is Included with this Treatment?

The thing that I have always found to be the most disappointing is when the bomb gets dropped that certain extras or use of facilities are not included in the specific package that you bought. Firstly, it smacks of deceptive advertising when not clearly stated (or you just feel stupid for not reading it properly if it was clear) and it’s hard to get that bad taste out of your mouth for the rest of the experience if you feel like you got conned into paying more to get less than expected. So ALWAYS read the fine print because every place is different.

A common illustration of this is whether you have access to other spa facilities by virtue of buying your treatment and the two Montcalm Hotels are a good example of the different rules. Both hotels have a swimming pool, jacuzzi, steam shower and sauna and Marble Arch also has a Monsoon Shower.  For access to any of these at Royal London House, each person needs to have purchased a minimum of 1-hour’s worth of treatments: even guests of the hotel. Guests and non-guests are permitted to buy access to these facilities (without a treatment) for a maximum of 2 hours for the cost of £40.00.

On the other hand, Marble Arch’s facilities are open to all guests staying at the hotel, but non-guests have to pay £25.00 for a day’s access to the facilities IN ADDITION to buying a spa treatment. Each hotel’s policies therefore provide a different environment with Royal London House ensuring that the spa facilities are more exclusive and less crowded, while the Marble Arch is more accessible to all patrons. So, if you want a quiet wade through the pool after your massage, you’re better off at the Royal London House.

Imagine you rocked up for your 30-minute facial at the Royal London House with your swimming costume packed in anticipation of having a nice complimentary jacuzzi afterwards? On the flip side, it is also very disappointing to find out that access to the facilities was included in your package and you did not bring a swimming costume. It’s always better to check what is and is not included so that you can pack accordingly.

As they say, you can only expect what you ask for – so make sure that you do your part to speak up and get the experience that you deserve.