The first time I ever went to a spa was really something. A treat after getting engaged, we lavished, we lounged and my mum chased a few other spa guests around with a pool noodle for a bit (we don't talk about that any more), but in a town hundreds of miles away from the capital, I have to say that I found relaxing pretty easy. But could I find that few hours solace in a city that tests even the most hardened?
Some might not need a drink to relax, but Champagne sure helps.
I could get my 'fresh' air kicks in Hampstead Heath, meditate at home for three and a half minutes before the cat cries for a cuddle or try out a sensory deprivation pod, but I wanted a face mask, a back rub and a dressing gown and I wanted it now.
Helping to fit the spa experience around your London lifestyle, the Spa Social at agua London is a three hour way to escape from it all, and perfectly timed after the working day is over. Housed in the waterfront Sea Containers London, we slid past renowned cocktail bar Lyaness and down two floors to the welcoming white light of the small, yet equally substantial spa.
Kicking off with luxury dressing gowns, a 15 minute skip in to the sauna and mudpacks for one and all, we washed away the bleak grey of the city outside before heading to a lounge far better than the one I pay over £800 for a month for. Flanked by a giant golden drop (a nod to the Roman days of bathing) with draped opaque curtains, lounge beds and a cushion nook, even the air in the space is infused with Mamiel’s Altitude Oil for premium relaxation.
More affordable than my rent, and far more a retreat, £80 doesn't just get you a dose of fresh air. Not only were we spoiled by two glasses of Laurent-Perrier Champagne, our choice of food included a lush bowl of miso salmon topped with rice, avocado and edamame. To top it off? A neck, shoulder and head massage, that in my opinion, was sent by the gods as reward for a sticky year.
agua London keep things clean and elegant throughout.
The DesignMyNight Digest
The word 'spa' might conjure up concerns over expensive weekends away, but it's agua London bringing the experience back to what it should be... an incredibly easy way to relax. And while the awkward ecstasy faces made during my neck and shoulder massage probably made a lot of people uncomfortable, and I kind of missed my mum with her pool noodle, I'd gladly pay £80 for another 180 minutes of the pure bliss that this sanctuary away from the city provides.
