A-One Treatment at One Aldwych
Rachel’s gentle fingers moved slowly, languidly over my face as I drifted through the Diamond Experience Facial at the Health Club at One Aldwych. Only when it was over did I realize that the treatment itself was quintessentially "One Aldwych:" discreet, tranquil, uncluttered.
"Today the facility encompasses a 60 by 13-foot lap pool with underwater music that favors Mozart and Bach, three silk-paneled treatment rooms recently redesigned by noted British designer Mary Fox Linton, steam and sauna rooms, and a gym with state-of-the art Technogym equipment that incorporates mini television sets and aromatherapy breezer fans on the treadmills."
That pretty much also describes The Health Club at London’s savvy One Aldwych hotel. It occupies 8,000 square feet on two lower floors of the historic Edwardian building off The Strand, where a century ago, the first occupant, The Morning Post, printed its newspapers.
Today the facility encompasses a 60 by 13-foot lap pool with underwater music that favors Mozart and Bach, three silk-paneled treatment rooms recently redesigned by noted British designer Mary Fox Linton, steam and sauna rooms, and a gym with state-of-the art Technogym equipment that incorporates mini television sets and aromatherapy breezer fans on the treadmills.
The Health Club is the only UK hotel to feature the treatments and products of Natura Bisse, a Spanish company (it is also at Harrod’s Urban Retreat Spa). What was appealing is the company’s focus on scientific skin care; they don’t sell makeup or shampoo, they don’t advertise.
Natura Bisse’s recent collaboration with One Aldwych resulted in two bespoke treatments, specially created for the hotel: The Luminous Vitamin C Ritual (1 hour 45 minutes, £120.00) and the Diamond Experience Facial (1 hour 30 minutes, £150.00) that Natura Bisse considers "the ultimate global and anti-ageing treatment."
The first one draws on the power of pure vitamin C to nourish, brighten, and protect skin from extreme environmental conditions. It pairs a vitamin C facial with a smoothing honey body exfoliation scrub while a mild glycolic peel removes aging skin, followed by an all-over body massage with rich vitamin C cream. A similar Luminous C Treatment (60 minutes, £90.00) omits the body massage.
For my own Diamond Experience Ritual, Rachel settled me in a treatment room with pale green silk walls (the other two rooms are lilac and terracotta) bathed in restful fiber-optic lighting. First a face cleansing, then a surprisingly gentle exfoliating glycolic peel to minimize fine lines and pigmentation; it was not a granular scrub, and, in fact, the sponge to remove the exfoliator cream was the only texture I felt during the entire treatment.
Then came a soporific series of facial massages with various Natura Bisse Diamond creams: a shiatsu face massage, an energizing nectar fingertip massage, a regenerating essence, deep lifting massage, and finally a hydrating cryo-firming mask with a sensory massage.
Bliss.
Other facials
Two other treatments target niche groups. The Inhibit Dermafill Facial (1 hour 30 minutes, £160.00) is for older skin, an alternative to micro-injections or surgical procedures to reduce expression lines and wrinkles. The O2 Detoxifying Treatment Facial (60 minutes £90.00) suits skins that are tired and congested from city pollutants and toxins. The airy formula releases oxygen to the skin while an oxygenation massage decongests it and promotes general calm.
Clearer skin is the goal of the Purity Facial (60 minutes, £90.00) in which stabilizing ingredients cleanse and lightly exfoliate the skin, while amino acids, botanical extracts and vitamin B correct and clear blocked pores. A light-weight mask further refines and protects the skin’s surface.
The Frozen Marine DNA Facial (1 hour 30 minutes, £170.00) to rejuvenate tired and mature skin is a refreshing treatment for both men and women. A three-step exfoliation stimulates the skin before an invigorating Ice-Lift mask is applied to lift and repair. Then frozen cubes of marine DNA gently melt into the skin to protect and repair any cell damage, leaving the skin smooth, plump and radiant.
Body treatments
The Health Club has two signature Natura Bisse body treatments. In the Honey Scrub (60 minutes, £70.00), crystallized honey particles softly exfoliate the skin and, with a few drops of water, become a luxurious massage cream. Finally, a highly nutritive vitamin C cream restores firmness and elasticity. The Volcanic Stone Treatment (60 minutes, £80.00) is a full body massage using hot and cold mineral stones that combine different temperatures in a cleansing, therapeutic massage.
A second line of products– La Sultane de Saba is also the basis of a series of body treatments. Made from all-natural, non-animal ingredients from North Africa and the Far East, they are known especially for their exotic fragrances.
Body Wrap (30 minutes, £47.00) uses Moroccan lava clay, known for its incredible moisturizing and softening properties, as a body mask, in conjunction with a rose, honey and ginger face mask to rid the skin of impurities. During the warm wrap, a relaxing Rassoul Clay head massage treats the hair.
Traditional Body Scrub (45 minutes, £53.00) offers a choice of luxurious exfoliation methods: A traditional black olive and eucalyptus cleansing scrub; a combination polish with natural sea salt and fragrant oil; or, for more sensitive skin, a gentle scrub with vegetal seeds soaked in ancestral sandalwood oils. The application of a rich hydrating cream follows each exfoliation.
The Back Smoothie (45 minutes, £48.00) is a great, simple treatment concentrating on the back that thoroughly cleanses, exfoliates, and rids the skin of impurities. It ends with a massage to relieve any deep seated tension in the neck, shoulder and hip areas.
Among the fifty therapies listed on the Health Club’s website are a number of other massages and a variety of special treatments, among them Indian Head Massage (30 minutes, £37.00); Reflexology (60 minutes, £65.00); and Reiki Healing (60 minutes, £63.00).
Treatments for men
No surprise that the Health Club has a roster of treatments for metrosexuals. They use a new line of all-natural skincare from Paris, Le Roi Salomon, featuring such masculine fragrances as spicy Ancestral Sandalwood, smoky Purple Medina and invigorating Melon.
Of its two signature body treatments, the first is Hammam Ritual (120 minutes, £120.00). it starts with ten minutes in the steam room to open the pores. Then, in the treatment room, the body is cleansed with savon noir (crushed black olive and eucalyptus oil paste) and exfoliated with a kessa glove to remove dead skin while a nourishing honey and melon mask is applied to the face. Next, a mineral-rich Rassoul Clay mask is applied to the body and scalp to condition and moisturize. Following a steam and shower, the treatment ends with a neck and shoulders massage using shea butter and ancestral sandalwood oils.
The second is the Signature Massage (60 minutes £74.00), the perfect post-workout treatment. This is a full body massage combining firm pressure to penetrate deep tissue and spicy oils to warm the skin and relax the muscles. Complementing a regular exercise routine, this style of massage can help prevent injury and boost circulation.
You’ll find other therapies for men, several using salt and shea butter scrubs, listed on the website, along with several facials and grooming treatments.
The tranquil, below-ground Health Club cuts a broad swath in its focus on individual wellness, integrating fitness and nutrition with spa treatments. Personal trainers (60 minutes, £65.00) work with individuals on weights, flexibility and cardiovascular exercises. An in-house nutritionist might suggest post-workout "energy recovery" snacks, salads, and sandwiches, antioxidant smoothies, and water drinks containing vitamins, minerals and natural herb extracts for a pick-me-up or immune boost.
As Gordon Campbell Gray, the owner and creative force behind One Aldwych, says, "Ultimately, there has to be balance. Our Health Club is not just about getting fit quick; It’s about embracing a healthier lifestyle."
Treatments are available to the public as well as One Aldwych hotel guests and health club members. Day memberships cost £30 (about $60) and include use of all health club facilities. One Aldwych, 1 Aldwych, tel: 011-44-(0)20-7300-0600. E-mail healthclub@onealdwych.com or visit www.onealdwych.com.
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