4 Reasons why London is the best city to feel pampered

Want to make the most out of your time in London, but not crazy about spending time pub-hopping? Why not try spa-hopping instead? We have the list of London’s top 3 Spas, just make sure to get a great night’s sleep too, for the complete Royal treatment.

A Good Night’s Rest:

Blakes: Chelsea

Expect decadent British style at this luxurious boutique hotel, located in South Kensington. Standing out amongst the classic row of Chelsea terraces in stark black, this chic hotel is one of a kind.

Designed by the incredibly talented Anouska Hempel, this refurbished multimillion-pound couture hotel is a world of grandeur and eclecticism. Anouska has designed some of the world’s best luxury hotels including Baccarat Morocco, The Hempel London and Warapuru in Brazil.

Black walls contrast against brass trim details and pin stripe fabrics. The lobby is welcoming with a gorgeous roaring fireplace, and is adjacent to the bar and restaurant –a perfect place to perch and regroup for any weary traveller.

Unbeknownst to me (but becoming more obvious as the night went by) Blakes Restaurant and Bar, attracts some of the world’s most famous movie stars, actors and designers who head here for an intimate setting, and one of city’s more secret social scenes. The intimate bar and dark walls create a sense of drama and as provocative is it is at night, come breakfast time the space feels cozy and warm. This space is Hempel’s “vision of a beautiful old fashioned steamer sailing up the Bosphorus, evoking the traveling spirit” that she had imagined. The restaurant is located on the ground floor and the bar on the lower ground.

The rooms themselves are each different. Some are a mix of rich woods and fiery deep reds; whilst others are all black with velvet details and an abundance of marble. One of the rooms, the Corfu Suite, showcases a tall four-poster bed swathed in romantic pure-white muslin; whilst the Empress Josephine Suite, oozes luxury with opulent shades of ebony and gold shroud the tented bed. All of the rooms are insanely romantic and will make you feel pampered, just as Anouska’s design intended.

Spa-Hopping:

1. Sense Spa, Rosewood Hotel, Holborn

The colder months in London can be tough on the skin, so what better to way to get the glow back than with a revitalizing facial?

Hearing all the great things about the stunning Rosewood Hotel, I was sure the Spa would be just as impressive. I couldn’t leave London without trying out the Sense Spa at Rosewood London – an urban sanctuary within the five-star luxury Holborn hotel.

The Sense Spa has sleek, Asian-inspired interiors and a seductive atmosphere with dimmed lighting, glowing lanterns and aromatic aromas that fill the air.

Ideally arrive 30 minutes before the treatment to be able to relax in the detoxing sauna and steam room, followed by some QT in the sanctuary room where you relax in your cozy hooded white robe, read the paper of magazine and help yourself to healthy snacks and herbal teas.

The Sense Spa has recently introduced the famous Face Place to create their deluxe spa menu. The skin care experts at Face Place have been trusted by Hollywood for over 40 years, famously coveted by A-listers and beauty aficionados at their West Hollywood and New York Clinics – now available in London too.

The 90-minute facial seemed to pass by in a flash. Starting with steam and a gentle face massage, my skin and body was transported into a blissfully happy state. The signature facial is a more clinical approach, which combines skilled extraction techniques with galvanic current to deliver improved skin tone, firmness, fewer lines and a clearer complexion. Their anti-aging solution is based on a combination of vitamin C and zinc. Vitamin C, helps to regenerate tissue, stimulate collagen production and it is still viewed as one of the most powerful antioxidants. Zinc is an anti-inflammatory, which calms the facial tissues. A necessity if you’ve ever braved a British winter.

The facial is super relaxing and includes an incredible shoulder and neck massage, while the mask works its magic.

It’s a combination of techniques that delivers as promised, and it’s not just me noticing. I met a friend afterwards for lunch at the Hotel’s restaurant, Holburn Dinning Room, who mentioned my skin looked “glowing” (without being prompted!). With complements like that, it’s a 100% worth it.

2. Bulgari, Day Spa Bulgari Hotel, London

I was especially excited to experience the spa at the exclusive Bulgari hotel. Everything Bulgari is associated with luxury, opulence, style and class, and the Spa within the hotel lived up to its reputation. The Bulgari’s signature interior design style, which is elegant and minimal, is carried through to the Spa, creating a sense of relaxation and serenity.

The 60-minute massage was the perfect amount of pressure and the selected fragrant massage oils left me feeling invigorated.

After the massage we took advantage of the huge indoor heated lap-pool and relaxed in our robes, where we caught up on the latest from The Times and UK Vogue – a well-rounded, well-being experience.

After a swim, we changed and indulged in the high tea back in the hotel upstairs lounge. The Bulgari High-tea encompasses true British luxury - champagne, petite cakes and desserts and of course, a gorgeous and generous size pot of tea. The perfect balance - enough to feel spoilt, small enough not to feel guilty.

3. Urban Retreat, Hammam Treatment, Harrods

The Moroccan inspired Hammam spa located in the uber-luxe department store, Harrods, is a dream destination for a day of self-care and decadence.

The treatment in Harrods Urban Retreat Spa is exactly what any jet-lagged traveller craves. The Hammam is a detox treatment that is a great alternate to a massage, with phenomenal results. Traditionally, the Moroccan treatment is located in a steam room, which is used by Moroccans at least once a week for a ritual based body treatment that involves the steaming, scrubbing and massaging of the skin until it glows. This just had to be tried to test the hype.

In Harrods however, as one would expect, this is no ordinary steam room. The first room you enter after the change-room, is a white and grey marble-clad ‘warming waiting room’ fit with heated marble bench, floor and walls. After a brief 5-minute wait, while my body adapts to the heat, my guide (and the one who provides the treatment) shows me through to one of seven marble rooms divided by marble lattice screens and instructs me to lie down on a warm marble floor.

There are 3 stages to the Hammam treatment. First, a strong body scrub, using a black-olive soap is rich in Vitamin E and helps open up the skin’s pores, followed by an exfoliation and lastly moisturizing oil. After each stage, she rinses me off with buckets of warm water. The whole process is about an hour, and through the healing properties from the oils and salts in the products, teamed with the heat and the cleanser water, your body will feel insanely relaxed and refreshed.

There are very few treatments in the world as simple and effective as time spent in a Hammam. To top things off after the incredible 60-minute detox treatment, I take a few minutes to curl up in my robe, sip delicious fresh mint tea and taste some of the sweet dates and nuts in my cocoon-like daybed. After a few minutes taking it all in, I get dressed, stop for a great blow-out at the Harrods hair salon at Urban Retreat and feel ready to take on the world. First stop – shoe department.

London life… create your own version of Royalty, even if its just for a day.

Lauren Resnick is founder of the travel website: princesswithabackpack.com