24 August,2010 07:19 AM IST | | Prachi Sibal
Swedish massages to coconut and spirulina scrubs is all that It takes to pamper those aching muscles
If the stress is bogging you down and some pampering is your agenda for the weekend, a massage or two is quite the way to go. Located in what one could easily call a land faraway or Whitefield, Maya Spa is the in-house spa at this sleek boutique hotel.
A visit to the spa brings with it a lot of anxiety usually associated with say a visit to the not-so-friendly dentist where one can't really tell if the week's induced aches and pains will get a tad bit milder or multiply by the next day.
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Guided to the floor that houses the spa and the health club, I was soon handed a rate card and a masseur, who appeared rather patient and relaxed herself.
After much deliberation and a pleasant surprise owing to the moderate prices, we picked a Swedish Massage (60 minutes for Rs 1,400), which is a firm yet gentle massage with long strokes using anti-stress oil.
The oil being used was a combination of Neroli and Lavender oil, both known for their relaxing and destressing properties. At this stage we suggest you take a whiff of the oil and make your peace with it as the fragrance is going to linger on for a long while. Also ailments and injuries can be specified to ensure a customized massage experience.
The first step to the treatment is hot steam we were told. Not quite friendly to even the remotely claustrophobic, we strongly recommend a peek into the steam room before you consent. I was escorted to the massage room a generous ten minutes before the time scheduled, post the steam bath.
The ambience in the room was pleasing to say the least, with a concoction of gentle odours hitting as you enter and dimmed lights with aromatherapy candles to add to the magic. The pressure used for the massage and the temperature in the room must be clearly specified to avoid discomfort of any kind.
The one hour long massage followed by a hot shower is both invigorating and soothing to loosen any stiff knots. The lavender oil though is slightly sleep inducing and you might be tempted, even driven into a short nap.
We opted next for a customized body scrub (30 mins for Rs 1,500) that required a mix of dead sea salt and spirulina and had a heady fragrance of cologne. After the gentle massage, the scrub feels like a rough affair with tougher strokes on your body.
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Followed by a shower, the scrub leaves the skin feeling renewed and free of abrasions. The spa offers a range of massage, scrub and facial treatments with natural ingredients and techniques like the Coconut Body Scrub and Reflexology to choose from and customized ones depending on your requirements and skin-type. Take your pick, indulge and keep the worries (read mobile phones) away while you are at it.
At Maya Spa, Zuri Hotel, Whitefield
Call 6665 7272
For Rs 600 onwards
