How to make the spa worthwhile

Privacy, especially in a sheltered, lush, quiet area, is going to cost you because you are paying for this brand of exclusivity. When a spa is in a hotel, they have a captive clientele. PHOTO| FILE

What you need to know:

  • Your encounter begins the moment you walk through the door and the design and feel of a spa determines how much it is worth. The devil is in the details.

  • Spas are sensual experiences indulging all sense including your sense of self and sense of oblivion. Regardless of whichever part of the spa you are in, it should feel like you are the only person in the world.

  • Soundproofed rooms don’t just seal out the zombie apocalypse.

A lady friend asked me at the weekend why spas are so expensive. There are many reasons. Good, legitimate spas that meet the standards of being referred to as a spa are not cheap. Then again, what does one consider expensive? Not all spas are created equal. Here’s why. 

Location – If it is in a prime location such as Runda, Westlands, Gigiri, Lavington or the Coast,  do you even have to ask? Aside from rent or mortgage, there is the aspect of a property with its own compound.

Privacy, especially in a sheltered, lush, quiet area, is going to cost you because you are paying for this brand of exclusivity. When a spa is in a hotel, they have a captive clientele.

The rates fit the kind of hotel that it is and the number of stars it goes by. There is an expectation that if you can afford to walk into that hotel, you can afford to pay for whatever services their spa offers.

This is the case whether you are the walk-in outsider or the guest enjoying the experience of staying there. Proximity matters too as do other amenities around the spa such as a busy hub or access to a main road.

Expertise – You don’t want to go to a spa and come out on the other end looking like a sausage.

There really isn’t a run of the mill kind of spa. Instead, they offer specialised services for your needs which is why all spas harp on their signature treatments. And with specialty must come training.

The qualifications of the team, accreditation, areas and difficulty of study and even attitude make the team worth having.

For a start, anyone who works in a spa has to have excellent people skills. That is why it is so soothing. The other half of the skill set is how good the therapist is with an array of skin types, the scientific value of a treatment and the silence of a treatment. 

Ambience – Soothing spa music can sound generic. It all seems to be water hitting rocks, tinkling bells or chants.

Your encounter begins the moment you walk through the door and the design and feel of a spa determines how much it is worth. The devil is in the details. Spas are sensual experiences indulging all sense including your sense of self and sense of oblivion. Regardless of whichever part of the spa you are in, it should feel like you are the only person in the world.

Soundproofed rooms don’t just seal out the zombie apocalypse. It adds up to you feeling cosseted and cocooned as you get buffed. Think of it as akin to a scented sensory deprivation chamber.

Equipment – Spas have signature treatments that require things that heat up, cool down, mist and vibrate.

This kind of stuff in praiseworthy spas is bespoke. Equipment also means products, care and specialised services on offer. Where they come from and how they are used means training and structured rooms.

Experience – Targeted clientele justifies spa offers. You could be going to a spa where you are not their envisioned client.

Or you are an undecided client not looking at the menu to find what works. People spa for different reasons. They could be on a long-term three month treatment schedule for specialised care for skin, hair, health and fitness to anti-cellulite.

May be all you need is a massage. If so, visit a quiet salon or ask a friend to make a recommendation and shop within your budget. There are perfectly affordable spas if you are not hang up on brand names.

 

Life philosophy – You need to readjust your spa day mentality and think of it as more of a planned treat for your birthdays, celebrations once you have attained a goal you worked hard for such as an account, a job, a promotion or a health goal, Valentine’s treat or a once quarterly getaway. Save for the experience you actually want to make it count.

Note, as well, that despite itself, a spa should not feel like a basic need or even an every weekend kind of thing.

 

Get a life – If you live it well, life may just treat you to a spa! But beyond winning the spa lotto, here is the catch.

You need to live a life of self care. Only a woman who understands her worth will put in enough effort to know what she is willing to pay for. Earn more money. Who says you only need to scrimp and save. Spas should not leave you bereft of options. Be replete with bliss.