It’s more important than ever to make time for ourselves – a chance to relax and detox from our digital distractions. The perfect tonic for this is a trip to a spa and a deep tissue massage.
On the whole, I had a good experience at the Thai Square Spa in London. My treatment was fantastic and I left feeling revived. There were, however, areas that detracted from my overall enjoyment.
Men’s Time Out Reviver at Thai Square Spa
I had been invited to the Thai Square Spa (Northumberland Avenue, near Trafalgar Square) to sample their brand new Men’s Time Out Reviver. The package is priced at £99 and includes a one hour massage or facial, as well as a 45 minute haircut in their salon.
Before your cut, you have the option of a…
- traditional Thai massage;
- gentlemen’s hot towel facial;
- back, neck and shoulder massage (with or without Andaman Aroma Soul oil).
The ‘Sen Space’
I began my experience in the spa’s Sen Space, indulging in 30 minutes of hopping (in a very relaxed manner) between the steam room, jacuzzi and sauna.
Having the place to myself, I let myself relax, unwind and [try to] forget about the mountain of emails I had to get through before the end of the day.
I took the time to really give everything a go and was really very pleased with the space as a whole.
My massage
From the spa area, my therapist Sawai took me through to my treatment room. He was calmly spoken and made me feel extremely comfortable from the outset.
I opted for the back, neck and shoulder massage with oil. Having a pretty dodgy back at the moment, the thought of a dry massage was just too much.
Sawai gave me the option of a medium or hard massage and then went to work on my body. I’m glad I went for medium as although he looked pretty small, he had some power behind him!
For an hour, every inch of my body was stretched, pummeled and finally, relaxed.
I was seriously impressed with Sawai and his technique. Goodbye to the knots in my back!
Unfortunately the spa was fully booked for haircuts, so I was unable to experience a cut.
Thai Square Spac facilities
The place looks beautiful. A bright, sun-drenched reception welcomes you to the spa before you journey into the red-marbled changing rooms.
The relaxation area (a series of loungers in a darkened space) was perfect. It was quiet and seriously made me feel beyond chilled.
The space – overall – had a luxe quality to it.
My criticism
Having only opened at the beginning of the year, you would expect a flawless service and the best quality in all areas. Unfortunately, it felt as if staff were a little jaded and not on the ball.
Apart from my therapist, other members of staff were slow to respond and the receptionist was on her phone (under the desk) when I entered and left the spa.
I was also surprised to have to ask for a towel in the changing rooms. It might not seem a lot, but for London prices and knowing that I was there for a review, it wasn’t the best sign.
There was also a lot of mildew in the shower of the changing room which I was seriously unimpressed with.
My final criticism was that the drinking water in the Sen Space was not fresh (it had a stale smell to it) and the jug was half empty.
I was the only one in the spa whilst I was there, so there really is no excuse.
Thai Square Spa: the verdict
The massage treatment I received was fantastic and I’d follow Sawai to whatever spa or salon he went to. He knew his stuff and was a skilled professional. It’s just unfortunate that other staff members detracted from my experience.
At £99 for an hour and 45 minutes, you really do expect the best. Thai Square Spa did, however, fall just short of this.
I’d definitely go back in the future to see if anything’s changed, but for now, I’ll be looking for another spa to spend £99 at.
The Men’s Time Out Reviver is a one hour and 45 min treatment priced at £99 and is available until 31st October, 2016.
Gentlemen’s Haircut without treatments is £25.
Thai Square Spa, 25 Northumberland Avenue, London, WC2N 5AP
Tel: 020 7839 7990
