Akasha Spa at Hotel Cafe Royal

Hurrah, my first ever post on my Blog. Friends have been telling me to "Start a blog" for quite a while now and I'm delighted to now say, here it is! ... If you have the time, please do let me know what you think in the comments! or drop me an email Emma-jacob@hotmail.co.uk

I was recently invited to visit the Akasha spa at Cafe Royal, much to my delight. You arrive and go through the lounge and reception down to a beautiful changing room and relaxation room. There you are greated with lemon and lime infused chilled water, to keep hydrated, bowls of pecan nuts & raw cashews on hand to nibble and a little Asian tea set, with miniature cups to sip on a cup of healthy Sencha green tea or lemon and ginger tea.

Big fluffy bathing robes and flip flops await and you can walk around the spa with these on meandering from each space at your leisure.

I am also trailing the new Clinique Sonic System at the moment, a fine soft brissle rotating brush that you use with cleanser to cleanse your face. When you buy one atm, it comes with a little package that includes a cleanser and facial gel according to your skin type. The other products are an SPF protecting gel, an eye cream and a concealer.

I began the day by heading to a private pilates room where they hold a pilates class on a Sunday. The therapist lit a little candle for me and I stretched out on the mats provided and did half an hour of wonderful pilates, rolling my shoulders and stretching like a cat into many relaxing, tension releasing pilates positions. I just love pilates, it's so healthy and relaxing.

I then went to the Hammam room, with a bowl of Himalayan Body Salts, to exfoliate my skin. Inside the Hammam room there are round marble sinks at its edges and bowls, so you can exfoliate with the salts in the warm steam room and then pour bowls of water to rinse off the salts. The water generates more steam so its the perfect body exfoliation experience.

I then sat by the beautiful candlelit pool and read magazines, all of my favourites Vogue and Conde Nast Traveller.

Followed by a trip to the giant Jacuzzi, with 2 speeds of jets and bubbles to sit back and relax in, followed by the largest wooden Sauna I have been in. You imagine my its design it was created by some creative car manufacturing company, it just has then kind of feel. Its warm and the wood is hot and it's perfect to relax in.

Back to the pool and later the changing room, where they have everything you could need for the day, if you haven't packed your toiletry bag with you . Salon shampoo, conditioner and body wash , dispossable wooden combs, cotton wool and flannels. The showers have eight jets in them and a monsoon shower head to make you feel very pampered, if you have not had enough massage and relaxation by that point to finish your day.

It's a perfect relaxing treat for the day, a lovely under ground spa, lit with ambient light, it's a place to switch off and feel you have been whisked away from the noise of the city for a day which will leave you feeling relaxed and refreshed.

#text