Undoing City Living Damage At The Spa At The Midlands in Manchester, UK
One of the easiest ways to recharge in a hurry is to simply escape, and there’s no better way to undo the damage done by city living than visiting a day spa like that at the Spa at the Midlands.
Stress management, socialising and staying sane under pressure are increasingly difficult in today’s urban hubs. Overcrowding, rubbish fast food and work demands mean most people are precipitously close to burning out.
Set in a stunning Georgian building located in the UK’s ‘second city’ of Manchester, The Spa at the Midlands is renowned for its holistic approach to good health. Its subtle lighting with an emphasis on blue and violet shades is designed to calm, and its ESPA products – which are comprised of sustainable, ethically sourced, all natural ingredients – are designed to heal. The spa offers personalised treatments based on exactly what your body needs. Whether it’s a massage to release that city stress or a facial to detox your pores, the techniques and products used are tailored to each client’s own requirements.
For me, it was a full body massage to release tension that has been building up for months. After filling in a quick questionnaire and having a short consultation with my therapist, it became apparent that I needed some allover TLC, so we decided on using a combination of long, gentle strokes with more precise, harder pressure where it was most needed to send me off into a state of ultimate relaxation. I was led to a warm, darkly lit massage room where the plush table set the stage for the hour to come.
But my wellness journey didn’t end there. After my 60 minute massage (which went by far too quickly) I was sent to the spa’s unique lounge area, which features suspended pods that take you back to a womb-like state: you feel as though you’re floating, weightless in a tranquil space that could easily lull you to a deep sleep. If you’d rather not drift off, a selection of herbal teas and reading materials is left for guests to help themselves to – which of course I took full advantage of.
Soon, utter bliss was interrupted by hunger pangs, which were satisfied at the spa’s café. I enjoyed a fully vegan lunch whilst still in my robe. Not into veganism? No worries: there’s also a designated high protein menu which caters to the dietary desires of gym-goers. After lunch, you can continue your day of relaxation and head for the sauna, the gorgeous salt-infused aromatherapy room (which apparently works wonders for asthma and skin conditions), the steam room, serene relaxation pool, or if you have the energy, the modern, well-equipped gym.
As a guest of the hotel (there are in-house or day spa packages available), I decided to head back to my room for a shower. It was great to see that the complimentary products in our room were all organic, and I was pleased that the hotel encourages its guests to recycle (for example, the bottles of water have a small note asking that they are left behind for the hotel to recycle instead of being thrown away).
Whether you’re a local, or visiting Manchester for work or leisure, The Spa at The Midlands is not only an urban oasis, but it’s also setting an eco-friendly example that we hope other spas will follow, and know spa goers and eco-bunnies will love.
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