Review: Blissful Lotus Facial at Aura, The Park, New Delhi

View of the spa room at Aura; Photo courtesy, AURA, New Delhi
What a stroke! No, I'm not watching any cricket match. This is in reaction to the fabulous facial treatment at Aura, The Park hotel’s very clean, chic and truly amazing spa. The luxurious therapy has been extra special because of the use of natural products and gets even more of a facelift with Vidhi, my therapist’s brilliant massage strokes.
While my treatment (I visit The Park in New Delhi) begins well on time, I’m told that the treatment can stretch by another 10-15 minutes (it does, eventually). For the record, I‘m experiencing one of Aura’s winter treatments for season 2010. Like I mentioned before, it’s a facial – even though Vidhi fabulously kneads sore muscles, pressing my shoulders and hands and massaging my fingers generously -- which makes use of freshly mashed lotus stem, fresh papaya and pineapple pulp and pure (yes, pure) saffron oil, which is bereft of any artificial perfume, scent or coloring.
Before the facial begins, I fill out a detailed document enquiring details on illnesses, whether I’m consuming any medicines, or, for that matter, whether I’m allergic to any natural products (a friend, for instance, is allergic to products that contain sesame) and if I have any skin allergies. That done – it helps to have a hot cup of herbal tea infused with honey on a winter afternoon – I am asked to move towards the locker area where I keep my belongings and later wait in a small lobby area. By the time Vidhi leads me to the spa therapy room, I’m already – thanks to the effect of the lilting music that Aura plays –brushing my day-to-day tensions aside.
And by the time the facial starts (it begins with a simple cleaning process) I know that with an expert masseuse like Vidhi, I’m – literally -- in gentle, safe and secure hands. Her cleanup act – of my face, silly – doesn’t involve just slapping, quickly massaging and subsequently cleaning of the face with moist cotton, it really is a trailer of what will follow. She massages the face gently for a couple of minutes and then deftly proceeds to remove the dirt and grime.
Once that’s done, she gently scrubs the face with freshly mashed lotus stem that doesn’t smell too great but then I haven’t opted for aroma facial exactly. Lotus stem, Vidhi tells me, is supposed to be good for sagging skin. Rich in fibre, when applied regularly on the face, mashed lotus stem also helps to control uneven toning and conditions and rehydrates dull skin. The scrub is wiped out later by a hot towel infused with eucalyptus oil. I like this part of the facial especially when I inhale and take a whiff of the soothing oil. It is also believed that this essential oil acts an antibacterial agent and is used to treat cuts and burns and insect bites too.
Since the strongest point of the facial is Vidhi’s expert massaging techniques, I love it when she finally applies pure saffron oil and starts a fabulous facial massage which lasts for good 20-25 minutes. “It’s pure,” Vidhi confirms while telling me that saffron is also known for its skin lighting properties. The massage is uplifting and very effective and definitely the highlight of the entire treatment. What follows is fresh pineapple-papaya pulp mask. I think it’s the pineapple that tingles just slightly on the skin but on the whole, it’s been a winning facial.

Blissful Lotus Facial
Duration: 60 mins
Price: Rs. 1,750 plus taxes
The treatment is available at The Park in Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata and Visakhapatnam

Green tea spa treatments

I was speaking to a friend about spalendor.blogspot.com and she was kind enough to tell me about this very unique spa in the heart of Kurseong. Nestled in the midst of tea gardens in north East India, it’s a wellness resort which specializes in — what else — tea massages besides other therapies. My friend, who has experienced a green tea facial here (60 minutes, Rs 400) swears by it, claims that the perfect ambience and the trained therapists with their amazing skill make a trip to this resort a truly memorable one. Called the Cochrane Place, the resort offers yoga and pranayama sessions, Ayurvedic treatments, in addition to what they call, Himalayan Spa.
Cochrane Place is on the outskirts of the main town and is essentially a restored British colonial home. One of the best things about engaging in spa sessions here is the fact that you’re gently teased by the aroma of Darjeeling tea, gardens of which surround the entire property. Not surprising then that many guests opt for tea spa treatments here. While the green tea facial is there, there’s also an ayurvedic “leaf-bag massage” especially created to relieve body aches and pains (Rs 750 for 45 minutes; Rs 800 for 60 minutes).
Do give their website http://www.imperialchai.com/ a look to find out other details. While at it, I also suggest you take a look at one of the tickers which advertise an interesting site called calcuttawalks.com. Cochrane Place has just announced some of its new packages and maybe you’d like to give this place a try this summer.

Incidentally, Delhi's Galaxy Hotel (pitched as India's first lifestyle hotel complete with five-star services, spa and shopping centre) does a unique body wrap with green tea extracts that are mixed with multani mitti (Fullers earth) and sandalwood powder which makes the skin feel younger and lighter. Green tea is said to have anti-oxidant properties which detoxify the skin. This treatment is available for Rs 950 and lasts for a luxuriating 45 minutes.
Happy spa holidaying, then.

* picture courtesy: Cochrane Place

The hot spa therapies for Indian summer 2009

Tamarind Polish: Tamarind mixed with oatmeal, milk and honey for an exotic body polish at Aura, The Park Hotels, across the country. Price: Rs 2,000 for 35 minutes. Log on http://www.theparkhotels.com/ for further information

Caviar Facials: For men, at Tamaya, the spa at Jaypee Hotels. Price: Rs 6,000. Basically, the treatment uses caviar extract creams and other related products from Pivonia, a brand with which the group has partnered with. Pivonia has top-of-the-line spa products that do not contain any artificial colors or fragrances, lanolin or mineral oil. Every product is alcohol and papa (Para amino benzoic acid) free.

Vinotherapy: Massaging and scrubbing the body with crushed grapes but not before drenching clients in a pool of wine. Available at Myrah in Mumbai: Rs 8,000. Contact: 022-26253968. Myrah Spa, Binoli Palm Spring Society, JVPD Scheme, Mumbai

Chocolate and strawberry wraps: At White Mantra, Rs 3,500 for a little over an hour. Also check out White Mantra's "summer cooler" packages that include facials like “mint and cucumber” or “rose and milk.” Also indulge in the body cooling Javanese Lulur Scrub-n-Soak. (This treatment is also available at The Aman, Beijing). White Mantra also has a cooling sandalwood tan removing package which includes a spa treatment for the entire body, hands and feet too. Contact: White Mantra Spa and Salon, #142, Pop Cottage,Rustam Bagh, HAL Airport Road, Behind Manipal Hospital,Bangalore 560017, India.Phone: +91 - 80 -32429960 / 25214870Email: contact@whitemantraspa.com

Rain Mist Splendor: Available at Oberoi’s The Banyan Tree for in-house guests only, under its hydrotherapy section, this is a brand new “deep cleansing and conditioning” therapy that involves exfoliating body polishes and body conditioners to soften the skin. The treatment begins with a rain mist in order to prepare the body for deep cleansing and conditioning. This is followed by a lemon-yoghurt scrub/orange-oats scrub that aims at softening the skin. This is once again followed by a relaxing rain shower after which cucumber-yoghurt mask is applied. You can also opt for cucumber-honey if you wish. Price: Rs 6,300 for 90 minutes. Log on: http://www.oberoihotels.com/

Indoceane treatment: Available at Quan Spa at Mumbai’s JW Marriott, this involves a scrub with soft granules of sugar. This treatment, Quan’s super exclusive one, is priced at Rs 13,000 for a couple and is followed by two-and-a-half hours of blissful aromatic bath and massage.
Log on: http://www.quanspa.com/

Mango Orange Wrap: At the Renaissance Club Spa in Renaissance Hotel, Mumbai, you can spend 45 luxuriating minutes in a mango and a delicious orange texture wrap which repairs the skin giving benefits of butter, beeswax and honey while the trace elements mineralize the skin. This real body balm can leave the driest skins a velvety texture and a satin finish . Price: Rs 2100. Contact: Renaissance Hotel and Convention Centre, 022-66927777, 66927570

Photo courtesy: Quan Spa, JW Marriott, Mumbai

New summer packages from Aura, The Park, INDIA

Luxury spas across the country have started announcing their summer packages. The Park’s Aura spa, for instance, has announced three new packages for 2009. The luxury day spa located in the hotel’s properties across New Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai and Vishakapatnam will have packages that promise to pamper the skin and re-energise it for the harsh summer months that lie ahead. It is recommended that these therapies be taken at least twice a month, once every 15 days for its effect to last long. We haven’t tried any of these therapies so far
but will do so shortly.

Summer Cooler: It’s a complete skin cooling ritual from head to toe and one that allows you to pamper yourself for one hour, 15 minutes. While the especially designed body wrap (which also includes a special coconut cream) aims at hydrating your skin and healing it from any damage caused due to the harsh sun rays, there’s a cucumber mask for the face that tones and reduces fine lines and keeps the face fresh. But what’s absolutely fascinating is the special hair mask made with yoghurt, Indian gooseberry, lemon and hibiscus flower extracts that promises to fight dandruff and hair fall while leaving it soft and silky.
Duration: 1 hour and 15 min
Price: Rs 2,100 (excluding taxes)

Oriental Escape: For those of you who are uncomfortable stripping down to the underwear for spa treatments, Aura’s Oriental Escape is — without requiring you to shed your clothes — a treatment inspired from traditional Japanese, Chinese and Thai techniques to stretch, energize and remove energy blockages. According to therapists, combinations of stretches help in blood circulation and promise to restore the flow of energy in the body.
Duration: 1 hour
Price: Rs 2,200 (excluding taxes)

Soothing Acacia : Those with extremely sensitive skin need to be extra cautious of the use of aroma oils. In other words, only after the doctor’s advice should people with extremely sensitive skin opt for spa treatments (especially those treatments that involve aroma oil blends). Acacia flower, commonly known as “Babool” has anti-inflammatory properties that are usually considered good for sensitive skins and in this facial extracts of Acacia are used to soothe the skin, especially one which is afflicted with a sun tan.
Duration: 1 hour
Price: 2,500 (excluding taxes)

picture courtesy: Aura, The Park