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

Review: Harnn Heritage Spa

My colleague Neha Bhatt had visited the Harnn Heritage Spa in New Delhi recently and written about it too. The article was published in Business Standard Newspaper. She's allowed SPAlendor to use the piece. Thanks so much Neha.


Harnn Heritage Spa, a Thai chain, recently opened for business in India. With its quiet, tasteful wooden interiors, this outlet includes a cafe and is in the rather empty MGF Metropolitan Mall at Saket, New Delhi.

Now, what spa pampering can I pick for a hot summer day? That information is not available on their website, which is still under construction. Over the phone, while making a reservation, the receptionist, a Thai gentlemen, suggested I walk in 10 minutes before the appointment to skim through the menu and zero in on my preference.

At the designated time, over a cup of complimentary herbal tea, I filled out a spa consultation form to specify my massage requirements. The 13-odd treatments listed on the menu include body massages, foot therapies and facials. Their signature treatment, the Jasmine Therapy (Rs 4,500 for 150 minutes), offers all three treatments. The other treatments at Harnn require 45 to 90 minutes. If you prefer an oil massage, you can pick from a range of aromas — rosemary, citrus, lavender and so on. I chose a balm therapy, the Thai Heritage Massage (Rs 1,650) — with medium to firm pressure. Among the other treatments, the facials seemed expensive at Rs 2,250, while the flowery body scrubs seemed slightly more moderate at Rs 2,000. (All prices exclusive of taxes.)

After a quick foot soak, my masseur, Manipuri incidentally, led me to a spacious treatment room, which was again done up quite elegantly and stocked with a range of Harnn beauty products. The masseur quizzed me with a series of questions before the massage. Did I like the music? Yes. Was the room temperature all right? Yes. Did I need to visit the restroom before we started? No, but thanks for asking. Sixty minutes later, I silently declared the massage to have passed my test, with flying colours, I might add. The stretching techniques and pressure from fingers, elbow, knees and feet perfectly worked the black pepper herbal balm into the skin. Post-massage, I was offered another cup of herbal tea and a plate of melon along with a feedback form, which got full marks for the polite staff. The cafe next door, in partnership with restaurateur Ritu Dalmia, offers a menu where beverages are priced at Rs 100 upwards, and short eats from Rs 300. So, even if you are not up for an over-indulgent afternoon at the spa, stop at this snug little cafe and take a peek into the Harnn boutique.

Score: 8/10. For an expensive but pleasing experience

Picture courtesy: Harnn India