Wellness In The City
Leave the hustle-bustle of hectic city life behind and escape to a world of wellness centred around you at ESPA, The Leela Palace New Delhi.
It’s rare to find a space in the capital city, which offers respite from the incessant honking and the chaos of daily life. At ESPA, The Leela Palace New Delhi, however, luxurious restful spaces greet you, each with the aim of offering guests moments of calm and an array of treatments to help harmonise the mind and body. The natural wood, hand-carved stone, and soft furnishings here, spanning across two levels of the 16,730 sq. foot space perfectly complements India’s glorious heritage. Their advanced rejuvenation techniques bring in the element of contemporary modernity, creating a perfect balance of the old and the new. When here, striking amethyst crystal steam rooms warm and soothe your muscles, while Indian stone showers wash away daily stresses.
Spanning two levels, ESPA features a cafe, fitness studio with techno-gym equipment, relaxation areas, and steam and sauna rooms on the lower level. The second level heightens this sense of comfort. With seven treatment rooms, a spa suite for couples, a dedicated relaxation room for women, and ‘The Finishing Studio’—an exclusive destination for luxury manicures and pedicures, a sense of profound peacefulness is a given. The treatments offered at this spa reinforce this further.
ESPA blends the latest scientific advances in European wellness with therapies from Ayurveda, enabling you to gain the best of both worlds. While the Kiziswedana Ritual is a synchronised massage with two therapists working in unison, The Royal Leela Facial uses marmapoint massage and warm herb-filled poultices to tone and firm your skin. In the Shirodhara therapy, the therapist runs a fine stream of warm oil on your forehead and scalp, creating the ideal setup for stress to escape through every pore. Pre-natal, Balinese massages, and firming eye treatments are some of the other options to choose from.
Adding to this varied list are their treatments catering exclusively to men. The menu features a 90-minute Stress Buster, which includes skin brushing, exfoliation, and a body massage with hot stones. Once done, make it a point to stop by at their enchanting central fireplace, reminiscing about the day’s memorable spa journey.
Africa Ave, Diplomatic Enclave, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi, Delhi-110023 spa.newdelhi@theleela.com Tel: +91 11 3933 1234
After a long week of travelling, I finally find some time to hit the spa, and god knows, how much I’ve been craving a good massage to get rid of muscle aches. I’m at The LALIT Mumbai’s spa, Rejuve. The beige and earthy-toned interiors are warm and welcoming. I meet Mr Lalit Mundkur who heads the spa operations here, and he recommends their signature multisensory massage to me. I am told, it’s a 140-minute affair! I walk towards my therapy room, and the sound of soft, soothing music in the backdrop coupled with warm floral fragrance in the corridor immediately relaxes my mind.
My masseuse, Aring, welcomes me with a heartfelt smile. I quickly change into a bathrobe and lie on my back on a unique massage table that has a special built-in hydro-massage brush and drainage system. She starts exfoliating my body from head to toe with a luxurious scrub. I have very sensitive skin, and the scrub initially feels hard textured; however, after 15 minutes, I start enjoying Aring’s long strokes on my body.
Sahar Airport Road, Navpada, Marol, Andheri East, Mumbai-400059
After the scrubbing session, a cocoon-like tent is erected around my massage table, and I indulge in a 15-minute steam session. I am sweating, I can feel my pores opening up, and my skin feels velvety-soft. This is followed by a warm, relaxing rinse with a hydro hand-held therapy massage brush right on the massage table. Aring smears away the scrub off my body. I pat myself dry and walk to the adjoining room for the second phase of my therapy.
I see a bed that has a warm water mattress emitting green light. As I lie on this unique therapy bed, the warmth of the water and the soft, embracing sensation of the mattress instantly puts me in a daze. Aring starts massaging my body with hot aromatic oil. She kneads my back muscles and applies hard pressure on my foot—just what I need to release all my anxiety, stress, and body aches. After over an hour, I wake up to take a hot shower. My skin feels unbelievably soft, and I can sense my pain washing off me under the hot stream of water.
lmundkur@thelalit.com
Tel: +91 22 66992222