EXPERIENCE

“I’ve been stressed out for a few weeks. Both my body and mind have been tired because I’ve been working round the clock.

And I’ve been waiting for a chance to soothe my nerves with a massage.

So, naturally, I was relieved when I heard that I’d be spending an afternoon at The Imperial Spa. I found myself relaxing almost as soon as I entered the lovely premises. The walk down the staircase from the garden into the spa felt like I was physically immersing myself in a well of light that could only heal me. I sipped on a glass of Sufi juice, the spa’s signature tonic for weary souls such as I, and opened the menu to find, almost at once, the perfect massage for me: ‘Imperial Depth’. The 90-minute-long massage promised everything I needed—deep-tissue, Swedish, and energy balancing techniques.

As I walked down the corridor to my treatment room, I told my therapist that I had several knots and wanted her to give me a very strong massage. We entered an arched doorway and I found myself in a beautiful spa suite—the Mughal Suite— softly lit with candles, and with an inviting bathtub filled with fragrant rose petals.

After a quick foot ritual, I lay down, breathed a silent sigh of relief, and let my therapist take over. She recommended a gingerinfused oil to soothe my aches and pains, and went slow and easy on me. She used a balanced, deep pressure with her elbows and hands to give me a massage that I can only describe as ‘perfect’. She spent a lot of time easing out the knots on my back and legs, and I felt unknown burdens lift off my shoulders.

Later as I sat in the bathtub, taking in the rose petals and the candles that surrounded me, I felt absolutely relaxed and ready to take on another few weeks of work-related madness.“

From top: The entrance to The Imperial Spa, Salon, Health and Racquet Club; inside the luxurious Mughal Suite; Rohatgi finds her favourite spots at the beautiful spa.