Holding a reputation as one of the finest hotels in London ,BOAT heads to The Dorchester Spa to discover why this wellness sanctuary is worth a special visit...
Where is it?
Located at the base of London’s most illustrious addresses in a gleaming oasis of polished white floors, crystal chandeliers and entire walls of nail varnish, The Dorchester Spa is everything one would expect of one of the world’s most famous hotels. To get there, take a lift from the lobby into The Dorchester’s wellness hub, which is filled with treatment rooms, a hair salon, a state-of-the-art relaxation room and a nail salon, amongst others.
Intrinsically feminine in design, the Dorchester Spa welcomes you in with pink velvet sofas set before a wall of roses and mirrored walls. To the left is what’s known as the ‘Spatisserie’, a picture-perfect dining space to enjoy detoxifying green juices and teas and afternoon tea before or after your treatment.
What’s the hype?
Holding a sky-high reputation as one of the finest hotels in London, the reputation rings true for the spa as well, having embraced natural and technological treatments for targeted results. This year (2024), The Dorchester Spa revealed a new portfolio of treatments having partnered with Ishga (specialising in organic seaweed skincare), Valmont (Swiss anti-ageing expert), London Aesthetic Medicine (cosmetic evidence-based aesthetic medicine) and Carol Joy (a science-driven anti-ageing brand, harbouring golden millet oil, collagen, caviar, and gold).
Before (or after) your treatment, guests will have the option to spend time in the Dorchester’s ‘Relaxation Room, a dimply lit room surrounded by heavy dark blue curtains and filled with Welnamis Loungers. Using technology called Binaural Vibro-acoustic treatment, guests can lie on the vibrating loungers and listen to multi-layered binaural acoustic audio through noise-cancelling headphones. Perfect for lulling you into a relaxed state ahead of your treatment, guests can choose from four programmes including stress relief, mindfulness, awareness, and power naps.
Even the treatment beds themselves go beyond the call of duty with a collection of new MLX quartz beds. Inspired by the ancient rituals of the Egyptians in what is now referred to as ‘Psammo Therapy’ (Sand Bathing), the beds are designed to provide a cocooning effect that supports pain relief and immune system function.
What to have?
Focusing on everything from stress relief to anti-wrinkle injections there isn’t much that The Dorchester Spa can’t do in terms of wellness, so it’s best to come in with an idea of what results you want whether that’s hydration, anti-aging or relaxation – or all three.
For an all-encompassing facial, however, opt for the Carol Joy London Diamond Facial, which uses the rejuvenating properties of diamonds to enhance elasticity and firmness. Running over the course of 90 minutes, the treatment takes place in a dimly lit treatment room and begins with a deep cleanse and deep hydration. The process then moves on to diamond microdermabrasion, which polishes the skin and targets pigmentation. A facial massage and diamond dust activation is then used to stimulate microcirculation. The result is a plump wet-faced appearance which leaves skin with eggshell-like smoothness.
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