Paola Bassanese

I attended a meditation workshop/retreat at Evolve recently and I must say the experience was great. I have rubbish sense of direction so when I got lost in South Kensington I called reception and the instructions were perfect so I made it to the venue on time.

The building is in beautiful surroundings within quiet mews and the colour scheme is harmonious and calming. The seminar room where we did the meditation had some quirky murals depicting a kitchen and garden which I thought was original and refreshing.

I was so impressed with the friendliness of the staff, the beautiful facilities and the comprehensive programme of yoga, meditation and alternative therapies.

I am absolutely impressed by Clinica Fiore (and I am difficult to please) and enjoyed the warm welcome, the immaculate presentation, extensive treatments list, professionalism and highest levels of hygiene throughout.

Clinic director Flavio explained that for my skin concerns Dermaroller was the best match and my therapist, Jasmina, performed the treatment superbly.

I love the location, so close to Covent Garden and Holborn stations, and you can see that Flavio's attention to detail makes this clinic unique, glamorous and trendy. Celebrities flock to Clinica Fiore to have their cosmetic treatments as it's so close to West End theatres and TV production companies.

I am very grateful to the entire team at the clinic for making me feel so at ease especially as I was a bit worried about microneedling. The procedure is actually straighforward and quite comfortable as numbing cream is applied beforehand. My skin was only slightly pink after the treatment and Jasmina explained everything to the letter and I am very pleased with the results.

I was lucky to squeeze my appointment in on a Saturday afternoon as it gets fully booked very quickly but I did plan it in advance.

I wanted to express my gratitude to the staff at Shadi Danin Spa for the excellent Taizen bath treatment yesterday. I will write a full review but in the meantime I just wanted to say that the warm welcome and the hot stone bath lifted my spirits and soothed my aching body.

I went with my family for a 3 day break as a last minute holiday and we snapped a good deal. Lifeclass is a 4 star hotel with spa and being a chain of hotels you can access the spa facilities of all the venues in the area.
We stayed at Hotel Slovenija and used the spa there plus the facilities at the Sauna Park at the Grand Hotel Portoroz which is even bigger and has an outdoors jacuzzi on the terrace with views over the seaside.
Great location with fabulous facilities, our hotel had seawater pools and jacuzzis and we also went along to the aqua gym classes which were all included.
Everything is spotless and compared to the poor hygiene standards in the UK Slovenia can really teach the rest of Europe how to pamper people in style. With the same glamour as Montecarlo (Portoroz has its own Casinos) but with the budget of a city break, Slovenia has it all.
London and rest of Europe: watch and learn.

Danielle teaches classical Pilates on the reformer/Cadillac equipment in the heart of Marylebone.

She trained with no other than Romana Kryzanowska, Joseph Pilates' protege who popularised the traditional Pilates method.

Danielle is as passionate about technique as she is about Pilates' philosophy and approach. You learn so much in her sessions and you become more aware of your posture and how to use your muscles more efficiently.

I loved my session and felt taller, stronger and more confident.

A+. One of the best massages I had (and I am picky!). Galia is an excellent therapist (she's the spa director and has an MBA as well as being a nutritionist).
Her massage technique included deep tissue and relaxing strokes which was exactly what I needed as my back was tight but I was also looking for a relaxing massage to distract me from my busy workload.

I emerged one hour later rejuvenated and ready to face the world (ahem actually I had a nap).

Highly recommended.

Desperate times required desperate measures, I needed a massage and wanted to redeem a Wahanda voucher that was given to me.

Nope. I could not redeem it because the therapist accepting Wahanda deals and vouchers is only available 4 days a week and Saturdays (ie. today) are not included.
So I paid £25, which is reasonable for a 30 mins massage, but I am not convinced. My therapist, Paola, was lovely but inexperienced. She didn't use her body weight to dig into my muscles so she is probably giving herself RSI overusing her knuckles.


The therapy bed is positioned against the wall in the tiniest therapy room you can think of, so the therapist can't walk around it during the massage which means she has to lean across the client's body to reach the left side of the back.

No consultation was done which is very worrying: I had a spinal operation some years ago and I made therapist aware of it, but I simply cannot trust a place that will not make you fill out a form.

Camphor-scented oil was used which gives me the creeps as it reminds me of my stay and recovery in hospital after my spinal surgery. A therapist should at least ask you if it's ok to use a scented oil.

This place is ok for locals in Caledonian Road (Islington it isn't) for no-frills therapies. Staff members were speaking Spanish outside the therapy room which wasn't sound proof and had harsh lighting. I did not relax but then again I needed deep tissue massage which is not relaxing.

Reception was very professional.

I am off to my osteopath to have a proper manipulation.

Beautiful venue on Kings Road, next to Bluebird, with spacious yoga studios and changing rooms.

I got a very warm welcome from the reception desk and both the yoga teacher Joo and the craniosacral therapist Vanessa were excellent. I felt lighter and more supple after the sessions. It's nice to go to a brand new place as everything is pristine and the interior design touches make it very special.

Yoga classes hold 20-30 people each but 1 to 1 yoga can be arranged. Lovely place indeed.

You know those days when you really want to have a moan but no one is there (or can be asked) to listen?
That's what Changin' Wind is: a complainery. But this is not just a way to be negative and criticise the world out there, but rather a constructive counselling/psychology session without the formality of a clinical setting.

Basically, you go and see Paola, the psychologist, to have a chat on whichever subject is troubling you. You come out of the session lighter as you have shared the load. A simple yet effective idea.

Paola (yes, same name as me!) is warm, extremely professional and to the point. A lovely person with a great concept in a quirky little independent shop among the vintage world of Charlton Place in Islington.

Highly recommended

I was kindly given a guest pass to the Cannon Street branch of Nuffield Health.

The good stuff: the place is huge which means it never feels crowded, it is clean and tidy and the changing facilities are massive (which means I got lost several times!). Two swimming pools - one divided by lanes, I chose the "leisurely slow" one and I could see other swimmers were not impressed with my slow pace but that's why I chose that lane! I just wanted to chill out between client appointments and I refused to be pressurised into swimming fast. I should have chosen the free pool without lanes, it had a more relaxed atmosphere.

From the swimming pool you can see the yoga studio, the class looked good and it was at lunchtime. Perfect for stressed out City executives.

The hydrotherapy pool is phenomenal: you do get a good pummelling with the water jets and it feels like a deep tissue massage! Don't plan to do anything strenuous after that (e.g. work like I had to do!) as you'll feel completely spent!

Please note that if you join you get a full health assessment and if you achieve your fitness goals after 3 months you get 1 month's membership free. That's an excellent idea.

There's physiotherapists and personal trainers on site plus the O Spa for more pampering treatments.

Steam room was lovely and so were the showers.

The not so good: at lunchtime it was very busy at reception, the phone was ringing off the hook and when I got there only one receptionist was available and you can see it was overwhelming. Another staff member joined her shortly after while I was waiting but you really needed more hands on deck. I was told there's usually 4 receptionists at busy times. I was not shown around so I kept on getting lost. And I forgot to get a towel from reception (I assumed I could get one in the changing rooms) so I stumbled upon the O Spa within the complex and asked for a towel there. I bet they were not impressed!

Overall this is a fantastic venue, pricy but you do get a lot of added value (personal training, physio, health assessment). Maybe one day when I'm rich and famous I will be able to afford the membership!

Nicole is a great therapist. She works at Spa London in Swiss Cottage and she had one of the best "couch manners" I have come across: asking me about the pressure I prefer and which areas to focus on. I asked for a medium to firm pressure particularly on shoulders and upper back and Nicole did exactly that, alternating the deep tissue strokes with gentler ones. Great work with her forearms too.

Now, the venue: I am not sure if a nice spa like this should be in the same building as a Leisure Centre. I know that it may make sense commercially but the place has not got the right atmosphere. Don't get me wrong, the spa itself is beautifully decorated and the treatment rooms are lovely: spacious and with fabulous hydraulic beds and an extra heated layer (I had to have a peek: it's like a water bed!). It's just that... you have to go through a very busy leisure centre.

In summary, I had a superb massage and a positive experience at the spa. I am just unsure about the location! I guess I should really try the other venue in Bethnal Green to get a better idea.... any excuse to get more pampering!

Please note that I went to the Enford Street branch where a team of personal trainers and a Pilates instructor work.

I had a personal training session with Anthony Mayatt of Breathe Fitness http://www.breathefitness.uk.com in Enford Street.

Anthony has a degree in Sports Science with Fitness and I really liked his scientific approach to exercise and his calm manner. An hour went so fast and it covered both cardio and toning exercises. Because Anthony has a wealth of experience dealing with different types of injuries, he was very attentive when I was doing press ups and push ups because I suffer with scoliosis with a very dominant right side.

The venue itself is immaculate, the changing rooms are at the same standard as a five star hotel and the fish tank in the reception area gives a relaxing atmosphere. I am planning to do a collaboration as I am so impressed.

I recommend Anthony's training sessions highly.

Let me get one thing out of the way first: this is an office block hiring space out to yoga and dance instructors and other therapists. I didn't like the building to be frank, it needs some renovation. Next door to the yoga class there was a dance class playing loud music which was distracting to say the least.

Having said that, I was extremely happy with the kundalini yoga class I attended. This is currently a temporary arrangement so call the venue for more information. I was meant to be in a group class but other people (including my friend who was supposed to be there!) couldn't attend, so I had the priviledge of having one to one tuition from Lucy. The class was challenging and focused on discipline, posture, breathing and concentration. Frankly I struggled but soldiered on and after a few tries I managed to complete the hour feeling rather accomplished. The biggest challenge (and I believe many of us have it) was to quieten the mind and have full concentration.

I do recommend Lucy's classes, I just hope she finds a more inviting venue.

I went to a Kundalini yoga workshop with US superstar Gurmukh who is in London until Sunday, go and see her as her workshops are legendary!
Kundalini yoga is not for the faint hearted: along with the meditation, there is a lot of hard work involved but it is one of the best types of yoga to free up your spine. We also had a little boogie at the end with some drumming music while downstair in Kingly Court you could hear the Friday revellers laugh over a few pints at the pub!
I really liked the venue, the main yoga studio was opened up (it has a sliding partition in the middle) as there were so many of us, I didn't count but surely at least 50 participants. There's also 2 treatment rooms which I didn't see. The studio has skylights and has a very bright and airy layout being on the top floor. Incense and candles were scattered around the room which made it very welcoming and conducing to meditation.
I could see that the staff were a bit overwhelmed by how popular this workshop was and reception was heaving, but they handled all enquiries and the registration process with extreme poise (I bet they do yoga too!).

Very happy to recommend both Triyoga (but this place doesn't need publicity, it's so famous!) and of course the wonderful Gurmukh.

I had a great massage from Ashley last week. Ashley is a mobile sports massage therapist and he kindly agreed to visit me at home to treat my stiff back.

He uses very effective sports massage techniques to stretch and release tense muscles paying particular attention to lengthening the muscles using active stretches.

Ashley has a great personality and is extremely focused. I highly recommend him and I am a tough cookie when it comes to massage!

Could try harder. B+

The booking was a bit like Chinese whispers: left a voicemail, got a voicemail back, called again. The language barrier was in the way of my explanation that I wanted to use my Wahanda gift voucher I got as a present, while staff kept understanding that I wanted to book a Mobdeal and kept repeating that it had expired.

Apart from that, it was plain sailing when I got there. The building looks like a 1970s hospital. The pool is indeed small: swimming slowly you can do a lane in less than 30 seconds. If there's more than 3 people in the pool it's a crowd. Talking of crowd, I had to leave the pool at 4pm when a group of "chavettes" took it over shouting and splashing as if they've never seen a swimming pool in their lives (they were all in their twenties for goodness' sake!).

The jacuzzi was on all afternoon, the instructions say it goes on for 10 minutes and goes off for 10 minutes. The sauna and steam room were super hot.

The massage was nice, relaxing, I think my expectations were high but I must admit I am difficult to please. My therapist was Kairin from Estonia and she was lovely. I had a sports massage a couple of days ago so I needed a bit of pampering and she delivered.

The changing rooms left a lot to be desired. The smell of cheap bleach was horrible and the lockers are dirty inside and mostly scruffy, they need a refit. Shower curtains are straight from the days of the Iron Curtain.

Reception staff were helpful and when I left I was greeted with a friendly "Do come back!"

All in all a pleasant afternoon for a mere £10 (the day pass to use the swimming pool, jacuzzi, sauna and steam room; sauna and steam only £6).

As a special treat, my family and I went to a local spa in Italy - funnily enough we had never been before and it has been open for 10 years!
We tried the jacuzzi and I went to the sauna. We were not allowed in the swimming pool as we didn't have our swimming caps (but you can buy one in their shop). Not a big deal as we will be back this weekend and we will bring all the gear with us!
First impressions were excellent: the receptionist was very knowledgeable and courteous and she showed us around. The swimming pool is slightly small for my expectations. The jacuzzi and sauna were great, but remember that sauna and steam rooms are mixed and you are required to go naked (only covered by a sheet they provide). If you prefer a ladies-only sauna, the downstairs one is reserved for ladies until 4.30pm.
We then went outside as there's a gorgeous garden with sun loungers and you can sunbathe to your heart's content, free herbal teas and water at your disposal if you develop a thirst.
We also had a little nose around the gym and studio (we were too relaxed to work out). The studio, where they run the classes (dance, pilates etc), overlooks the surrounding woods. Fantastic location with a good sense of style.
Overall a great experience and we will go back in a couple of days to spend the entire day there. A day pass is €25 and massage treatments are about €60-70.

As part of my prolonged birthday party celebrations, I had my third massage in five days. Greedy, me? Of course!
Today I went to see Nico, a bodyworker based in Primrose Hill, who uses deep tissue and myofascial release techniques. I went on a training course with myofascial release supremo Professor Robert Schleip and I think it's one of the best techniques ever devised for muscle tension and for scoliosis sufferers like me.

The first thing I noticed about Nico's approach is his full and total concentration. Because of this, every pressure point, stretch and release is executed with maximum precision and I like that.

Secondly, I have noticed that Nico has what I would call a "respectful touch": he listens to the body's feedback, he will press some points until they become painful but then they release and the muscles elongate. And when not even the respectful touch will do to ease the pain, Nico uses humour to diffuse any discomfort!

Finally, I thought that the location and ambience were lovely: Primrose Hill is a fantastic area and the clinic is extremely quiet (no music was played during the treatment which I was very happy about) and you could hear birds sing outside the window. Heaven in North London? I definitely think so. I will be back.

Another fantastic treatment, I am so thankful! I have learned so much from Prue during the consultation, as we discussed how to give the body a spring clean and get to the root cause of my aches and pains. I was showing all the symptoms of magnesium deficiency: muscle aches and cramps, disturbed sleep, low energy.
It all makes sense.
The massage was spot on with the right amount of pressure and targeting the areas I requested to be given more attention to like wrists, forearms, shoulders and calves. The 90 minutes went in a flash and I kept falling asleep which hasn't happened in years because usually my muscles are just too tight from massaging other people to give me a moment's rest!
If only I could have a massage at Orange Grove every week! Or maybe I should?

I visited on Friday 18th March for my birthday with a group of friends and we booked a MobDeal through Wahanda. I must say trying to put together a spa pampering party for a group is no mean feat but we succeeded at it!

Let me run through the pros and cons of the experience.

Pros: reception run the whole experience as a military operation so we all got our treatment schedule and we all had our massages and manicures on time and every treatment was delivered with extreme professionalism, all my friends were raving about their massages and manicures. The facilities are excellent and the swimming pool is a very good size for being in the heart of the City. The relaxation room is outstanding as it featured a large fishtank and has complete silence so your brain gets a chance to quieten down and fall into a meditative state (or sleep).

My massage was competently delivered by therapist Gabriela, and I couldn't help myself coaching her in massage techniques and sharing my tips on how to preserve her wrists to prevent getting RSI. Once a therapist, always a therapist! Gabriela used a light pressure, which normally is not my cup of tea, but I realised that it worked perfectly on this occasion as I had an evening of partying ahead and a deep tissue massage may have left my shoulders too sore to dance!

Lovely steam room, the temperature was perfect. I loved the fact that the changing rooms had hair dryers, straighteners, mousse, hair spray, face cleanser... the works! My friends all said it would be so good to have a well equipped gym like CityPoint everywhere in London so you could go there straight from work to get changed into your glad rags before a big night out without the need to go back home to shower and change. London gyms pay attention: marketing opportunity still untapped!

Cons: as a group of 7, it was a nightmare to find seats! As I work in the industry I timed our arrival at 2pm because I know this is normally a quiet time as it is just after people's lunch break and normally in gyms there's a lull between 2pm and 4pm. I was not impressed with the fact that there were not enough chairs or loungers in the reception area, swimming pool and relaxation room. The spa and gym were still quite busy, I guess some people took half a day off and decided to spend the afternoon there. As we needed to play musical chairs all day long we did not spend time together as a group of friends.

The booking process was not straightforward and at the beginning we were told we were not allowed to stay more than 4 hours in total. I asked for a further explanation of the policy and it was all a misunderstanding, we were later told that the most important thing was to arrive on time for our treatments but we could stay longer if we needed to. Again there were more misunderstandings with reception (I don't think all staff members are given clear instructions on the line to take with clients) because we were told we could choose between a facial, massage or mani/pedi. When we checked in, we all got booked for massages but two friends wanted a manicure instead. This was duly re-arranged so there was happiness all around.

VERDICT: a very pleasant experience, I must thank Candice at reception and Katie, the spa manager, for making my birthday pampering party a truly indulgent treat.

Today was the first time I've been to the Dappa Boutique in Camden and I can see this place can become addictive. Don't be fooled by the exterior, unfortunately it doesn't stand out which is a shame but the interiors are tastefully decorated and there's even a therapy room which will be made available soon (I have my eye on it for myself eh eh!).
My stylist was Alex, she's extremely talented and a great person to talk to. I usually don't like chatting during a haircut but we were sharing information about our business activities which made the conversation very interesting.
I bought a deal through Wahanda so my haircut was a snip (!) at £19.50, an early birthday present to myself. I called at 1pm today and at 3pm I had my appointment. This is probably the easiest booking I've ever made and I was very impressed.
Cup of coffee, Edith Piaf in the background, vintage clothing to look at while having my hair done. I like the concept, I like the people who work there (thank you Mark for all your help!) and the expertise Alex demonstrated in doing my "Ellie Goulding haircut" (yes, now I have one side of my head shaved!).
I can't wait to be back!

"Good place, good people, good fun". This is how my therapist Vanessa described working for Kensington Hair and Spa.

Her enthusiasm really shone through during the treatments which were all excellent. I had the massage/facial/spa pedicure combo through Wahanda's Mobdeal. Of course the salon has been extremely busy from the high demand and I was lucky to get an appointment because of a cancellation.
The refurbishment is almost complete and there was no noise in the background (I read previous reviews and it was one of my concerns as I like to have peace and quiet).

I enjoyed all my treatments enormously:

- the massage was flawless with the right combination of deep pressure and relaxing strokes
- the facial was tailored to my needs and as I have sensitive skin Vanessa promptly removed a face mask that started to feel uncomfortable and used other soothing products. My skin this morning looks fresh and dewy without any redness
- the spa pedicure was very relaxing, you sit on a massage chair (I kept it switched off as I thought the pressure was too strong) while you soak your feet in warm water.

The therapy room was small but the spa pedicure chair will be moved to a different room which will create more space. A very nice touch was the heated floor which was particularly lovely after having the pedicure.

Highly recommended (if you manage to book an appointment!).

Beautiful health club, a bit tucked away but luckily a friend drove me there - Hendon is a bit out of my way.

We spent a few hours in the club and the staff were courteous and very helpful. I ended up spending the longest time in my stay at the juice bar, the mixologist can put together some wonderful fresh fruit and veg juices that are out of this world!

I used to go to the Hair Gallery a while back but now I tend to spend all of my waking hours in Central London... this is a lovely, independent hair salon with friendly and highly trained staff. Some clients have been going there for years and years and it's cute to see the little old ladies going there for a bit of a treat (they get an OAP discount, bless them!).

I had several hair styles at Hair Gallery and was always pleased with the results. I once had to get my hair ready for a tv appearance so I went to the Hair Gallery before going to the tv studio and I got so many compliments on how shiny and sleek my hair looked!

If you are in North London this place is worth a try.

I used to go for a swim at Oasis Sports Centre in Covent Garden and then life gets in the way and you change your habits etc but after a client told me about a drop in Ballet class at Oasis and was very impressed with the results she is getting in toning her body I want to try it out as well, so I will go back and do the class.

When I used to swim at Oasis I really enjoyed the outdoor swimming pool and it felt like being in Ibiza with music in the background and looking up at the blocks of flats surrouding the pool (just like those cheap and cheerful self catering apartments in San Antonio!). Ahhh the sweet taste of nostalgia and memories of being chatted up by a BBC subtitler...

Ticket to Hertford: check.
Day off: check.
Wahanda gift voucher: check.
The Orange Grove was a true find thanks to the listing on Wahanda: I was looking for a place where I could redeem my gift voucher and I was very impressed with the reviews for this venue.

Orange Grove is run by Prue, who formerly worked in PR and just like me left the corporate world to set up a holistic practice.

Prue is a gifted and highly skilled therapist with a results-orientated approach to wellness.

I really like the consultation process when Prue asked me about my expectations on the treatment outcomes. I was very impressed with her professionalism.

Prue has a very healing and nurturing touch and impeccable manners and attention to detail.

Well worth the trip to Hertfordshire, I can't recommend Prue's massages highly enough.

I feel totally rejuvenated and grounded. I am deeply grateful.

Sheer perfection. There are no other words to describe my facial and relaxation at the Landmark Spa today.

Sarah was my therapist again and it was good to see her, she has a natural ability to make one feel at ease and forget one's worries (I have been having a stressful week and it's only Tuesday).

I had the VOYA seaweed facial today, unfortunately I was about 5-10 minutes late on arrival but I didn't feel like the treatment was cut short or rushed. My tension melted away and my head started feeling clearer after the face and scalp massage.

I then had some time in the lovely relaxation room and in the sauna. I felt brand new.

Fine lines gone, batteries recharged, one or two pounds worth of excess body water retention lost in the sauna, enough time to be in a different dimension where time and space do not matter. I feel a million dollars.

That's what I call the perfect spa experience.

I used to go to the Surya Centre a while back when I attended tango classes with Oktango.

The venue itself is a bit bland and cold, I haven't been back since but the tiled floor was cold and slippery and when you are dancing the tango in high heels you always fear you may slip and break something!

Having said that, I thought the facilities were ok, from the bathrooms to the bar upstairs, but I didn't think it was that welcoming. I may go back to see if anything's changed.

Today I had the collagen red light therapy treatment (free trial) and my last IPL session.

Once again the experience has been extremely positive, and I do want to come back to have more hair removal and do the red light treatment, which boosts the production of collagen to erase the appearance of scars.

You can get one free trial for 8 minutes, and it is recommended to have 10-20 minutes per session normally, as frequently as possible (even 3 times a week for best results). I have to say that just the trial session made my skin feel better, it feels smoother (of course the scarring is still there). You enter a booth similar to a sunbed and there's no contraindications.

The team in Wigmore street is very helpful and they are always happy to answer your questions, which I really appreciate.

I had laser hair removal today (by the way Wahanda you should add that to the menu list). My therapist was Judith, very personable and professional, the treatment was practically pain free and I hardly had any redness. A few hours later I have no discomfort nor redness, I am extremely happy with the treatment.
Thanks to Wahanda for providing the Mobdeal in the first place.

I went for an EMS facial, which is a non surgical facelift procedure including cleansing, toning, steam, hydrating mask and application of microcurrent to stimulate muscle tone in the face. The machine emits slight electric pulses which make the facial muscles contract and strengthen.
I noticed a marked difference in my face afterwards, my problem areas are jowl and neck and my jaw contour looked firmer and so was my double chin!
My therapist was Cloe, a quiet but very professional student, who demostrated good leadership skills as she had to ask her chatty colleagues to be quiet during my treatment. I commend her for that, as this time I was upstairs rather than in the main salon downstairs and most of the students were having a proper natter among themselves.
I am very pleased with the treatment and as usual by the warm reception at the salon.

Brilliant Zumba class tonight with Gueti. Please note that her class was previously at 7.30pm and it is now 7pm.
I spoke to other women in the class and they love Gueti because she puts her heart, soul and passion into her fitness classes. This is Zumba with a difference: Brazilian-born Gueti knows her latin music and she cleverly mixes samba, salsa, merengue, cumbia, aerobics, stretching and conditioning.
She's warm, she's energetic and she has a mission to get London shaking that booty!
I recommend her classes, even with the tube strike the place was full, Gueti followers would climb mountains to make it to her lesson.

Please note that I had the IPL hair removal today, not tanning but there isn't an option in the drop down list.
I recommend going on a Monday to have treatments as it's so much quieter and I started early as I got there 10 minutes before my appointment.
I am very pleased with the results of my first session, I had a patch test a month ago which had no side effects and I am pretty sure I shall achieve excellent results with a course of treatments.
Amie is a great therapist, we talked about health and wellbeing, we both like reading about advances in medicine so the time went very quickly indeed (and the interesting conversation was the perfect remedy for the mild discomfort of the hair removal treatment).
Very happy overall. Highly recommended.

I am so pleased with my deep cleansing facial today. My therapist was Rasita, so lovely and professional, with a beautiful healing touch.
I can't think of a better way to start the week than getting a facial on a Monday morning: not only my skin was glowing at the end, but being told that my skin looks beautiful (and I am on the wrong side of 30!) just made the day. And the week!
My skin is very sensitive and it gets very red, it's difficult for me to find the right products, I still had some redness as expected but it wasn't uncomfortable, so I am pleased with that.
The staff were super friendly, I just love this place. I will go back in 2 weeks to have another facial.

What a find. I would never have gone all the way to Battersea if it wasn't for the Wahanda Mobdeal. The spa is on the 3rd floor of a Miami-style complex comprising hotel/restaurant and residential flats (of course now I want to live in one of those flats with views over the Thames!).
The spa has a lovely Oriental theme throughout and all the staff were extremely kind.
I used the jacuzzi and sauna, then had a Swedish massage followed by tea and cupcake. My therapist was Felicia, a confident and professional young lady who joined the team recently. I asked her to work more on my shoulders and she delivered, throwing in some needed shoulder rotations for good measure. I was very happy with the treatment.
The tea is served in the relaxation room which looks better from the outside than the inside; the room itself is small and air conditioned so you need a blanket to keep warm (there were 2 blankets for a total of 3 beds, I was puzzled as it's like musical chairs for getting the blankets). My enjoyment and relaxation was spoiled by two bargain-hunters talking rather loudly in the room while I was trying to read, they were boasting about all the deals they got through Wahanda and MyCityDeal (sorry I am not interested in hearing about this). I left the relaxation room thinking I had enough of being there, which was a shame as I really enjoyed my nice soak in the jacuzzi to soften my aching muscles and my massage thereafter.
All in all I would recommend this spa to my friends, clients and contacts and I reckon I'll be back for more treatments if I am in the area.
Many thanks to all members of staff for a lovely afternoon.

I am in love with The Landmark Spa. I want to move in there.
Today I had the VOYA herbal bag massage with Sarah, the same therapist who did my body salt scrub in August.
Having a massage on a warm bed with warm towels and warm herbal compresses was divine on a crisp, sunny but chilly October afternoon.
Sarah used some seaweed-infused oil and the herbal bags contained fennel for detoxing and drainage.
This is what I describe as perfection, and I am demanding when it comes to massage being a therapist myself.
I am very grateful to the staff at the Landmark for making me feel rejuvenated and uplifted.

Yesterday I had a pink manicure to support Breast Cancer Campaign at the London College, as I will be giving an industry talk on massage this Friday and I was really interested in meeting the team there.
My therapist was Myrika, she's very focuses, talented and knows what she wants in life. She also wants to do well in her course so please go and see her on Mondays as we wants to get as much practice as possible for her exams.
The whole experience was very pleasurable, from the appointment staring bang on time, to the consultation, the manicure itself and meeting Chalene, the organiser of the industry talks for the students.
I will go back to have more treatments, I am intrigued to try more advanced techniques like the rejuvenation, slimming and hair removal treatments.
Thanks to all the team at LCBT I am very grateful.

I went to the Crawford Street branch of MJM, the owner Maurice works in both locations. I went there because it's one of the few places where you can get Moroccan argan oil and I had the argan oil hair conditioning treatment.
The shop has a lot of potential, it just needs a bit more energy but if you are looking for a haidresser at a reasonable price offering no nonsense service then MJM is the one.
The hair conditioning treatment lasted 30 mins (without blow dry which I didn't have) and I paid £10 and I bought a bottle of argan oil too as I've been looking for it everywhere and couldn't find it.

Today I went to have IPL laser permanent hair removal (there's no such option in the Wahanda drop down list but they offer it). Please note that you have bought the Mobdeal for IPL it is not yet available in Knightsbridge I am told, but it will soon.
The Mobdeal was excellent value for 3 sessions. The treatment itself is not painful and is over in 30 mins (depending on the area).
My therapist Amy was so knowledgeable and I really enjoyed talking to her, she ensured she answered all my questions.
The venue is just OK, small and a bit crammed, but there's some nice touches like if you use a sunbed and buy your lotion you can keep your lotion there and put your name on it.
The only minus point is that I had to wait 20 mins and the consultation form was all tip-exed as they didn't have enough time to prepare for the surge in demand. It seems head office didn't communicate the offer on time to the Wigmore Street branch so there were many more clients than usual to get through the day.

I had a fantastic time today at Nuffield Health Marshall Street. I went there as part as the open weekend, and I am very grateful that the centre was open to the general public for free.
The whole building has been tastefully redecorated and refurbished and I was so impressed with the swimming pool, which is completely lined with marble and there's even a fountain that reminded me of the Gellert Spa in Budapest.
Everything was spotless, which is vital for wet areas. The staff were incredibly polite and helpful.
I tried the sauna as well, shame they don't have a jacuzzi...
I will go back on a pay as you go basis as I am not residing in the area (residents get a hefty discount), and for swimming it's a reasonable £5.25 per visit. Highly recommended.

I went to Dolphin Fitness a couple of years ago while they were still refurbishing one area that is now their spa and osteopathy clinic. The high standards in the decor and the facilities are unparalleled.
The swimming pool is excellent and so are the steam room and sauna.
Great place, great atmosphere.

I feel like Play-doh. In my book, that's good news. My back and shoulders were killing me and I needed a massage, so I booked a session with Roberto Silvestri at the Laboratory two days ago when I went to enquire about membership (which unfortunately is currently out of my budget).
I got there early just in case, funnily enough I wasn't offered a glass of water so I asked where I could get one and I went to the juice bar.
The facilities are excellent: I am particularly interested in the swimming pool and jacuzzi, currently there's no membership option just to use these facilities, you need to get a general membership including classes and training. Shame.
But let's talk about the massage: the sign of a good massage is to get what you need in the way that you want. The massage delivered and exceeded expectations. The massage therapist Roberto is also an acupuncturist and sports massage practitioner specialising in orthopaedic treatments. His wealth of knowledge and excellent technique did the talking.

Muscles eased, tendons released, stress gone. Full marks, I will come back.

Today I went to the City Golf Club because of the Wahanda mobdeal offering a free 30 minutes golf simulation session. Let me just make one minor point first: don't expect a FULL 30 minutes free golf lesson.
Apart from that I had a very pleasant experience at City Golf: I met Matt, the membership manager, who explained all the benefits of becoming a member to the club. I had about 5 practice swings on the golf simulators and the rest of the time we talked about membership.
The club itself is very swanky and has an excellent bar open only to members (the venue itself can be hired for business meetings and events).
The way I see it is that I went in there potentially to do cross-marketing/cross-referrals for my massage practice as I get many clients with back injuries after playing golf (main reason: lack of warming up). I wanted to find out more about the mechanics of golf to understand how to prevent back injuries. I will only find that out when I become a member and guess what, I will.
Ladies, take note: only 25% of members are women, so ... you never know, you might meet some interesting guys there!

I had an amazing facial which included a lovely arms and feet massage. The products are all organic and the attention to detail is excellent. I had a bit of skin sensitivity due to a product containing orange blossom, I never knew about this issue before so I am glad that I have been made aware of it.
The facial is a true relaxation experience because of the great massage and the care used in performing the treatment.

I had the laser lipo treatment on my abdomen, which involves the use of heat to break down stubborn fatty deposits. The treatment is very pleasant with circular movements using a machine which heats up gradually. At the end of the half an hour my abdomen did look smoother, unfortunately it is very expensive and you need a course of treatments to achieve lasting results but it is still very effective for instant gratification. The venue is spotless and the staff very kind and knowledgeable.

I used to go to this clinic quite regularly until I had to cut my beauty budget (sniff).

I had waxing and the laser permanent hair removal session. The therapists are very professional and attentive and the permanent hair removal is actually quite nice, where a cooling gel is applied before the laser to avoid a burning sensation. I was making good progress getting rid of hairs but I had to cut my budget unfortunately because of the recession. I am looking forward to going back for more to finish what I started.

Highly recommended.

I feel so lucky today, it's Friday 13th and I couldn't have started my weekend any better than this.

Today I went to the Landmark Spa on a rainy Friday afternoon for a body scrub treatment. As it was chucking down with rain outside and people were rushing to avoid getting soaked, inside the Landmark was just pure tranquillity and all smiles.

I got to the spa early and the lovely receptionists showed me to the waiting room and offered me fruit juice. I liked the selection of magazines and broadsheets. Both businessmen and tourists use the hotel so there were a couple of business related publications, sailing and other pursuits.

I decided to have my appointment at 2pm as it is quieter mid afternoon. I only saw one woman before me and one after me in the changing room and a couple of men had just finished using the gym.

The changing rooms are tastefully decorated and spotless, with fantastic power showers. I forgot to use the steam room, what a shame!

The therapy room was nicely decorated in dark wood which is the theme throughout the spa. The uniforms are also dark brown blending in with the rest of the decor (I got a bit confused though between receptionists and therapists both wearing dark brown uniforms).

My therapist was SARAH HACKNEY, whom I had already met at the VOYA seaweed product launch on Wednesday. She recognised me from the event, and I am ashamed to admit I didn't recognise her as the event was very busy!

Sarah has been working at the Landmark for one year and a half. She is confident, professional and extremely knowledgeable.

Sarah used a seaweed salt scrub called the Bladderwrack Body Buff, which contains organic seaweed and seaweed infused massage oils. Sarah made sure I wasn't allergic to any of the ingredients and avoided applying the product to my fingers which have currently a bit of eczema.

Sarah asked me which areas of the body I wanted more work on and she made sure she focused on such areas. The pressure applied throughout the treatment was perfect, ensuring she avoided what I call the "sandpaper effect" as she used the right amount of pressure without "grating" the skin. The effect was a noticeable and immediate improvement in my blood and lymphatic circulation.

This treatment is 45 minutes long (normal price £65 but I got 20% off because I booked it during the VOYA launch day). This included the exfoliation, shower and application of a body moisturiser. Unfortunately I couldn't treat myself as often as I would like to as this is a bit of a luxury for me, but if I ever become an international Complementary Medicine celebrity I would have this treatment (and so many more) 2 or 3 times a week.

Being a therapist I paid particular attention to the details: I really liked the background music which was soothing without noticing it, the massage bed was just OK as it wasn't very padded but neither is the one I use in my practice. I think the best therapy bed ever is the Oakworks Antigua (only £3,845!), is like sleeping on a cloud.

Back to the Landmark Spa: a little suggestion is to use a shower mitt to really wash away the seaweed scrub, as the combination of oil and salt is very sticky and it takes a while to wash off.

The indulgence continues with fluffy robe, slippers and the relaxation room: located between the swimming pool and the gym (luckily extremely quiet, the gym being empty while I relaxed in the room), the relaxation room is warm and cozy like a Sunday lie-in with the papers. As I flicked through a magazine, I sipped peppermint tea from a Japanese tea set, ate fresh strawberries (nice touch!) and felt like a princess.

The whole experience was like a dream, from booking, to getting the treatment and basking in the glow of feeling looked after, safe and warm while the stormy weather was merciless outside.

I almost forgot: I also won the VOYA prize draw today, which I had entered at the product launch the other day. I left the spa on a high, and I was already elated from the treatment.

If you haven't been to the Landmark yet I urge you to book a treatment, you don't find this level of customer service very often.

I went to the VOYA seaweed range product launch featuring treatment demonstrations at the Landmark Spa. I will go back on Friday to have a seaweed body scrub, watch this space!
Just a note to say that staff are courteous and attentive, especially the spa manager Kristina who was extremely efficient when I booked my treatment. I came out of this product launch elated, goodie bag in hand, as if I had a treatment! Courtesy and good customer service can really make a difference.

I went to a Zumba class lead by Gueti Ribas, the Brazilian fitness bombshell with so much energy she could light up the Christmas Lights on Oxford Street without any electricity!
Zumba as many of you know is the latest fitness craze mixing Latin dance with aerobics for fast and effective fat loss. You burn between 400 and 600 calories an hour and you can see it at the end when you have to wring out your t-shirt like a damp cloth!
Gueti is an amazing teacher, very inspiring and the hour goes in a flash.
Dragon Hall is also a good venue, very central (near Holborn station) and the dance studio is very spacious, I reckon we were about 40-50 people exercising there and there was enough space to do all the dance moves, arms waving and all!
I do recommend you try this drop in class at Dragon Hall, every Wednesday at 7.30pm (£7 per class and when you do 9 classes you get the 10th free, just remember to bring your loyalty card).
This is the most fun you'll have with your clothes on!

I went for a swim in Crouch End twice in the last week, first in the Lido to check if the outdoor pool had improved from last year, and secondly to use the indoor pool.
The outdoor pool was dirty because it was windy so there were many leaves floating on the surface (maybe we can pretend it's some kind of spa mud treatment?), the lawn was full of litter and the kids and teenagers were screaming, diving and splashing each other. Not my idea of a relaxing Sunday afternoon. Closing time is 7pm, my friend and I arrived at 4.30pm and most of the people were still there by 6.30, we were hoping it would get quieter after 5pm. The good thing of arriving late afternoon is that you pay a concessionary rate instead of full price.
The indoor pool was much better, the place looked clean. The pool was full of school kids so I recommend you check the online timetable, for example I went on Wednesday at 11am but at that time schoo children are using half of the pool until 12pm when the pool is then available for adults using 3 lanes for different swimming speeds.
A word of warning: many lockers are still broken from last year so you may not find a spare one at busy times to store your valuables. Bring your own towel and toiletries.

Lovely surroundings, clean and nicely designed changing rooms, I was very impressed.
I used the indoor and outdoor swimming pool and the jacuzzi (where I ended up staying most of the time as it was so nice!).

Highly recommended.

I used to be a member of this gym until 2006 - I have a friend who used to work there so I managed to get a particularly competitive membership deal. This friend still has insider knowledge of this venue and in a nutshell I would say that the classes were the best thing about this club: I particularly enjoyed the yoga and body balance classes as well as the super-energetic samba. As outside teachers were particularly good and were a major pull to bring in clients, the gym decided not to use them in an ironic twist of fate. Also the swimming pool was mostly out of bounds so you don't necessarily get your money's worth.
I hope things will improve but the whole fitness industry has taken a bit of a blow during the recession and there's less investment in equipment and facilities in general.

I have literally just come back from the Lido, it's Sunday afternoon and it was surprisingly not busy. The outdoor pool water is absolutely FREEZING so only the brave did dare going for a few laps (I managed 20).
I bought access to the Lido and the sauna and at £9.80 is not cheap for a council-run facility. The sauna and steam room are lukewarm so I do not recommend using them, I was much hotter back home in Italy sitting in the garden...
Having said that, swimming outdoors on a pleasantly warm late September afternoon was surprisingly invigorating and you do feel your muscles working and your blood pumping.

Some tips:
1. this is not a luxury environment and many lockers have been vandalised, you will spend a bit of time looking for a locker that works
2. outdoors showers are much better than the indoor showers
3. avoid the sauna but if you must check it out remember that you will need to go back to the main reception area from the Lido - I had to be accompanied by one of the lifeguards as there was no one in reception to let me in
4. some of the hairdryers have been broken but there was no sign saying that they were. Bring your own if you can.

I went to Inkaterra a few years ago after a major mudslide which almost cut off the village from the railway line. After completing the Inca Trail, this spa/hotel was a superb refuge. The rooms were earthy and homely, and after seeing so much poverty and camping on the way to Machu Picchu this spa was the epitome of luxury. Set in beautiful lush surroundings where you can spot hummingbirds and admire fabulous tropical flowers, this spa has gorgeous facilities. I had a steam and it was what I needed after trekking for days. The staff were so kind, and Inkaterra positively encourages guests to respect the environment.

I went to Espaco Nirvana in 2005 and I hope this spa is just as lovely as it was back then. It was recommended to me by the locals, and this is a luxury venue surrounded by Rio's Botanical Gardens and the Jockey Club where the rich and famous play. The decor was calming and harmonious, staff kind and helpful. The therapist didn't speak much English and my pigeon Portuguese didn't stretch too far either, but when it comes to relaxation Brazilian therapists are the best. Highly recommended.

Aah, the Gellert... good memories. When I went, in March 2007, the Gellert was undergoing major renovations, sometimes you could hear some drilling but that didn't spoil the experience. The actual hotel rooms did still look like Easter Europe during the Cold Ward, I hope they have updated them in the meantime. I decided to book at the Gellert because of a heavily advertised deal by the Hungarian Tourist Board where you could stay 4 nights for the price of 3. The spa is gorgeous with intricate mosaics and statues. I loved feeling like a Hollywood movie star when I was handed in my special card to use the guest-only lift to access the spa (the general public can also use the spa at specific times in the day, whereas hotel guests not only can descend via private lift in their robes, but they can use the pools for extended hours.). I recommend a dip in the pool at 6am if you can make it: there's hardly anyone at that time. The hot pools with healing mineral waters feel amazing, everybody commented on how much better my skin looked when I came back to London and it was simply because I was bathing in a mineral rich water (I was gorging on wonderful cakes and hot chocolate during my holiday). The staff hardly speak any English but if you say "cozzy" a lot (this is how it's pronounced by the way) which means thanks, you'll be treated like a VIP. I had a body massage and a Thai foot massage while I was there. The body massage was a bit bizarre: you are naked in front of a therapist who happy slaps her way around your body, whistling along to Hungarian radio blasting in the background.
The Thai foot massage was instead truly indulgent, it's in a different part of the spa and the decor is oriental and calming.
I do recommend a short stay at the Gellert to feel truly rejuvenated.

I have received several compliments after getting a quirky and wonderfully stylish asymmetrical haircut at Sassoon. Highly recommended.

I purchased a day pass and went to the Sanctuary one Saturday afternoon, the place was buzzing with lots of women on pampering hen weekends and one lady I talked to was given the spa experience as a birthday present. The venue is spectacular and I particularly enjoyed the swimming pool (after several attempts I even managed to get onto the famous swing...) and a fantastic massage. I spent most of the time in the steam room and jacuzzi, and it was an overall pleasant afternoon. I've realised only later in the day that I could roam around the building to the upper floors where there's windows (there's none in the basement ) and I had started feeling too cut off from the rest of the world. The Sanctuary is a splendid gem in the heart of London (and aren't those turquoise staff uniforms beautiful?). Being a massage therapist I am hard to please but in this case it's thumbs up all the way.

I often go to Neal's Yard Remedies in Marylebone as the staff are extremely knowledgeable and I have learned interesting health facts from the herbalist and Ben, the massage therapist.

Sue is a charismatic, empathetic and results-driven therapist. Being a therapist myself, I have very high expectations and Sue's unique approach based on blending various techniques, traditions and oils is exactly what I needed for my over-worked mind and body.
I warmly recommend you book a treatment with Sue, she's amazing.