With the festive season approaching, it’s important to find time to treat yourself.  Here are five of our favourite London spas where you can relax, de-stress, find your balance and give yourself that most precious of all gifts: peace.

GET BACK TO NATURE AT THE MANDARIN ORIENTAL

The Mandarin Oriental is known for its first-class service and hospitality, and this extends to their spa and wellness offerings. The Aromatherapy Associates Forest Therapy Massage is the ultimate mind and body rejuvenation. The treatment begins with a short aromatherapy-based breathing exercise before moving on to a relaxing signature massage. Using soothing oils with natural scents, the therapist concentrates on knots and pressure points in the muscles, releasing tension and relieving stress throughout the entire body. Warm mud is applied to the hands and feet and an experiential facial rounds off this ultimate relaxing treatment.
Forest Therapy Treatment, £195 for 80 minutes, mandarinoriental.com

DE-STRESS AT AKASHA

Located in the basement of the Hotel Café Royal, the entrance to the Akasha Holistic Wellbeing Centre really has the wow factor. After enjoying the complimentary herbal tea, enter the calming Hammam steam room (pictured left) and empty your mind and body of all thoughts and aches. Then let the therapist give your back and neck a long, relaxing massage, and guide you through the helpful breathing techniques and personal messages of positive affirmation. Afterwards, take in the relaxation room’s soothing sounds and ambience, before segueing to the 18-metre pool for a head-clearing swim. Afterwards, as you head out onto a peripatetic Piccadilly, recall the positive affirmation that you worked on with your therapist in order to maintain a stress-free mindset. The treatment may only last an hour, but the effects will linger for days.
De-Stress 60 minutes for £150, hotelcaferoyal.com

HIGH TIMES AT CLOUD TWELVE

Tucked away in a Notting Hill mews, Cloud Twelve is a unique wellness and lifestyle hub with an indulgent spa, luxury salon and holistic wellness clinic. We recommend popping in for the newly launched Deep Relief CBD Oil Massage – a style of treatment that’s becoming very popular in many London spas. Harnessing the natural power of organic, superior grade CBD oil from KLORIS, this soothing treatment combines deep tissue massage, stretching, aromatherapy and singing bowls to balance the mind, body and soul. Working on a deep level to aid the reduction of overall stress and anxiety as well as providing pain relief and speeding up the healing process, this is the perfect treatment for those looking for a 360-degree massage experience.
Signature Deep Relief CBD Oil Massage, £165 for 60 minutes, £220 for 90 minutes, cloudtwelve.co.uk

WHY ALLBRIGHT IS WELL LIT

Situated in various locations across London, the AllBright all-women members’ clubs offer women a space to work, network and unwind. The 58 Wellness Hub in the Mayfair branch offers members, and the public, a range of treatments from facials and massages to psychotherapy and reiki. The 30-minute LED Essential Pick Me Up and Treatment Mask uses clinically proven Blue, Red and Near Infrared wavelengths to promote skin health. Regenerating and repairing the skin cells, the process ensures continued benefits even after the treatment has ended. While the LED lamp works its magic, you receive a stimulating arm or leg massage to set you up for the day.
LED Essential Pick Me Up and Treatment Mask, Single treatment £50 for 30 minutes, Six-treatment package available from £250, allbrightcollective.com

URBAN RETREAT HOTS UP

The White House, Urban Retreat’s first stand-alone concept destination located in Knightsbridge, focuses on providing a personalised client experience across beauty, health and wellbeing. It also offers a roster of the finest medical and holistic doctors, practitioners and experts all under one roof. If you’re short on time, but in need of a few precious moments of relaxation, we recommend a 45-minute Infrared Sauna session. Set to a whopping 60˚C , the treatment makes you sweat like never before. Working to detoxify the body, relieve muscle pain and ease aching joints, as well as boosting the immune system and improving the look and feel of the skin, this is a one-stop shop kind of treatment.
Infrared Sauna, £45 for 45 minutes, urbanretreat.co.uk