It’s fair to say that London is a pretty hectic city. There are roughly 8.9 million people living in London, and 20.42 million visitors flock to the city every year. So it’s always busy, always fast-paced, and there’s always something going on.
Whilst this is great and means that the capital is one of the best places to visit and live in the world, it also means it often doesn’t make for a very relaxing holiday. Especially as there’s so much to see and do there, you can often feel like you need another holiday after visiting London.
Luckily though, there are some absolutely incredible, world-class spas to help you relax and rejuvenate during your time in the city. We’ve rounded up some of our favourite spas in Kensington, really near our fabulous Park Grand Kensington Accommodation.
This means you can roll out of bed, enjoy a delicious Indian Afternoon Tea in our Park Grand London Kensington Restaurant with us – learn more here – and enjoy all the relaxing benefits of a spa in minutes.
Four Seasons Spa
Make sure you ask your beauty therapist to keep the curtains at the Four Seasons Hotel spa open. As well as an opulent Park Lane postcode, each therapy room provides floor-to-ceiling windows with exceptional views over the nearby Hyde Park. Though rest assured – what’s inside the room is just as impressive! Wear a fleecy dressing gown and comfortable flip-flops, then head towards the heat therapy rooms finished with a sauna and pool. The broad array of treatments covers massages, facials, wraps, scrubs nail treatments and more, all of which encompass high-end products from labels like ESPA and The Organic Pharmacy. Then, you can head to one of their dimly-lit rest pods where you can enjoy a hot cup of tea and some snacks, while you put on some headphones and let the relaxing effects of your treatment really settle in.
The Porchester Spa
A brief walk from Royal Oak tube station, and located near the Park Grand London Kensington, this leisure centre dates back to 1929. What’s great about this one is that it still has its initial green and white tiling intact, so it feels like a really classic, traditional British spa. It’s a huge hit with London residents who are looking for a cheap way to unwind and has become popular with tourists in recent years too. For those looking to stay active on their trip to London, you’ll be pleased to know there’s a 30m swimming pool to have a swim around in. But for those looking to simply relax and unwind, you can more than do that too. There are two steam rooms, three Turkish hot rooms, a sauna, plunge pool and leisure area. The prices are reasonable too – for just under £30, you’ll get access to all of the above for three hours, while added luxuries like a Moroccan body scrub and an Indian head massage will cost you from £20 upwards per treatment.
Ushvani
This one is the place to be for total, complete and absolute indulgence in London. Knightsbridge’s Ushvani should be at the top of every spa lover’s bucket list. It was founded by Usha Arumugam with the intention of bringing an authoritative Malaysian-style resort to London. As such, Ushvani provides overworked city dwellers with an exotic escape. Kitted out with whirling cream marble and dark wood furnishings, amenities incorporate a hydrotherapy pool, steam room, couple’s suite and hibiscus tea room. The therapy menu is Asian influenced and highlights a nutmeg flower ceremony, warming herbal ritual and a spiritual Malay massage.
Como Shambhala
Located on the second floor of Park Lane’s Metropolitan hotel, this one is owned by luxury hotel group COMO. Here is where you’ll discover the little but charming Shambala spa. Their calm, friendly and welcoming staff do really set this option apart. COMO Shambhala proposes a tremendous array of enhancing treatments and professional therapies. For the body, the Detoxifying Skin Treatment, which can be reserved with a deluxe bath and massage to follow afterward, is a divine luxury. Likewise, the reflexology and acupuncture appointments are exactly the remedy for those with more specific ailments. However, if it’s your mind that could do with a bit of tender loving care instead, the spa can provide sessions with specialists in natural counselling and energy restoration, too.
Akasha Spa
Another ground floor haven in the middle of the bustling area of Kensington, Akasha sits below the Hotel Café Royal. This maze of marbled pathways guides guests to all varieties of superb spa amenities which includes the likes of a sauna, jacuzzi, steam room and even an 18-metre swimming pool. As well as all this, there are also nine individual treatment rooms allowing everything from a ‘Four Elements’ body treat to a relaxing and rejuvenating Indian massage. However, that’s just the start. The thing that really keeps visitors heading to Akasha is its Watsu hydrotherapy rituals. It’s home to London’s very first Watsu pool, and it’s here that you can experience a Shiatsu massage whilst drifting in your personal and private 35 degree-heated pool.
Cobella Kensington
The ‘Cobella experience’ was transported from the New York day spa-salon idea, and here the team are all about providing world-class hairdressing and pioneering beauty treatments all under one (very stylish) roof. With state of the art innovative technology and the best hairdressing experts in the capital, they pride themselves in offering the most different, enchanting and memorable experience. Their nurturing environment promotes both health and beauty in equal measure, which makes this quite a unique spot. It’s situated in the heart of the west-end, and it overlooks Kensington Palace Gardens. Cobella Kensington is the working fusion of two concepts; the calming elements of a world-class health spa mixed with the creative and artistic aspects of hairstyling. The private Spa is praised for its capacity to remove clients from everyday stresses and pressures and invite them to reflect, rejuvenate, relax and unwind.
