At Delhi’s Sawadhee Traditional Thai Spa, relaxation is a guaranteed after-effect of the excellent services on offer. By Parvati Mohanakrishnan
It Is one of those dismal, terribly gloomy, grey days on which I have absolutely nothing planned, surprisingly. So I decide to get myself a little pick-me-up at Sawadhee Traditional Thai Spa.
Located in a verdant nook in Vasant Kunj, New Delhi, Sawadhee is known to be one of the few authentic Thai spas in town. Besides, owner Vibha Rastogi adds her personal touch to every experience offered. In fact, most of the ingredients used at the spa are homemade, be it the scrubs or the bath salts! So I know I’m in good hands.
At the spa, Rastogi directs me to the newly-added Pevonia facials on the menu. And as I catch sight of my pollution and dust-affected reflection in a mirror, I can’t help but agree that I am in desperate need of something for my face. So I let my therapist lead me from the coolth of the spa reception, up a couple of flights of stairs and into a fragrant room glowing with candlelight. Here, I change into a robe and dip my feet in a brass bowl filled with water and rose petals. The warm water and soothing ambience come together to take the gloomy out of my day and I sit back and allow the therapist to wash my feet.
I lie back with a sigh on the massage table. My hair’s held back with a band, my face is free of make-up and my mind is focussed on the mellifluous voice of the therapist. She goes about the facial, talking me through all the processes and products she’s using on my face. She examines my skin, pointing out sensitivity and pigmentation and selects the products that will best work on my skin. Then the facial starts with two rounds of cleaning, both gentle but effective. It’s somewhere between the exfoliation and massage that I fall asleep, her voice still registering somewhere in the back of my head. But it is only with a little nudge that I awaken to find that there’s a mask on my face and it’s dry!
The therapist gently removes the mask and applies a cream and a sunscreen. My skin feels fresh and beautifully clean. But I have to wait until after my Deep Tissue Massage to see how it looks. So, I remove my robe and lie face down on the bed, waiting for the therapist to return with the aromatic relaxing oil she’ll use for the massage. As the deep strokes on my back begin, I start feeling happy that I have nothing else planned for the day. Fogged over by sleep, my mind is determined that the rest of the day will be spent basking in the restful after-effects of my afternoon at Sawadhee Traditional Thai Spa.
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Try the 90-minute Lotus Signature Massage that uses a hot compress on your pressure points with a combination of Swedish massage techniques to clear blocked energy lines and improve circulation.
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