Sauntering through the gardens, murmuring waterfalls and serene lotus ponds of the Leela Hotel Mumbai is in itself such a luxuriously immersive experience that you would want to imagine what experiencing the spa aligned to its splendour would be like. On a similar impulse, I headed off to the Spa at the Leela and was all set to indulge my senses in a two-hour long spa therapy that epitomized to me the very essence of the Leela.
Located at the lower level of the hotel, the spa is wow-inducing at the very first sight. The wafts of blended oil greet me while the warmth of natural wood and the allure of mute colours create a win-win interior impression of the spa. I’m then asked to fill a consultation form to highlight my problem areas, post which I am escorted to my treatment room.
I am told that the spa houses 4 multifunctional single treatment rooms and one luxurious couple suite. The interior sensibilities of the treatment rooms represent minimalism with the use of the muted browns and a low-key décor that keep it classy. There aren’t too many candles and flowers but the signature fragrance still does have a mysteriously calming effect on you.
My treatment for the day was the Essence of the Leela, one of the signature treatments at the spa. My therapist Sophai offered me a bespoke music menu with 4 choices of music to choose from. The ambience music had to be my pick, given its captivating beats that I lost myself to. Just as my treatment starts off with a foot soak and scrub, I could well gauge how well-trained my therapist was.
I am then scrubbed with the ESPA Exfoliating Body Polish that is packed with the goodness of Apricot Kernel & Spearmint. With its refreshing aroma and cooling properties, my skin tingles with glee. After a full body exfoliation, the holistic treatment continues with the placing of hot stones at energy points on my hands, feet and on the various chakras on my body.
I feel my stresses being melted away by the hot stones as my therapist works her magic on the critical tension points around my eyes and ears. This is followed by gentle stretching to help release deep – seated tension around neck and shoulders, leaving my body feeling soothed and my spirits calm. Sophai follows this up by cleansing my face with the ESPA Hydrating Cleansing Milk that is a luxe concoction of rose geranium and chamomile.
The music in the background lulls me into slow motion, and so do the ministrations of my therapist. Cocooned in layers of warm towels, I am administered with a head massage using the ESPA Pink Hair Scalp Mud. Being transported to a reverie of sorts marked an end to my delightful therapy and I reluctantly rise, thanking my therapist for the two-hour long bliss I experienced.
I love how the spa touches upon a tailor-made experience by letting customers decide on everything from the music to the luxurious ESPA oils. The ESPA products sourced from UK are one of the biggest highlights of the spa and take the experience a notch higher. Taking into view, the brilliant spa products, my experienced therapist and the attention to detail, I felt that my spa treatment left no stone unturned to appease the wellness seeker in me.
Post the two hours of indulgence, I felt an uncanny energy take over me- ready to take on the world outside those restful walls. And alas, the spa at the Leela proved that there are a few better things on earth to be rocked into your whole and most exuberant self than a spa therapy of restoration, subtly and delicately executed.
Price: Rs 8,625 + taxes
Where: The Leela Mumbai
Andheri Kurla Road, Sahar,
Andheri East, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400059
Contact: + 91 22 6691 1234
Note– The critic was invited by The Leela Mumbai. But all the opinions expressed herewith are her own.
