Morning/Afternoon/Evening all (Delete as applicable based on your timezone!)
Those of you that follow us on Facebook will know that I'm currently on my holidays galavanting around Argentina - sadly I return on Wednesday - much the delight of Annalisa I'm certain!!
As my holiday was drawing to a close, I decided to treat myself to a bit of pampering, I was lucky(?) enough to be accidentally upgraded to a 5* hotel for the last part of my journey so I thought I'd make use of the facilities. I'm currently staying the the Pousada Los Alamos hotel based in El Calafate. This is a small town on the shores of Lago Argentino - the largest lake in South America. It is also the prime location for anyone visiting the Glaciars in the National Park here. I visited them yesterday and I have to say, they were incredible, I've never seen anything like in my life.
Anyway, back to the point of my blog. I popped over to the spa - named the Humus Spa, with a tag line of "Massages: the secret is the hands..." and booked myself in for the "Post Glaciar" treatment, according to the menu, this is what it was:
Name: Post Glaciar
Duration: 70 min
Cost: 250Pesos (Approx £37)
Description:
Body Scrub with poppy sedes and silica cream. It renews the skin, stimulates circulation and prepares the skin for new products.
Relaxing massage from toes to head, with linden oil.
Elongation and stretching : it oxygenates the tissues and achieves a relaxed body posture.
It provides the body with balance and well being, by exercising the back and the upper and lower body.
In reality, was it like that, well yes to a degree I guess it was. It was what I'd call "nice" I know there are language barriers whenever you go for treatments in non-english speaking countries, but there wasn't even an attempt made to ask me what I did/didn't want/like. So in summary I've broken down my critique into the Therapiist, the location and the treatment.
Location:
Part of the spa complex which comprises a gym, a large pool, sauna, steam room and jacuzzi
The room was small but adequate, the "ambient" noise was a combination of Enya on a cd playing in the room, and the noise of screaming children splashing around in the pool, not ideal to relax too
Lighting was dimmed, that was ok
Temperature, again no problem there
Couch...Oh My, I don't think I have ever been on a couch more uncomfortable in my life. It was an odd shap for a start, and the legs slightly elevated so when prone I was not comfy at all. There wasn't a face cradle, instead it was a couch with a face hole. I detest these kinds of couches...anyone that has met me will know I'm a tall guy - 6ft 4" - so a couch with a face hole really doesn't help, my legs were way off the end. The other reason I don't like this kind of couch is that the holes are usually either too big or too small, really hard on the face and there is no way to make adjustments. I tend to like the face cradle at a very slightly lowered angle.
Therapist:
She was pleasant in that she told me her name and told me to "Lie face down and relax arm" - I understood that, but there was no consultation and not once before or during the treatment did she ask what pressures I liked or if I was comfortable in anyway. She was caked with makeup and had sharp long nails.
Treatment:
The scrub was nice, nothing special and has left my skin feeling lovely and soft. The total treatment was supposed to be 70mins, it was more like 60, so given I had a scrub and a massage in that time, you can probably guess it wasn't brilliant.
The massage element of the treatment was basically just lots and lots and lots of effleurage over and over and over again, with just her hands, no elbow work at all, how she manages day in day out without injury I don't know...well actually I do - anyone can just do efflerauge with no prossure I guess! There was also so much oil I felt like I was being basted ready for the oven - no questions about the oil either, I have no idea what it was - It smelt nice but could have been anything. There was little to no pressure and she used maybe 2 other techniques, one of which was "pressure" points to the occiput - firstly she was nowhere near my occiput and secondly just dug her nails in, as I was prone and she couldn't see me wincing she had no idea that this was actually quite painful.
After doing the back of my legs, I turned over and she massaged my chest and neck - this was actually the best bit of the massage where she incorporated a few stretches. She uncovered my legs, did the front of both and then just walked out the room leaving my legs still uncovered. I wasn't quite sure what to and whether I should get up or not. I stayed there for a few moments, she then returned and said "When I was ready I could get up and change, and could I make sure I sign the voucher on the way out" (So it could be charged to my room) No water, no "How was it" or "How are you feeling"
Hmmmm, so you could say that my first experience of a Hotel Spa massage has left me not partcularly wanting anymore. It certainly makes me realise how important good training is and I feel privileged to be able to go back to the UK knowing the standard of therapists that study with Inspire leave with good grades and a good solid awareness of what is right and wrong and how important it is to listen to the clients needs. Another tale for me to relay to the new ITEC intake in a few weeks!!
Not a serene and relaxing as seeing the glaciars was yesterday that's for sure, here's a little picture of what one of them looked like!
