It’s one thing to leave a spa feeling like a new person. It’s quite another to leave looking like one, too. Thai Square Spa delivers on both counts.
Located in its new home at the south end of Northumberland Ave, it’s just a short walk from both Trafalgar Square and the banks of the Thames. It boasts its own salon, as well as the usual steam, sauna and Jacuzzi spaces.
Visiting late last year, I experienced a true sensation of respite as a cold and dreary winter night thrashed the city outside. The entire staff worked to heighten the tranquility, rarely communicating in anything more than a hushed whisper.
You feel immediately soothed upon arrival. The moody lighting, abundance of gold, and the scents of honey, spice and black pepper are immediately transportive.
The fantastically grand but never ostentatious Thai artefacts were fascinating, adding a distinct flavor that other more soulless spas lack. I felt like I was a guest at a royal household.
There were a few Roman and Turkish touches mixed in – such as Roman columns in the restoration area. These I was less keen on. For me, they confused the ambience.
My three-hour visit was split into three parts. First, I showered and then enjoyed the facilities completely undisturbed.
This area of the spa is petite but cosy, with a less fussy appearance. (Huge horse’s head sculpture pictured below notwithstanding).
I enjoyed the sauna, steam, Jacuzzi on rotation, before plunging my wrists into the ice fountain and drinking copious amounts of water. I repeated this on a loop at least five times. It’s worth visiting for this alone.
Then, the treatment. I opted for a straightforward but perfectly-executed Gentleman’s Facial. Intoxicatingly-scented towels and nimble fingers sent me to sleep in minutes.
The oils were sumptuous and 100% organic; they agreed with my complexion completely. What amazed me was how out for the count I was: the therapist employed such lightness of touch that I was rarely woke.
My skin benefitted hugely, and even looked in half decent shape following a long haul flight the following week.
Beyond facials, Thai Square offers an exhaustively comprehensive range of therapies (and prices).
Some sound truly epic: the two-and-a-half-hour Thai herbal ceremony oil massage, including a herbal steam and exfoliation, for example, and a two-hour hot jade stone massage.
Men are well catered for: there are actually three facial options specially geared for male skin. The classic hot towel and the collagen recharge are both one hour, while the ‘Majestic Jade Facial Treatment’ lasts 90 minutes.
I rounded off my evening with a quick stop at the small, on-site salon. My stylist had his work cut out, literally. I have long hair and an odd hairstyle. He tried his best to accommodate my inane requests in the hour allocated, and although he cut a little more off than I wanted, I was happy with the end result. Sweetly, he seemed blissfully unaware of the fact I was reviewing, and was pleasantly chatty, asking me about my job and my life. It was a nice contrast from the brooding atmosphere elsewhere, and rounded off the experience nicely.
For more information, visit ThaiSquareSpa.com.
My therapist to enjoy half an hour of 
