Massages at The Klinik
Massages come in two forms: pampering and theraputic. In a perfect world, every place would perfectly combine both elements, delivering you to a transcendental place of mental and physical bliss. But let's face it, they almost never do.
I've had massages at Spa NK, Bliss New York and London, and a host of other spas around the world. Most have been fine, a few have been stellar, and some have been surprisingly dismal.
But some of the best theraputic massages I've had have been down the road at Klinik on Devonshire Row.
Full disclosure: they're pregnancy massages, which makes it all the more amazing that they rank toward the top of my massage experience.
The experience of finding a spa that will massage a pregnant woman is a bit of a challenge. Practitioners who aren't properly trained won't do it, lest they cause a miscarriage in the first trimester (a mostly unfounded fear) or send you into labour later (something many women wish could be done so easily).
Elemis in the British Airways lounges won't touch you, although their London day spa will (on a beanbag). The Mandarin Oriental in Bangkok will give you the lightest rub-down ever (on your side), and the Marriott in Phuket will only give you a head massage. The Four Seasons in Hampshire will give you a treatment that includes a back massage administered over a V-shaped pillow (but that may change in the future).
All of these experiences left me wanting a more thorough bodily experience, which is where the belly bed comes into play.
Klinik has one (as does Bliss and Spa NK), which automatically puts them in a league of their own. (For the uninitiated, this is a bed with a hole for the belly so the pregnant gal can lay on her stomach - an impossibility otherwise.) Spas offering pregnancy massages without such beds make it impossible for the woman to fully relax, and impossible for the therapist to use full strength.
And if there's ever a time a woman wants full-strength, it's when she's carrying around 10 kilos neatly bundled in her belly.
While Klinik is not luxurious, for someone looking to better their physical condition, it's one of the best options around. That it's almost across the street from Liverpool Street Station and a comparable bargain makes it even better.
Klinik also offers Pilates, Reiki, Sports Massage, Acupuncture and a variety of other treatments, and most one-hour treatments are approximately £60. James, the owner and primary massage therapist, offers 10 sessions for the price of eight, which brings the price down to £48/massage, a veritable London bargain indeed.
Not that a pregnant woman needs any convincing this is a deal not to miss....
But some of the best theraputic massages I've had have been down the road at Klinik on Devonshire Row.
Full disclosure: they're pregnancy massages, which makes it all the more amazing that they rank toward the top of my massage experience.
The experience of finding a spa that will massage a pregnant woman is a bit of a challenge. Practitioners who aren't properly trained won't do it, lest they cause a miscarriage in the first trimester (a mostly unfounded fear) or send you into labour later (something many women wish could be done so easily).
Elemis in the British Airways lounges won't touch you, although their London day spa will (on a beanbag). The Mandarin Oriental in Bangkok will give you the lightest rub-down ever (on your side), and the Marriott in Phuket will only give you a head massage. The Four Seasons in Hampshire will give you a treatment that includes a back massage administered over a V-shaped pillow (but that may change in the future).
All of these experiences left me wanting a more thorough bodily experience, which is where the belly bed comes into play.
Klinik has one (as does Bliss and Spa NK), which automatically puts them in a league of their own. (For the uninitiated, this is a bed with a hole for the belly so the pregnant gal can lay on her stomach - an impossibility otherwise.) Spas offering pregnancy massages without such beds make it impossible for the woman to fully relax, and impossible for the therapist to use full strength.
And if there's ever a time a woman wants full-strength, it's when she's carrying around 10 kilos neatly bundled in her belly.
While Klinik is not luxurious, for someone looking to better their physical condition, it's one of the best options around. That it's almost across the street from Liverpool Street Station and a comparable bargain makes it even better.
Klinik also offers Pilates, Reiki, Sports Massage, Acupuncture and a variety of other treatments, and most one-hour treatments are approximately £60. James, the owner and primary massage therapist, offers 10 sessions for the price of eight, which brings the price down to £48/massage, a veritable London bargain indeed.
Not that a pregnant woman needs any convincing this is a deal not to miss....
Here Is The Writer : Sarah Western
Sarah Western Balzer is the managing director of HITC Life and is always on the hunt for reader-writers, so if you're one, make yourself known (sarah.western@hereisthecity.com). Sarah's other job is running a business that helps expats with lifestyle relocation, and is always on the hunt for clients, so - you guessed it: www.arrivalslimited.com. Sarah moved to London five years ago from New York but is originally from Florida, and still suntans like it's 1989. She is so grateful to the banker who introduced her to Here Is The City that she married him, and they live in Wapping with their son.
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