If you are a regular reader of C&D, then you would know that I have been travelling like crazy since the past 4 months..crazily! I am sure I have complained about it in some previous posts here and it also led to a nice "Travel Bag" series (thank you for liking it girls!). But that was the only good thing that came out from all the travelling..Okay, one more thing..I am back in Bangalore (after a years gap) now for my dental post-grad!! *Hooray*
Anyway, courtesy all the hectic travel and exams, all the "me-time" was close to nil and my skin was absolutely tanned, dull, dry and sallow.. lots of travel and exams would do that you.
When Maithili, from the Four Fountains De-Stress Spa invited me for a therapy and review, it couldn't have come at a better timing! I needed some TLC and I was back in Bangalore.. perfect :)
(And a big thank you to Maithili and Four Fountains Spa, Sadashivnagar. Both were very considerate and agreed to change my appointment timing at the last minute).
Before I tell you anything, I must confess that I love spas! I love massages and if the world ran on my command, I would get one every 2nd day :P :P
Coming back, I chose the Four Fountains De-Stress Spa at the Sadashivnagar branch, Bangalore.. They are also based in Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi, Gurgaon and Pune.
For covering all aspects of my experience, let's go point wise. Ok?
Welcome and Decor :
The first thing I noticed felt even before I entered the spa was the refreshing aroma of Lemongrass! How I love that fragrance. It instantly lifted up my mood and gave a fresh boost of energy. And it is diffused in the entire spa premises to de-stress you. (anyone else a fan of this fragrance?).
The entire area is lit with soft yellow lights which gives a very calm cozy feel. The decor is kept quite minimalistic but nice and not at all cluttered.
There are these guides up on the wall to help you choose a therapy. While you wait for your room to get ready, you can get a light back massage from those wooden beads in the reception seating area and all the door handles were the accupressure kinds..small thoughtful details :)
Services provided :
The Four Fountains De-Stress Spa provides more than 20 services that are categorized into 4 broad types
1) De-Stress (reducing body aches, mental tension and tiredness).
2) Detox (involving a body scub and wrap).
3) Immunity (ayurvedic massages).
4) Beauty (skin glow and anti ageing)
You can read more about each therapy here.
You can choose the service you like and a therapy under it. After which, the in-house doctor asks you a set of questions to assess your stress level. You could also ask the doctor to recommend a service best suited for you in case you are unsure.
Since I had experienced oil massages before I wanted to try out something new. Plus I have been having these terrible aches (mainly in my knee and shoulder area) so I opted for the Signature Green Tea Scrubassage which sounded just like what I needed.
A little about the therapy : 'Scrubassage' is a combination of a scrub and a massage. It is performed using a special blend of clove and green tea leaves infused in a cream base. Clove is known for its pain relieving properties and reduces soreness of muscles. The fine grains of green tea increase blood circulation and exfoliate dead skin cells. Green tea is rich in anti-oxidants which prevent potential damage from free radicals, thus promoting longevity. We recommend not having a soap bath at the end of a scrubassage.
I was taken to my room once it was ready and the lady leaves me alone to change, but have to take a selfie first! :D
Comfort :
To begin with only the same gender therapists are provided for your comfort. I spoke to my therapist briefly before the session started and she is working with Four Fountains for quite some time now...I was relieved to know I had someone experienced.
You can see what the rooms look like below. (and if you look closely, you can spot me too, with the manager). They also had a couples room.
Each room is softly lit when the therapy starts for your comfort. I also liked the system of the in the room lockers where you can keep your belongings safe.
Once the therapy starts you can blissfully doze off in the dim lights and soft soothing music playing in the background.
Hygiene :
You are provided with a set of disposable undergarments, which is very convenient. The massage bed is covered with clean disposbale sheet as well. Plus every room has an attached shower cubicle with clean towels, shampoo and bodywash.
Therapy :
Once I changed and ready, I called my therapist by ringing a bell. She asked me to lie face down (and I found myself looking at a pretty bowl with lots of rose petals.. though I think I looked at it for barely 5 minutes. I dozed off once the therapy began!). She started by cleaning my feet and then proceeded with the scrub massage. Since I had told the doctor previously about the neck-shoulder and left knee pain, my therapist thoughtfully spent extra time on these areas to help relax the muscles. The whole time she was very attentive, asking about the level of pressure and comfort. She even reduced the AC on her own since I was cold. She just noticed the goosebumbs and I never had to ask her.. very attentive!
Since I was trying out a scrub massage for the very first time I was quite excited. The product itself felt like it was doing its job. The clove was giving a slight tingly sensation and the exfoliating granules were doing their job well too.
Another good thing I liked was the additional sheet provided which the therapist used to cover up body parts that she was not working on at that moment. It made sure I felt very comfortable about my privacy.
The whole session including my brief shower lasted a little over an hour. Once I was clean, dry and changed, I headed out of the room back to the reception area, where I was served a hot cup of green tea (while I filled the feedback form) to continue my relaxed feeling.
The doctor also gave me a pot if relaxation balm I could use and a chart showing various excercises to relieve my shoulder/neck and knee pain along with a healthier diet plan to follow :)
Price Range :
The therapies are priced quite reasonably, compared to most of the other spas, and most of the services are ranged between 699- 1599. You can get good discounts on weekdays. They also offer corporate discounts.
Membership Options are also available, which I would really suggest (especially if you love massages like me). Members get great discounts and the charges for the therapy are deducted from the membership fee you paid.
Overall, I had a wonderful experience at the Four Fountains De-Stress Spa. It left me so relaxed and tension free and now I can totally start my PG course with loads of energy. I would recommend you to try Four Fountains once, if it is available in you city... I see myself coming back here soon!