January 27, 2024
City Spa-cation; St. Martins Lane Hotel & Aire Spa
Every month I’ve been ticking off my bucket list one day at a time, I filled it with restaurants I would like to try, staycations, and exciting experiences, and it not only makes life so much easier, it gives you a diary of all of the places you’ve been, and it’s soul-fulfilling.
The universe is always listening; St. Martins Lane Hotel and Aire Spa collaborated on a brand-new package called the ‘city spa-cation’, and if you haven’t guessed already, both places were on my bucket list.
St. Martins Lane Hotel, located in the heart of Covent Garden, is a stone’s throw away from the iconic Trafalgar Square, surrounded by theatres on every corner, full of restaurants, shopping and nightlife and a five-minute walk away from the best ancient bath spa, Aire, what more could you want?
I wanted to be in a chilled head space for my city spa cation, so I headed to Covent Garden early. I roamed around the city like a tourist, visiting all the iconic London landmarks, treating myself to some flowers from a local florist and watching the street performers at Trafalgar Square whilst soaking in the summer rays. When I arrived, I felt so calm and ready for a night full of total relaxation.
At the entrance, you can see life-sized chess pieces, seats in the shape of golden teeth and quirky wooden bookcases. The hotel interior was designed by Philippe Starck and inspired by Wonderland; every corner had a different element of individuality.
I had the Deluxe Garden Room; it had a gorgeous outdoor garden terrace with huge green plants and a pink table and chairs, so you could sit out and enjoy a glass of champagne (or a cuppa tea) or even somewhere to enjoy your room service. The bedroom was all white, which you’d assume would feel clinical; the LED colour-changing lights added a wow factor. You could control which colour the room lights up in; I chose a vibrant pink as that’s my favourite manifesting colour. Pink is associated with your love chakra; it represents love, harmony and optimism.
The room has two full-sized mirrors, creating a more spacious feel; the bathroom is around the corner; it has a walk-in shower and a vanity area for you to get ready. I also received a warm welcome from the team, a gorgeous handwritten card, a sweet pastry and some bubbles to enjoy. After checking out our lovely room, we went downstairs to chill at the bar with a Grey Goose Le Fizz cocktail and some olives, excited for our long-awaited spa evening.
Aire Spa is in a historic building where the Author J.M. Barrie once lived whilst writing the classic Peter Pan; how cool! When you arrive in the Aire lounge, there’s a large wooden bookcase with rustic walls and leather sofas. It feels super old and has a lot of character. Aire spas originated in Spain around 20 years ago, and since then, they have opened Aire Spas in Spain, Denmark and the US.
I have never been to a spa experience like this one. It was the most sensual experience; the no phone policy instantly empowers you to switch off from the outside world and transports you into another dimension. We changed into our swimwear in the dressing room and headed straight for our Couples Holistic Ritual 60 treatment; this was a full-body lime and sugar scrub treatment, followed by a 60-minute full-body massage and a honey hair mask for that extra indulgence. The whole treatment, from start to finish, was so relaxing, and at the same time, there’s an element of intimacy too. I think it’s the perfect experience for a romantic date-night getaway. After your couple’s treatment; (as if you’re not already relaxed enough), you get to spend the next few hours relaxing in the six thermal baths. They’re all set to different temperatures, ranging from piping hot to icy cold plunge baths. Halfway through our experience, we enjoyed some champagne and chocolates, a lovely added treat.
The idea of this city spa cation is to unwind, reset and rebalance. Freshly showered at the spa, all we had to do when we arrived in our cosy hotel room was to get into our PJs and jump into bed! We found a rom-com to watch and drifted off into (what was one of) the most peaceful night’s sleep.
W: Book St Martins Lane Spa-cation
Written by Danielle Tobin for Luxuria Lifestyle London and International