Urban Healing
A gloriously sunny day borrowed from summer and I’m back in London for the first time since our extended stay in Spain. I’m in town for the launch of Healing Hotels of the World’s new brand – Urban Healing Hotels, which is being held at the Metropolitan on Park Lane.
German entrepreneurs Anne Biging and Elisabeth Ixmeier founded online tour operator Healing Hotels of the World in 2006, and have grown the business into a global brand of 80 carefully selected luxurious hotels and resorts which focus on holistic health and wellbeing. The Metropolitan is the first of six hotels already signed up to the new urban programme, which will have just one hotel in any city and a strict membership criteria that includes availability of holistic therapies, healthy dining options and a high level of sleep comfort.
Over drinks and canapés in the Metropolitan’s Como Shambhala Spa followed by a light and healthy lunch, Healing Hotels founder Anne Biging explained that the new brand was set up in response to the growing requirements of business and leisure travellers. Business guests are increasingly using spa facilities in city hotels to counteract the stress of punishing work schedules, hectic personal lives and constant travel, while quiet time unwinding in the spa is sought by leisure guests on sightseeing and city breaks.
Spa Lobby, Como Shambhala, The Metropolitan, London
I was delighted to have an opportunity to look around (but not alas, experience) the hotel’s COMO Shambhala Spa, which opened in November 2011. The spa, which is open to hotel residents and day visitors has six exquisite white treatment rooms with dark wooden floors (two of them doubles with private steam showers), an expanded gym and yoga facilities and a pleasant reception area with comfortable seating and dedicated retail space.
Asian-inspired therapies, skin care (this is only spa in the UK to offer Dr Perricone facials), exercise and yoga are the main focus of the spa menu, along with speciality treatments from guest health experts and expert therapists from Como’s other spas worldwide. Rohan Quarry Day, one of the world’s leading musculoskeletal therapists is at the spa from July to October 2012. Appointments for his restorative and energising treatments cost from £150 for 60 minutes.
Como Shambhala Single Treatment Room
Details of the Metropolitan and all other Healing and Urban Hotels of the World are on the tour operator’s excellent website. Clients can book online or contact the company at any time for help in selecting the most suitable hotel for their individual needs.
www.healinghotelsoftheworld.com
Tel: 0049(0)221-20531175
Hello Catherine, is Vanessa, Massage Therapist from the Maldives Resort, it was a pleasure to met you today, and I really hope you get some benefit from the sort treatment, i am really enjoying reading your blog,discovering many wonderful places an opportunities, thanks so much:))))
A pleasure to meet you too! I enjoyed our chat and the back and neck massage was very relaxing during a hectic and tiring day at WTM! Do keep in touch!
Catherine