London's Best Spas

I like the idea of a London Day Spa, take a couple of hours and relax-get a massage, have some hot rocks put on your back, sit in a sauna until a good sweat builds up. London Spas are a good place to get your nails done and have your pores cleaned. Spend an hour at a London Spa getting a manicure? How about an hour getting a Indian Head Massage?

Well, I'd like a bit of time in a London Spa in a steam room and than a quick dip in a cold pool. I've always liked that whole Roman Bath kind of spa experience. Tepidarium Warm room - Caldarium Hot room - Laconium Hottest room. A series of hot, dry air rooms, which vary from moderate to intense heats. Designed to relax the muscles and relieve the pain of rheumatics.

I really like the sauna-a 'dry' heat treatment in a wood-lined room with a temperature reaching 90 C, designed to bring about perspiration to cleanse the body of impurities. I am not an expert on spas, but I have enjoyed the occasional sauna and massage.

I've always been a fan of aroma therapy as well. Some London spas aroma steam rooms giving 'wet' heat, generating temperatures of 65-70 C. The climate has a very high humidity and the steam is enriched with essence. Designed to soften the skin, cleanse the pores, calm the nervous system and relieve tension.

Spa London has something I have never tried-an ice fountain. The Ice Fountain creates ice flakes to rub all over the body, stimulating the circulation and cooling the body. Well, I guess that would do it. I think it might be fun, as long as one of those hot pools is somewhere nearby.

Acupuncture originated in China more than 2,000 years ago and is offered at Dao today in London. I have never tried acupuncture, but I like the idea that the body can be healed with a few taps of a needle on the right spot. I think I'm more likely to stick with the hot rocks. Hot stone therapy uses smooth water-heated basalt stones and carefully applied to key points on the body. This direct heat relaxes the muscles, which means that the massage itself is more effective and intense than it would be otherwise

A trip to a London Spa would be a good way to relax after a hard day of sightseeing, or maybe before a hard day of sightseeing.

Below is a list of some of London's Best Spas, in no particular order.

Spa London
York Hall Leisure Centre, Old Ford Road, Bethnal Green, E2 9PJ

Beauty Works West
Lambton Place, Notting Hill London W11 2SH

Dao
41 Parkway London, NW1 7AH

The Sanctuary
12 Floral Street, Covent Garden, WC2E 9DH

Agua at the Sanderson
50 Berners Street London, England W1T 3NG

Mandarin Oriental
66 Knightsbridge, SW1X 7LA

Spa Illuminata
63 South Audley Street . London . W1K 2QS

The CityPoint Spa at the City Point Club
1 Ropemaker Street EC2Y 9AW

Incredible You
40 Moreton Street London SW1V 2PB

Berkeley Spa
Wilton Place Knightsbridge London SW1X 7RL

Elemis Day Spa
2-3 Lancashire Court Mayfair London W1S 1EX

Pacifica Day Spa
1 Courtnell Street, Notting Hill, London W2 5BU

Bloww Salon and Spa
4 Regent Place, London, W1B 5EA

Urban Retreat
5th floor, Harrods, 87-135 Brompton Road, SW1X 7XL