09:00 in General Announcements, Oxford Social Diary | Permalink | Comments (0)
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The Randolph Hotel have been extending their reach in terms of the services they offer their customers, and their Spa and gym facilities are part of that expansion. Tucked away in the basement of the hotel, you might be mistaken for thinking you have entered a completely different world. The fact that there are no windows might have some coming out in a cold sweat, but the effect is really one of relaxation - removing oneself entirely from the frenetic pace of the city. The spa is all dark wood, mood lighting, and the kind of music often reserved for elevators or greeting cards stores (think panpipes). The main walkway of the spa is lit by lanterns leading into the Thermal Suite and gym with elegant changing rooms leading off it that provide all the privacy you require. There is a range of products available to use in the changing room, plus deluxe showers and sizeable lockers with a comfortable robe and slippers to wear around the facility.
The Thermal Suite is one of the best features of the Spa. It contains two steam rooms, two saunas, a large jacuzzi, an ice fountain, and sensation shower. The first steam room is set at 45 degrees, designed perhaps for those who can't really stomach heat. The second steam room, set at 65 degrees, also has eucalyptus, and for those with respiratory problems such as asthma, or just a horrible head cold, this room is bliss, really allowing the airways and pores of the skin to open up and breathe. The next dry sauna is okay, again for those who do not like too much heat, but the last sauna, at 85 degrees, is a treat. Fifteen minutes in there (there is a helpful timer) allows the sweat to literally pour out of the body, removing nasty toxins from the skin. The ice fountain is nothing more than a small refrigerated room to help close the pores, and the ‘sensation shower’ simply a fancy shower with three options (drench, drizzle, fragrance).
The heated Jacuzzi really is wonderful, with powerful jets easing the muscles of the body, though ideally it can only fit about two people at a time (though it is supposed to cater for around four). Sitting in here with water effervescing about you is rather wonderful, especially after the heat of the sauna. The gym features top of the range, high tech equipment, and although rather small, it perfectly caters for those people who want a workout as well as relaxation. Lastly, the relaxation room has comfortable seats to put the feet up, sip bottled water or ginger tea, and read a magazine (or have a doze). During one's stay, there is an option to have a treatment, such as the 'Aroma Back Relief Treatment', a deep massage in one of the pleasant treatment rooms. The massage specialists undo all the stress and tension in the body, after which going back to the Thermal Suite allows a deeper relaxation than before. For half a day at around £60, the Randolph Hotel Spa is a wonderful oasis in the centre of the city to hide away in.
09:05 in Oxford Social Diary | Permalink | Comments (0)
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