Silom Spa

As I took the turning off the hustle and bustle of Passeig de Gràcia onto Carrer València, I came across the quaint little hobbit-like door of the Silom Spa, where I had been invited to try one of their treatments. I waited for someone to open the door, and as I made my way down the stairs, I felt like I had been flown away to a real Thai spa, only without the uncomfortable long flight and consequential jet lag.

The setting is beautiful. The spa is slightly below street level, and so the dim lighting does wonders for the relaxing trickling water fountain, calming scents wafting around the waiting area, and the tuneful music playing in the background.

I sat myself among several cushions, as I was invited to look through the list of treatments the Spa offers, after which I filled in a short questionaire about my health and the areas I wanted the spa treatment to focus on.

I chose to have the Balinese massage, which I was told was the treatment that most people who visit the spa have. It's a traditional Thai massage that applies pressure to almost all parts of the body to dissolve tensions, calm the body, induce harmony and enhance circulation.

I was invited to sit at the bar in the reception area and have a tea. It was beautifully served in a traditional ceramic teapot and mug without handles. The background music and the waterfall next to me created a tranquil, peaceful setting. As the few other visitors emerged from their treatment rooms, they offered compliments to their therapists and once again to the beaming receptionist as they departed. I hadn't doubted the spa in any way, but this was reassurance that I was in for a treat.

A quiet voice invited me to my treatment room. I sipped the last of my sugared mint tea, put on some slippers and walked through the beautifully carved double doors towards the treatment room with my therapist, Brin.

I wasn't too sure how long the massage would be (even though I'm sure it was written on the treatment menu). My phone had been stolen the previous weekend, and I had misplaced my watch. There was no opportunity for time-watching or time-keeping. I'd say that's the most relaxing way to go into a massage treatment room. I just let the calming aura of the spa and my therapist do their job, without worrying about the time, or where else I needed to be.

I was immediately relaxed. My therapist wrapped me in a warm towel, and put quite high pressure on certain areas of my body. She told me to inform her if at any point I felt uncomfortable or the pressure was too much. At this point, it probably was a bit harder than I expected, but it was only temporary and I only grimaced slightly. I felt confident that the therapist knew what she was doing, and so let her guide the treatment, rather than telling her what to do.

Brin began to remove the towel, limb by limb, as she eased the tension and began the relaxation part of the massage. Now, I wasn't in any way stressed before I walked into the spa. I'm not sure why, but when I was given the options of various types of oil I'd like during the massage, I chosen lemongrass oil for calming stress. I did question why immediately after I chose it, but anyway, it's unsurprising that I was so chilled out during the treatment that I actually fell asleep.

I drifted in and out of consciousness, as the therapist silently moved around the massage bed where I lay. The music was beautiful. It wasn't the typical crashing waves and trickling water, but the simple melodies of pianos and guitars. They were sensitive and calming, and were a perfect contribution to the relaxing environment of the spa and the treatment.

Once the massage came to a natural end, I showered off the excess oil, and went and sat in the relaxation room with another mug of mint tea. There was nobody else in the room, but with an abundance of cushions and tables, beautiful carved sculptures on the walls, looking onto a courtyard with trees and bamboo, I imagined it would be a lovely place to sit and talk among friends after your treatments.

I felt free to leave in my own time. Once I felt a little more awake, and when I decided I was ready, I took in one last breath of this paradise, and made my way back towards the reception, where I was greeted once again by the charming receptionist. I still had no idea what time it was, and to be honest, I didn't really care. I was so relaxed, and so peaceful. The whole experience had been extremely idyllic. I braced myself as I walked back out of the hobbit-like door. As I returned to street level, and saw the cars shooting past, it was a shame to have regressed back to reality. I reminded myself of one of the spa's taglines, "There are places where perfect moments happen all the time".