Health Spa Reviews - Life Day Spa, an urban spa perfection

    

Review by Carien Wandrag

Discovering Life Day Spa is like getting an early Christmas present! I think that a little sideline story will best summarise my overall impression… One of my friends recently went to Octavia's at Emperors Palace for a spa day and came back raving about this fantastic, opulent, Romanesque venue. I didn't think much of it… till now, of course, when I discovered that the owners of Life are also the owners of Octavia's. After seeing what they have achieved with Life, I can in principal recommend any of their spas.

Life made me rewrite one of my own policies. I learnt the pleasure of combining panel beating with pampering, thus taking a new view on my cardinal rule: at the right place, you can and would want to do both. I dare you to try it. Perhaps a country spa day should remain sacrosanct. However, one can view urban spas slightly differently. I had never thought about it the other way round: if you have to endure agonising or tedious "must-have" treatments like waxes or tints, why not do it somewhere really divine and for good measure, reward yourself! At Life, you can do all the "must-haves" AND spend a bit of time in the steam room or heated, oxygenated relaxation spa bath. How about 10 minutes in the Swiss Shower? Ever wondered what to do while waiting for your nails to dry? There is a hair salon upstairs. Why not have your hair done! (PS: I know that this is not a hair salon review, but this salon has the most awesome hair wash section - with self-adjustable, remote controlled seats… dimmed lights… soothing music… head and foot massages…)

Speaking of tedium, why not transform an ordinary team brainstorm morning into an unforgettable outing? Or impress your international clients with a strategy session with a twist? Host it at Life's conference room and add some treatments, perhaps at the end of the day, to melt away the intensity of all the thinking. Interestingly, I also bumped into a woman while I was there who had cleverly taken all her clients on a spa day. I would be her client for life. They can cater for you and your clients from the onsite restaurant. One of the highlights of Life is that it is central and easy to find. It is located behind Extreme Nissan, just off William Nicol Drive, a stone's throw from the N1. So, to collate a group of people to get there is fairly simple - you can get there quickly and without hassle no matter which direction you are coming from.

The design and lay-out of the spa is stylish and well-planned. Water channels cross your path everywhere you walk and add to the overall tranquillity inside. Each treatment room is dominated by a beautiful picture on one of the walls that sets a distinct and gorgeous theme. Even the ceilings in the rooms have been designed to maximise the glow and reflection of the various coloured lights that switch on and off during your treatment.

The ScenTao treatment that I had takes only an hour and 45 minutes. It is ideal for business people in a hurry or if you don't want to spend an entire day at the spa. ScenTao magically does for you what an entire day of treatments would normally do. I was amazed to discover this ultimate "shortcut" treatment. ScenTao is a complete face and body anti-stress experience, with one outstanding advantage: I found, as promised by Cheri who did my treatment, that whilst my body was in a complete state of luxurious, lazy bliss, my mind was sharp and focussed. The products and techniques used don't leave you feeling drowsy or woozy, it leaves you feeling invigorated, yet relaxed, ready to go back to work and finish that problem that you have been struggling with the whole day. It was rather extraordinary to experience this as most treatments leave one wanting to nap.

The spa menu is filled with a wide and wonderful selection of therapies for EVERY mood or need. I suggest that you start at a point and work your way through all of them! What is also exceptional is the way the menu is written - they make every treatment sound like the best treatment to have. They have swayed my opinion in many ways, even a Classic Manicure or Pedicure is now off my list of boring must do's and onto my Life list of it sounds too good not to have! I was riveted by the wording - each treatment seemed more enticing and delectable than the next. Life's spa menu is the equivalent of the food menu in a top restaurant - every description makes your mouth water.

This is a spa that will constantly renew itself with ideas for new treatments and how they can improve on the space. I doubt if anyone will be able to go there only once, you may as well make it a part of your lifestyle. Life is life. …And, of course, I can't wait to see what they have done with their new spa in the Michelangelo Towers...

---

»Read more reviews