CITY FOCUS
The views of the city from the spa, located on the top fl oor of the hotel, give a real sense of place The Spa at Four Seasons Park Lane T
he Four Seasons Park Lane opened at the end of January after a two- year renovation project carried out
by ReardonSmith Architects and interior designer Pierre Yves-Rochon. T e 11-storey hotel features 192 guestrooms
– including 45 suites – an Italian restaurant and a sleek new rooftop spa which was unveiled in March. T e spa and gym were previously in the
basement, but have been moved to a new extension on the 10th fl oor. Designed by architect Eric Parry, the spa features nine
glass-walled treatment rooms and individual relaxation pods, a relaxation lounge – with a real fi re and 360˚ views of Hyde Park and London’s cityscape – a café and a fi tness cen- tre with views of Big Ben and the London Eye. T e men and women’s changing rooms each feature a vitality pool and a steamroom and sauna. Product houses include ESPA, T e Organic Pharmacy and Omorovicza. “I think the position of the spa at the top of
a luxury hotel on Park Lane must make this space one of the most prime pieces of real estate in the city,” says Christopher Norton,
FIRST-PERSON EXPERIENCE: KATIE BARNES, MANAGING EDITOR, SPA BUSINESS
The 10th floor at the top of one of London’s leading hotels isn’t the place where I would expect to end up for a spa treatment. Usually I’m ushered to a lower ground level to a tucked away space. So as I sat in the sauna at the new Fours Seasons Park Lane Spa, overlooking the hustle and bustle of the city below me I felt at peace and also privileged. I’d arrived early to enjoy the heat experi-
ences in the women’s changing rooms, but a bit of time was wasted trying to fi nd the reception which was behind closed doors and wasn’t sign posted. Not one to stand
much heat, I had a quick steam and sauna session and wallowed in the vitality pool for a bit too long as I didn’t realise there was a waiting area where I could have quietly sat and read a magazine and nibbled on the appetising snacks. However, these niggles were fast
KATIE BARNES
forgotten when I was shown my treatment room: the calming VIP
Sky Suite had fl oor-to-ceiling windows which let in lots of light. T e £175 (us$280, €200), 80-minute Hyde Park Awakening signature treatment was designed exclusively by T e Organic Pharmacy and uses ingredients that can be found in the park such as St John’s wort and marigold. It comprised a sooth-
58 Read Spa Business online
spabusiness.com / digital
ing aromatherapy foot soak, a vigorous body exfoliation and a back massage to fi nish. The lively, Jane Austen-esque, harpsi-
chord music was a bit off putting to begin with, but faded away as I switched off under the touch of my therapist who executed the experience perfectly. She had a friendly, pro- fessional and highly knowledgeable manner and picked up on all the small points which really made a diff erence – checking the pres- sure, giving me an extra pillow when she noticed I wasn’t comfortable and even wip- ing my wet slippers. Tailoring the massage to work the knots out of my shoulders was an added bonus and although the treatment didn’t work miracles, I did leave the spa feel- ing less tense and certainly more relaxed.
SPA BUSINESS 2 2011 ©Cybertrek 2011 head of the spa task force at Four Seasons.
“T e fact that Four Seasons has put a spa at the top of the hotel (rather than a restau- rant) speaks volumes about how much we value spas. T e USP of all of our spas is to create a sense of place: if you look at the amazing views we have here, plus our sleek design, we’ve created something that is dis- tinctive of London.” The design of the spa was inspired by
Hyde Park, which sits opposite the hotel, and it features lots of dark oak and light stone as well as a relaxing water sculpture.
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