MYSTERY SHOPPER
WHAT’S THE SCORE? Ease of booking
Facilities
Cleanliness/maintenance Staff
Experience/treatment Value for money Overall experience
8 8 9 9 9 9 9
each imprinted with a thoughtful word such as ‘serenity’ or ‘energy’, and invited to choose the one that best signifi ed my intent for my treatment. T e ritual was a nice way to get to know my therapist before the intimacy of the treatment room, but I just slipped the stone into my robe pocket and forgot about it. My zar1,125 (us$144, €106, £92) Chang-
ing of Season Ritual lasted 120 minutes and combined a hammam session, exfoliation, wrap, and 45-minute African back massage. Charlene escorted me upstairs to the ham- mam suite, where she’d prepared the stone with towels and a pillow. At 40.7˚C, it was quite hot and I would have been unable to lie on the stone without the towels. As it was, I didn’t even want my toes to touch it, and I got up a few times to use the cool- ing hand-held shower. Aſt er 20 minutes, I’d had enough and escaped to the cooler outer room for a gentle exfoliating, all-over body scrub which I found invigorating. I showered in the hammam and went back
outside to be coated in a remineralising mud mask. I was tightly wrapped and leſt to relax for 15 minutes, but at this point even the outer chamber felt too hot and although I
The main attraction is a big hammam, which can be used for individual or group treatments
produced a deep cleansing sweat, it was not necessarily relaxing. Aſt er showering once again, Charlene led me downstairs for my massage. Although my skin felt very smooth and clean, I would have enjoyed this type of treatment better on a Vichy table, where you don’t have to get on and off repeatedly. A standout feature in the well-sized treat-
ment room was the curtained window that looked over a large, beautiful tree. At that hour, the tree was fi lled with chattering birds which were a welcome sound compared to the annoying repetitive music. Charlene gave a very capable and relaxing massage, taking her cues from me and keeping quiet while she worked. T e massage incorporated heated Himalayan salt crystals, which are used like hot stones, but from the table I couldn’t tell
RIGHT TO REPLY Jackie Avis, spa manager, Oyster Box W
e’re more than happy with the review from your mystery shopper, thank you, and we only have two comments that we’d like to address. Firstly, the warmth of the hammam treatment experienced by the reviewer is obviously
a personal thing and guests have varying tolerance levels for temperature. Her comments are well-taken though and we will make a concerted eff ort to monitor this aspect with every treatment. T e second point I’d like to address is retail. Since the reviewer visited the Spa at T e Oyster Box, we have launched our own-branded product range called B|Africa. With this launch, the retail off ering has been re-merchandised and now enjoys greater promi- nence as part of the overall spa off ering.
52 Read Spa Business online
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the diff erence between the two modalities, nor was it explained to me. Overall, I was leſt with very soſt skin and a relaxed mental state.
Aftercare:
In the pre-treatment area, I was presented with a variety of fresh juices, fruits and nuts as well as homemade healthy snack bars – an unusual touch – before heading back upstairs to the tranquility lounge. T e room consisted of white wicker chaises longues (even a dou- ble-sized one for couples), with comfortable pillows and throws, separated by layers of sheer organza to create a cozy feel. A large window overlooking the pool area, also pro- vided a nice sense of light and space. From a well-stocked book shelf, I picked a title on minerals and gemstones, which I became engrossed in as I settled down. My experience ended with a seamless check-
out. Unfortunately for the spa and its product partners, at no time during my visit were home- care products mentioned or recommended. Random products were dotted throughout, but retail is clearly not a focus, as is the wish of the owners, for whatever reason!
Summary:
A wonderful, relaxing spa experience in a very well-run and equipped spa, where your needs are well-anticipated. T e quality of care was high and the facility superb: it’s easy to see what attracted the royal couple. ●
SPA BUSINESS 4 2011 ©Cybertrek 2011
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