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PAMPER YOURSELF
BY BUSINESS MONTHLY STAFF
It was a tough job, but somebody had to do it.
Business Monthly assigned its team of reviewers to check out some
of Cairo’s most popular purveyors of full body relaxation
and rejuvenation.
Conrad Health Club
Because most of us don’t have the luxury to take a day off
to relax, the Conrad Health Club might be exactly what you need
to disconnect from your busy schedule – at least for an hour
or so. Located on the third floor of the Conrad Hotel Cairo, the
club’s modern facilities overlook the pool and offer great
natural lighting thanks to a scenic view of the Nile.
Conrad Health Club offers a variety of massages by both Egyptian
and Thai masseuses. One-hour Thai massages by Thai masseuses run
£E 300. Thai massages are dry, generally starting at the feet
and progressing up to the head, as your body is moved, loosened
and stretched. The technique requires deep pressure that can hurt
initially but the after-effect is one of total relaxation. However,
if pain is not your idea of relaxing, a Swedish massage may be a
better option.
One-hour Swedish massages by Egyptian masseuses cost £E 160,
while the Tranquility massage – a combination Thai/Swedish
massage – is only offered by Thai masseuses and costs £E
200. Both are done using almond oil and generally include a full
body massage, which may be an issue for more modest clientele.
It’s best to call at least one day in advance to book your
massage, although the staff will try to work around your schedule
as well as that of the masseuse. It is best to show up 20 minutes
early in order to shower, which is required before the massage,
as well as to avoid feeling rushed. The facilities, including the
changing rooms, showers and sauna, are spotless, and all massages
take place in a private locked room, dimly lit with light music
playing in the background.
The Conrad offers all guests lockers, as well as clean bathrobes,
slippers, towels, shower gel, shampoo, sealed toothbrushes and combs.
There is also a blow dryer in the locker room.
Conrad Cairo Hotel
1191 Corniche Al Nil
Downtown
Tel: 580-8000
Mohamad Al Sagheer
Located in the center of Cairo, the Mohamad Al Sagheer Spa &
Beauty Salon in Zamalek offers a great chance to escape the hustle
and bustle of the city. The women’s spa is located on the
third floor and men’s on the fourth, each tastefully and classically
designed.
Several treatment options are available including Thai massage (£E
220 per hour), Swedish massage (£E 90 per half hour) and a
special medical massage for those with chronic muscular problems
(£E 180 per hour).
The Swedish massage, given in a small private room with a massage
table and side table stocked with candles and oils, was given by
a Thai masseuse using rich natural oils and butterfly strokes to
improve circulation and ease muscular tension and pain.
The center also offers a number of facial treatments including a
90-minute anti-wrinkle treatment (£E 300) and a 90-minute
deep-cleansing facial session (£E 300). The latter consists
of a series of natural masks applied by the center’s Romanian
skin-care expert to the face, neck and chest in order to purify
and cleanse the skin. A 15-minute steam treatment follows to allow
impurities to be extracted from the skin more easily, after which
a final mask of antibacterial seaweed extract is massaged into the
face and neck to refine the skin and pores.
The center’s facilities include different rooms for each particular
type of treatment and a soft cotton bathrobe and flip-flops await
you in the dressing room, along with a key to one of the lockers.
Booking of all spa treatments must take place at least 24 hours
in advance and guests have the option of either a masseur or masseuse.
Mohamad Al Sagheer
Spa & Beauty Salon
6 Salaheddin Street, Zamalek
Tel: 736-3501
JW Marriott Health Club
The JW Marriott Health Club in Mirage City can offer you reprieve
from the concrete jungle that is Cairo. Services offered include
a full gym, massage and sauna. The facility offers Swedish massages,
hard massages (a more intense version of the Swedish massage) and
sports massages. All are done using off-the-shelf baby oil, which
may not be extravagant, but is also unlikely to aggravate any allergies.
Skilled Egyptian masseurs/masseuses offer clients several good relaxation
tips throughout the massage, but their constant talking could get
in the way of your attempt to relax. The one-hour massage session
costs £E 200. The experience is pleasant, though nothing extraordinary.
The health club’s main drawback is that the massage area is
not separated from the rest of the health club. The fact that the
massage rooms are brightly lit and only separated by curtains doesn’t
offer much in the way of privacy or relaxation. However, the impeccable
facilities integrate a theme of fresh mint throughout all treatments,
and the sauna, use of which is included with the massage, is excellent
and rejuvenating. Appointments should be made 24 hours in advance.
JW Marriott Hotel
Ring Road, Mirage City
Cairo
Tel: 411-5588
La Rose Spa
There are no boys allowed at the exclusive La Rose Spa, which caters
solely to spoiling women and is known for its bridal treatments.
Decorated in traditional Moroccan designs and colors, this private
spa offers numerous hair, body, skin and nail treatment options.
Its premier treatment is the two-hour Moroccan Bath (£E 275),
which cleanses your body using a combination of natural oils and
exfoliation in low-mist and high-intensity steam chambers. The treatment
takes place in a small private steam room that includes a built-in
ceramic massage table with a comfortable mattress.
The process begins as a Moroccan skin therapist gently applies natural
oils to the body and after half an hour in the steam room, uses
a soft Moroccan loofah glove and black Moroccan soap to cleanse
and exfoliate the skin from head to toe. This cleansing process
also includes a massage to help increase circulation and a hair
treatment to purify and hydrate. The final step of the bath involves
a cleansing process using a textured mask of termis and herbs as
a natural face and body scrub. After 15 minutes in a steam bath,
the mask is rinsed off with warm water and the therapist applies
a lotion of natural oils to the skin. A final bit of pampering includes
a warm drink and Moroccan dessert to be enjoyed before snapping
back to reality.
Most of the skin treatments offered at La Rose are highly recommended
for brides before their wedding night, and there is even a special
bath just for them rightfully named the Bride Bath (£E 375).
The spa’s facilities include several rooms offering the various
treatments and a small changing room with a bathrobe, flip-flops
and locker.
Guests can pay for services individually or purchase one of two
spa packages. The silver package allows guests to subscribe to any
six sessions and get one session free, while the golden package
offers guests 10 paid sessions and two free ones. Reservations must
be made at least 24 hours in advance.
La Rose Spa
58 Geziret Al Arab Street, Suite 1
Mohandiseen
Tel: 302-8577 or 012 226-0162
www.larosespa.com
The Daniela Steiner Beauty & Wellness Center
Relaxation is rarely as regal as it is at The Four Seasons Nile
Plaza’s spa. Guests are able to unwind in style, with facilities
that include a sauna, steam bath, Jacuzzi and cold bath. The entire
facility is in white marble, illuminated by candlelight and scented
with a mixture of orange, lavender and chamomile oil. Throughout
the facilities, pitchers of ice-cold cucumber water, honey-sweetened
green tea and green apples line the walls.
The center offers a wide range of services and packages including
a luxurious Cleopatra Bath (£E 310), Bedouin Treatment, Volcanic
Clay Treatment and Crystal Treatment to name just a few. There are
nine different massages to choose from, with prices hovering around
£E 525 for 50 minutes and £E 750 for 90 minutes. The
ever-popular 50-minute Swedish massage includes some reflexology
as well as pressure-point treatment using either chamomile or orange
oil in a private massage room, fully equipped with sink and counter,
as well as an armchair.
The entire facility is impeccably maintained and packed with perks.
The private changing rooms are stocked with beauty products, the
locker area provides white slippers and a robe in each locker, and
the showers are equipped with plenty of toiletries.
But by far the biggest perk is the relaxation room with floor-to-ceiling
soundproof windows overlooking the Nile. Complete with white leather
daybeds, marble floors and the sweet scent of natural oils, it’s
just as relaxing to laze around sipping cold cucumber water and
nibble on green apples.
If you’re looking for slightly longer-term leisure than a
single massage, the center provides a range of entire-day packages
and programs starting at £E 380, while the ultimate in extravagance,
a private spa area, costs £E 900 for the day. Appointments
must be made at least 24 hours in advance and usually require a
deposit.
The Daniela Steiner Beauty & Wellness Center
Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza
1089 Corniche Al Nil, Garden City
Tel: 791-7000
www.fourseasons.com
TAILORED CARE
While spas and health clubs aim to give their clients a relaxing
experience, a number of allergies and medical conditions pose
a potential health risk. Some people may be sensitive to certain
oils, while others may have serious circulation disorders.
The important thing is to share this information with staff
before beginning the treatment, as most facilities are able
to accommodate special requirements. For instance, non-reactant
baby oil can be substituted for lavender, to which some people
are sensitive, and clients with chronic allergies can request
non-fragranced oils be applied in rooms free of scents. |
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