We’ve all had days when we have shopped till we wanted to, quite literally, drop. Even if you’re not the kind who likes shopping, most likely you’ve accompanied a friend who does, and ended up walking till it feels like your feet will just give up.
Or you’ve had the most stressful week in office, and head out for a midweek lunch, wishing you had time to squeeze in a power nap before getting back to your desk.
Chennai is no stranger to spas — the city has a plethora of standalone and day spas, apart from the ones in star hotels. What’s happening of late is that they are being incorporated into mainstream spaces.
Take, for instance, the recently opened Little Lavish on TTK Road, Alwarpet. The store features a range of lifestyle products, accessories, clothes, shoes, bags, jewellery, art, home decor and more.
All the products are curated by the founders — Rema Devi and her daughters, Soundariya and Anjana — from their travels across South East Asia and Europe. There’s also a store-in-store, featuring Tadka by Madhu, a line of Indo-Western clothes made with traditional handloom fabrics.
But what makes them special is the Thai Sabai spa that’s seamlessly integrated into the store.
The family has been in the spa and wellness sector for several years. Anjana explains, “We wanted to launch a retail space, but also bring in an element of wellness into it. A lot of people are unaware of the health benefits that an occasional massage therapy or reflexology session can give.” The entrance to the basement store has a spa menu, so those who wander in for a session are pleasantly surprised that it also features a store.
Those who come in to shop are educated on the holistic benefits of the Thai treatments available; many end up giving it a shot.
“One of the most popular therapies is the foot reflexology,” says Anjana. With only ambient lighting filtering in from the store, aromatherapy scented neck pillow and soothing Oriental music, it’s understandable why people opt for this.
The row of foot therapy chairs are separated from the store only by a glass partition and a sheer curtain. So you could probably pick out from a distance the stuff you want to check out once you’re done.
There are also a couple of therapy rooms for full-body massages, wraps and scrub treatments.
At Salt Co. 531, Radisson Blu Hotel GRT’s signature restaurant, the focus is generally on healthy food.
In addition to this, they now offer a 15-minute Lunch Therapy — a head and shoulder massage in their in-house Bodhi Spa. The oil-free massage, usually priced at Rs. 800 plus taxes, is free of charge with the buffet.
General manager Sasikumar U. says the idea originated when they observed the number of corporates who came in for team lunches.
While most hotels do offer a discount, or a complimentary drink, here, they wanted to do something that ties in with their core concept.
“Post lunch, productivity tends to go down. The head-and-shoulder reflexology massage was developed specially to refresh the mind and body while giving them a chance to relax,” he explains. Since they launched a couple of weeks ago, over 200 guests have opted for the therapy,” says their spa manager Vijaya.
At Escape, SPI Cinemas’ multiplex in Express Avenue, Bliss by Oryza has been a fixture since 2010. The dry spa is based on the concept of quick foot and back massages at affordable prices.
Services include foot reflexology, back and neck massages, head massages, eye treatments, Thai refreshing and herbal compress full-body massages and facials.
Earlier this year, Jerry’s Den, a restaurant, was launched as part of a Toni & Guy Essensuals Salon by Neelima Sriram and Kala Pillai. They offer the inverse: grab a bite when your pedicure or manicure takes too long and you get hungry midway.
While to regulars, getting a spa therapy is as usual as getting a haircut, to others, it can be intimidating. Most people are unsure of what they want, what’s good for them and how to go about it.
With pocket spas emerging in unexpected spaces, massages are more accessible than ever before.
There’s little in the world a 30-minute massage can’t fix.
