By Regina Winkle-Bryan
The scoop on hot waters in Spain is that there are many spas and thermal springs to choose from in Catalonia (NE Spain). Spain’s spas offer scrubs, massages, wraps and sauna options for all budgets, but for something high-end head to Barcelona’s Hotel Arts on the waterfront.
Hotel Arts
Hotel Arts is one of the city’s main offerings for luxury digs and its Mediterranean location offers something that most hotels in the city cannot (aside from the new W Hotel): endless views of the sea. On the 43rd floor of Hotel Arts, providing the best views the hotel can muster, is Six Senses Spa.
Enter Six Senses Spa
Six Senses the company has luxury spas set up in exclusive locations across the globe, and certainly Barcelona is no exception. On my visit to Six Senses in Hotel Arts, I arrived stressed. I was late for my appointment, had too much work to do that day, and arrived thinking, ‘I really don’t have time for this.’
You know you have lost perspective on life when you are complaining about a free massage in a luxury spa. Luckily, I got a reality check as I walked into the low-lit lobby to be greeted by four smiling faces. ‘Good morning Ms. Winkle-Bryan, would you like a green tea?’ Don’t mind if I do!
Hotel Arts Spa Barcelona
Good service goes a long way in my book and I love attention to detail. Some of the aesthetic details that I think may have been overlooked at Six Senses are made up for with their superb customer service. At a five-star, good service should be a given, but I was so impressed by this at Six Senses that I feel it is worth mentioning.
Hotel Arts is on Barcelona's boardwalk
I was taken to a round massage room, fitted with ceiling lights that changed depending on the mood that the therapist was going for. This was color therapy in action. As usual in spas, meditative flute music played in the background, and I was asked to select a natural essential oil for my massage. I went with orange blossom and lavender. Throughout the massage my therapist would stop, and rub lavender oil just below my nose release its scent and setting my mind at ease.
Water Works Area at Six Senses Spa Barcelona
Twenty minutes into the massage and I was in a different place than I had been coming in. I realized that I had been wound up tighter than clothesline and that I needed to seek out professional massage and relaxation more often in my life. Who doesn’t? My massage was an hour, and was above average.
Afterwards I was escorted back to the changing rooms, where I slipped into a bathing suit and had some more tea. I took a towel and headed to the top floor to the water works area at Six Senses, which are small but complete. The room is surrounded on three sides by windows and overlooks all of Barcelona, the Mediterranean for miles, and the coastline to the north. The water works area is appointed with a sauna (wet and dry), an ice machine for closing pores and a large jacuzzi with a massage waterfall.
Waterfall Massage at Six Senses
After a good long while staring out ever the sea from the bubbling jacuzzi I felt much refreshed. Besides massage and the water works area, Six senses offers other treatments such as:
Spa Menu Index
Massage Therapies – The Heart of Six Senses
Facial Therapies – Nurturing with Six Senses
Body Therapies – Sense of Renewal
Spa Beauty (Head, Hands and Feet) – Sense of Touch
My complaints about Six Senses are few. However, I will mention that when I went to shower off in the changing rooms, there were a couple of flaws. One: none of the showers had hot water – it this was in November! Two: there were not enough hairdryers and I was rushed along while trying to dry my hair by some impatient spa goer. In a five-star there should be two hairdryers if there are more than two guests in the place. These are small details, but that is what makes luxury: details.
More attention to detail needed in changing rooms
Overall I’d give the experience a 7, and would highly recommend the massage for visitors staying at Hotel Arts or anywhere else in the city.
More:
Book your massage with Six Senses here !
Address:
Marina 19-21, Barcelona
Hotel Arts Web here : http://www.hotelartsbarcelona.com/
* Do you have a spa story for us? Write us at info@thespainscoop.com. Or, would you like us to review your spa? We’d love to. Drop us a line.
Animac – Catalunya’s Animation Festival in Lledia 2010
By Regina Winkle-Bryan
Lleida is about an hour and a half from Barcelona by car and about the same by fast train. It is one of the larger cities in Spain’s Catalunya region, and hosts many cultural events throughout the year. The Spain Scoop on Lleida is that this February 22 – 28th, the city will host the international animation festival, Animac. In its 14th year, the festival offers an exciting line up of films which you can check out here.
Lleida makes for a great day trip or a base to explore inland Catalunya, and Animac is all the more reason to visit.
More on Animac: http://www.animac.info/animac/CAT/
Animac International Animation Festival 2010