The Wahanda Blog

It’s imperative we keep our ear firmly to the ground when it comes to new treatments and we’ve just unearthed two crazy-but-true therapies that might make your stomach turn (you have been warned)!

Leaving us feeling positively queasy, the first of our discoveries was none other than a snake massage. Yes, you heard us – forget a four-hand massage, why not let a slippery snake do the work instead? Already causing quite a stir in spa circles (understandably), this reptilian form of relaxation is the brainchild of a small Israeli spa in the village of Talmey El’Azar. Located on the eccentrically named Ada Barak’s Carnivorous Plant Farm, the snakes were originally used to feed the carnivorous plants, but were put to work massaging clients when the farm owner realised what a big a hit they were with people visiting the farm.

So how do you get from snake to spa? Once you’ve stripped off, a tangled mass of non-venomous snakes (California, corn, milk and Florida snakes) are placed on the body and left to squirm, but don’t worry about any escapees, the snakes are all braided to prevent an easy getaway – how reassuring! At $80 a pop, Ada (the farm owner) believes the snakes could hold some therapeutic value and that as soon as you get over any initial misgivings, you’ll find physical contact with the creatures soothing. However while we openly admit we’re no Indiana Jones when it comes to snakes, the thought of a writhing mass of reptiles slithering all over our body is still one step too far.

But one man’s poison is another man’s pleasure and there’s no stopping people in their quest for eternal beauty and flawless features. Enter the bird dropping facial – our second insane find. Revealed as Victoria Beckham’s secret to sexy skin, the £100 facials use a paste made from nightingale excrements to combat problem pimples. Packed full of guanine – a healing amino acid, the droppings are mixed with Japanese white clay, spread over the skin then you’re left under a UV light to strip away any bacteria. Also known as a geisha facial, (they use it to remove make-up and brighten their skin), it’s now an everyday therapy in Japan. New York salons have also started to catch on to the healing properties and we wouldn’t be surprised if the new facial fad flew into the UK someday soon!

It’s more than likely that the start of October isn’t exactly the time of year your thoughts will be turning to detoxing - after all, they’re usually saved for New Year resolutions or pre-holiday preparations. However SPA SPC at Stoke Park Club have gone against the grain and have decided to hold their first ever luxury Detox weekend between 10^th and 12^th October, with another one already booked in for 23rd - 25th January if you need a few months to get used to the idea of a good old detox!

Just the tonic if you’re suffering from IBS, digestive problems, fluid retention, muscle ache, dry skin, cellulite, poor circulation, insomnia or depression, Stoke Park have put all their efforts into focusing on the luxury aspect of the weekend as much as the detox side of things - who wants to get bogged down with all the bad bits?

Led by detox guru Jane Scrivner – author of ‘Detox Yourself’, guests can expect 5-course gourmet dinners brimming with healthy food, cookery demonstrations, lifestyle consultations, yoga classes as well as the more indulgent pampering experiences SPA SFC is famed for.

We’re big advocates of complementary therapies here at Wahanda and have tried more than our fair share of fandangled therapies. But it’s not all about us - we like to encourage our Wahanda warriors to try something different too, and what better excuse than as part of ‘International Alexander Awareness Week’, running from 6^th to 12^th October. Actually the Alexander Technique is not at all new - just fairly unknown. However we foresee a change in the air, as the Technique is given an international platform this week to get the good word out there.

Loved by musicians and actors alike, the Alexander Technique has long been used as a tool to improve posture, movement and breathing technique in the Dramatic Arts. Created in the late 19th century by an obscure Tasmanian actor F.M Alexander, to cure himself of an inexplicable complaint (he lost his voice every time he went on stage) its use has been prolific in stage and ballet schools around the world, including The Julliard School of Performing Arts in New York and RADA in London.

The end of August 2008 saw a study released in The British Medical Journal, suggesting the Alexander Technique is a more effective treatment for long-term back pain than painkillers, physiotherapy or exercise alone. So if your back is acting up, why not try out a little complementary magic. You’ll be following in the esteemed footsteps of a host of celebrities including Sir Paul McCartney, Kevin Kline, Jeremy Irons, Dame Julie Andrews and the King and Queen of suppleness and all things holisitc and yogatastic themselves, Sting and our ‘Lady’ Madonna.

For such a little known therapy there are a surprising number of teachers in the UK, a whooping 900 in fact! You can source out one of these therapeutic maestros by looking online, alternatively, selected branches of Neal’s Yard Therapy Rooms offer workshops in the Technique as do all of Champneys destination spa’s. For other listed spas in London that offer this posture correcting therapy check out Wahanda’s ever growing list.

And remember, the better your posture the taller you look, and aren’t we all looking for a little elevation in life?

It should come as no surprise that Wahanda have been revelling in anticipation for National Spa Week – and you should be too! Packed full of one-off specials from some of the biggest and best names in UK spas, prepare for an odyssey of excuses to indulge in an essential spa experience.

As well as keeping you guys up to speed, we always knew our spa escapades were doing us some good and with National Spa Week running through to September 28th, we’re cashing in on the celebration of the health-promoting experiences in the name of physical preservation and personal enjoyment!

Bringing together some of the top spas in the UK to bless us with a plethora of experiences at a fraction of the normal cost - with such a variety of venues, no-one has any excuse to miss out.

Check out some of the hottest offers we’ve found circulating during National Spa Week…

2-for-1 spa days

Middlethorpe Hall and spa, York

Dove Spa Formy

Champneys Forest Mere

Amida Spa

Spa London

2-for-1 treatments

Spa SPC at Stoke Park Club

Heaven Spa Didsbury

Bath House Spa, New Park Manor

Essentia Spa

WT Spa

To find some equally enticing specials in your area, click here

One of the most famous UK spas - The Sanctuary has turned the big 30, but instead of having a mid-life crisis and introducing Botox onto their list of treatments, they’ve decided to celebrate by spreading a little Sanctuary love.

As any seasoned spa-goer knows, the women-only haven is located at the heart of London town – Covent Garden to be precise, and whilst it’s a great location for celebs and capital inhabitants to retreat too, it’s not so brilliant if you’re residing in the Pennines. That’s why they decided it was high time to up-sticks and bring their treatments to the masses, courtesy of a specially-made pop-up spa dome.

Divided into four private treatment pods with four complimentary ‘express’ treatments to choose from, you’ll be given the option of indulging in a Brightening facial, Reviving foot treatment, Luxurious hand massage or Soothing head, neck and shoulder massage – all of which will be administered using The Sanctuary’s signature product range, and will only take up fifteen minutes of your time.

Stopping off at six locations across the UK, the Sanctuary’s ‘Spa in the City’ will provide the perfect pampering experience for those who’ve never had the opportunity to visit the real thing. Open from noon til eight every night, there’s no excuse not to take a swift detour there on your way home from work, or if you’re feeling frivolous, why not head to the dome for some pre-drinks pampering? On tour throughout September, see below for the spa dome timetable…

Tuesday 16^th September - Briggate, Leeds

Thursday 18^th September - Metro centre, Newcastle

Saturday 20^th September - Glasgow Fort, Glasgow

Tuesday 23^rd September - Trafford centre, Manchester

Thursday 25^th September - Meadowhall, Sheffield

Saturday 27^th September - St Martin’s Square, Birmingham

For more information on The Sanctuary’s flagship spa in London, click here.