And then he started beating me with a bundle of oak leaves!

Spa consultant Marisa Dimitriadis shares her experiences of two unusual treatments she had during a recent overseas trip

''THE RESULTS were INSTANT BACK PAIN RELIEF, travel brain fog lifted and an INSTANT BODY RESET. I felt BRAND NEW and READY FOR A NEW DAY when it was actually NIGHT TIME.''

As a spa owner or manager, you know that the success of your business relies heavily on providing exceptional experiences for your clients. This is why it’s important to continually explore new and innovative spa therapies that will keep your customers coming back for more.

During a recent trip to the UK, I had the pleasure of experiencing two very unique spa treatments that left a lasting impression on me. These treatments were truly exceptional and delivered remarkable results. I believe these treatments could be a valuable addition to any spa’s menu. So, whether you’re looking to differentiate your offerings or simply provide an unforgettable spa experience for your clients, keep reading to discover the magic of these two exceptional treatments.

i-sopod

Floatation therapy, also known as floatation tanks or floatation pools, has become a popular spa treatment in recent years. It’s likely that many of you are familiar with this type of therapy and have even experienced it for yourselves. However, I urge you to keep reading, because I too was sceptical about trying this deep relaxation capsule treatment – the i-sopod – despite its popularity. But, to my surprise, the outcome of my experience exceeded all of my expectations. So, even if you think you know everything there is to know about floatation therapy, I invite you to join me on this journey and discover the unique and surprising benefits of this incredible spa treatment.

I’ve done floatation treatments before and never liked them much. Salty water in my eyes and ears creating discomfort, worried about sinking to the bottom, a little chilly on the part of the body floating…all in all, not what I want from a spa treatment.

However, not this time, as I literally fell asleep for a whole hour in the i-sopod, so deeply that I was momentarily disoriented when I woke up – you know the feeling...

Here’s why: This pod was enclosed and suitable for one person only. Private and cocoon-like, it’s almost like a wet and salty bath (1,000lbs of Epson Salts per pod!). My head was secured on a floatation ring, my ears were plugged, the lights were dim or off depending on my preference and the music was customisable and almost hypnotic.

One of the most incredible treatments I’ve ever had – I was very warm and cosy, I was weightless and because of the support under my head, no worry about sinking. The results were instant back pain relief, travel brain fog lifted and an instant body reset. I felt brand new and ready for a new day when it was actually night time. The best part is that I slept like the dead, something that is unheard of in my life.

I can see why this type of therapy is on a membership basis and why such a wide variety of people make use of it – from sportsmen and women to people suffering from injuries, stress, insomnia, aches and pains, and so much more.

Here’s the kicker: it doesn’t need a huge footprint because one i-sopod is housed in a standard size treatment room plus in-room shower. So, perfectly doable. The unit is fully automated, it’s basically plug & play and so easy to maintain.

Russian Banya

This next treatment was actually far beyond where my imagination could ever go!

A very different experience and I guess what makes them so successful is how they stick to their formula and core concept. For the purposes of not getting too technical, a Russian Banya is a type of sauna/steam room. In terms of technical differences, a Russian steam room is much more humid (around 40–70%) than a sauna (3–15%). This level of humidity means that the conditions in a Russian Banya feel more natural. In turn, the heating is less aggressive but it has a deeper effect.

The ritual of a ‘beating’ massage inside the steam room followed by a dip in an ice-water pool is generally repeated many times in a session. They call it, ‘HOT– COLD – REST – REPEAT’.

It starts with a bunch of eucalyptus leaves being dipped into ice cold water and placed over your head. You are also wearing a hat, by the way, to prevent hair burn and overheating. The therapist then uses bundles of oak leaves that are shaken to move the hot steam to your body. They will then be brushed and tapped (i.e. lightly beaten) along the body to deliver more heat, thus furthering detoxification and relaxation. The harder the leaf tapping, the more intense the sensation. It was so strange to be asked how hard I wanted the leaf ‘beating’ to be, as opposed to massage pressure which I am so used to. I giggled many times during this experience!

I was then asked to go outside the Banya and stand under a bucket suspended over my head where the therapist pulled a chord and ice water came down. What a crazy sensation! Then they rushed me to get inside an ice water barrel and submerge my head. This was so intense that I can hardly describe the feeling. The final bit was alternating hot and cold water being poured over me with buckets. Round 1 done!

Next, they let you go and rest and eat special salty snacks to replenish electrolytes and when you are ready, you can go for round 2, 3, 4 or as many as you wish in the time package you booked. I braved only 1 round as this new sensation was so intense I felt like I needed to sleep for a week straight after it. I also felt an intense blood rush and my skin was beyond soft and silky.

Here’s an idea. Instead of building traditional saunas, why not invest in something like this that is so different, so unique and has tons of health benefits. Finally a sauna session you charge for and also run memberships with. The more you have, the more you want, it’s that simple.

''A very DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE and I guess what makes them SO SUCCESSFUL is how THEY STICK TO their FORMULA and CORE CONCEPT.''

Marisa Dimitriadis is the founder and owner of The Spa Consultants and a co-founder of The Spa Professionals Guild. Email marisa@spaprofessionalsguild.com