Spa Archives - Fashion Voyeur

Another Day in Sparadise

Tucked away in the basement of the busy Crowne Plaza Hotel in Newcastle, you’ll find the Mineral House. An inner city sanctuary I’ve come to know and love over the past six months, the Mineral House is a world away from the hustle and bustle of Newcastle. With its basement corridor bathed in flickering candlelight and the scent of lemongrass, it really is a treat for the senses.

In a nutshell the Mineral House comprises a gym, pool and treatment spa. As far as hotel facilities go, this is pretty damn good. The gym is larger than the average hotel gym and it has everything you’d expect from an unmanned facility. Sure you won’t find a huge selection of free weights and Olympic bars, but let’s not forget, this is a fitness suite largely populated by hotel guests who use it with the sole purpose of preventing stagnation during their stay. It’s very well equipped (for what it is) and has a good balance of cardio machines, cable machines, kettlebells and dumbbells – and if my numerous requests for a punchbag are noted then who knows, we may even see that as an addition for 2017. The Mineral House offers personal training to clients on request and recently extended its hours to offer 24 hour access so now there’s no excuse not to train.

The pool area is gorgeous, accented with soft purple light; the swimming pool is accompanied by a large whirlpool spa and steam room, perfect for unwinding after a workout and there are several loungers poolside for those who just want to chill and be immersed in the cool ambience.

The Mineral House treatment spa is manned by the best Therapists in the business, during the build the recruitment drive was fierce and only the creme de la creme were selected (a massage from Roberta is otherworldly, I can vouch). The treatment menu is huge, offering a range of spa treatments with a focus on eastern aromatic spices and warm pindas to encourage deep relaxation within the muscles. Locker room chat is always about how awesome the deep tissue massage is.

As such, the team is a tight knit band of industry pros always willing to help out, I’m often offered a person to work with me on boxing pad work in the gym with me when it’s quiet.

In it’s entirety, the Mineral House is a place I’ve come to rely on to escape real world shiz, it’s where I go to get my head in gear and when I’m lacking motivation I can rely on staff there to gee me up with some inspiring words. I primarily use the Mineral House for the gym, it’s somewhere you can get your head down and get a serious workout in without judgement, or people staring. With the influx of no frills gyms in the city, the Mineral House offers a refreshing change from the stereotypical functional gym goer.

My favourite thing about the Mineral House is the convenience. The location is easy, it’s easy to get in and out of Newcastle from the Crowne Plaza, the parking is free and you’re given towels on arrival. Seriously Voyeurs, it’s the little details that make the biggest differences: think hot showers with shampoo and shower gel provided, large lockers, separate restrooms and TVs with subtitles so you have someone to watch whilst you train. Yes, it’s small, we’ve established that, but it’s perfectly formed.

Fancy trying it out for yourself? Get in touch, they’re a friendly bunch and offer a free trial so you can get to grips with everything on offer and decide whether it’s for you. With a range of memberships to suit different needs, there’s bound to be something you can work with. Don’t fancy a long term commitment? The Mineral House offers two hours exclusive use of incorporated facilities with every treatment booked, spa day sessions are also available.

For a hotel facility I’m really impressed with the Mineral House, whether it’s the cool, calming environment, or the uber friendly staff, it’s a place you’ll feel welcome in from your first visit. I’m a member and I’ve got to say Voyeurs, I’m hooked, in fact, I’m heading there right now to get my workout on. If you’re thinking about joining, or checking the place out for a free trial, be sure to tell them Pixie sent you and maybe I’ll see you there some time.

Pixie xo

Categories: Uncategorized

Hard Hat Builders Lunch at the Crowne Plaza Newcastle

I was recently invited to take a VIP hard hat tour of the brand new, as yet unfinished, Crowne Plaza Hotel on Forth Street Newcastle. The upmarket hotel is set to open its doors to the public later this year and is completely different to anything else currently available in the City. A product of years of market research, the Crowne Plaza Newcastle is geared up for corporate clients, city breakers, day spa members and casual diners and has incorporated the needs of each type of client into its intensive planning and two year build project.

“We’re pushing all the time, trying to move the standards in the city forwards and matching the strengths in terms of location and brand.”

In the last few months the development has really started to take shape, no longer just a shell, the glass fronted hotel is a real showstopper and the planned landscaping for the front area will really highlight the trendy Stephenson Quarter as a destination. I donned my work boots, hard hat and hi-vis jacket for a behind the scenes tour of the huge project.

The people behind the Crowne Plaza were adamant that during the design phase, they weren’t going to use a hotel designer for the interior planning. They’re remained resolute and together with Simon Spiteri (Carluccio’s) onboard as interior designer, they’ve created a real boutique hotel feel, despite the enormity of the towering Crowne Plaza – something very different for the corporate client. Sourcing sustainable materials, and using modern finishing techniques, they’ve come up with a cool colour palette of steel blues and greys for the hotels 260+ bedrooms and suites using glass and exposed polished concrete pillars to up the fashion ante. Room furniture will be walnut coloured with chrome accents bringing a modern vibe to the hotel.

The hotel will feature a huge glass atrium with an enormous crystal chandelier taking centre stage and each communal floor area will have a glass balcony overlooking this area adding a dimension of light and space. Walking into the space as it is now, and seeing the projected images of the finished area, there’s no doubt that the Crowne Plaza will have the Wow Factor, and it’s less hotel-like than you might imagine, which is exactly what they’ve gone for.

The hotel is treating its main functional areas almost as separate businesses, meaning that they aren’t bound to keeping the same decor and theme in each zone of the hotel. Breaking the mould, The Crowne Plaza Newcastle will have its very own Gin Bar at street level where residents and customers alike can choose from an initial selection of over 30 varieties of gin. The Gin Bar will strip back cocktail drinking to its very core and focus on the Martini, a traditional cocktail of pure alcohol which requires great skill to get right, Food and Beverage Manager Paul Walker told me that a huge amount of research and planning has gone into getting The Gin Bar on point; from the distilling of their very own craft gin, right through to the New York paperboy style uniforms. Even the furniture has been changed at the last-minute because it was felt the vibe wasn’t quite right. The mood boards for The Gin Bar show a darker, slinkier, more relaxed lounge environment and just looking at the sumptuous colour schemes is getting me excited…..

Hawthorns, the in-house restaurant, will serve “good, wholesome, healthy food” to residents and diners alike. The dining area has been well thought out and aims to integrate large corporate groups, single diners, couples and mobile office workers with a variety of different height seating areas, booths and benches maximising space and light. It’s a more responsive environment which shuns the traditions of other restaurants allowing customers to select their own table and seats based on their needs.

The corporate and conferencing facilities in the Crowne Plaza are second to none, with a huge central conference room acting as a hub, it’s been planned with serious attention to detail. from the acoustic ceiling and targeted lighting, to the coloured wash lighting which can be altered to fit a specific company’s requirements, every little detail has been considered at the planning stage. The Crowne Plaza is banking on corporate business and it shows, in a big way. With a number of function rooms, conference suites and break-out areas available, it’s clear that they’ve set their sights on being the best in their field.

Hotel car parking will be designated in the multi-storey carpark currently in development just behind the hotel, although the carpark operator is as yet unknown, the Crowne Plaza have reserved bays for the use of hotel and spa guests only. The hotel will also benefit from super fast free WiFi Boost meaning that no matter where you are in the hotel there will be no black spots, in addition, each bedroom will also have infinity charging points which charge your gadgets fast and continue to do so after your key card is removed from its dock. neat, huh?! Rooms have been kitted out with the best quality bedding and there will designated Quiet Zones throughout the hotel for light sleepers, the Crowne Plaza have really gone all out to make sure your stay is a comfortable one.

The Crowne Plaza suites, although currently just bare shells, look set to be a real draw for the hotel. Situated on a corner of the structure looking out over Newcastle Central Station and beyond, the rooms are fully soundproof and feature floor to ceiling glass windows allowing undisturbed views of the city. Our tour guide told us that since taking over the operation of the station, Network Rail have announced plans to landscape the area of the train station overlooked by the hotel and there are plans underway to build either a bridge or a tunnel to link hotel residents to the train station directly, fancy right?!

Down in the basement area, like many hotels, The Crowne Plaza Newcastle will house a spa area, named The Mineral Room in homage to the site’s heritage, equipped with a 10 metre pool, whirlpool, steamroom and sauna, as well as three large treatment rooms equipped to provide the latest state of the art beauty treatments. There will also be a gym with the usual standard machines and free weights, but with the added benefit of 1:1 personal training for guests giving a far more bespoke service.

The pool area feels very upmarket; it’s dark and decadent and benefits from super high windows at street level which act as a source of natural light without giving pedestrians a view into the spa. The spa is a welcome addition to the hotel, and something the City has been clamouring for as it’s been starved of an upmarket hotel with really great spa facilities for so long. For non hotel residents, there will be a membership programme for the hotel gym and pool with an as yet unknown monthly rate, which will also give members access to exclusive discounts across the hotel, Hawthorns and The Gin Bar.

There are some real nice touches in the Crowne Plaza Newcastle, the green credentials for example, there are two seed grass roof areas which provide a pretty view to guests on the Northern side of the hotel with South facing windows. Also, the hotel have tried to stay true to North East heritage when planning the development, the menu will be Northern with food sourced in the North and the house gin will also be distilled in the North.

As the prospective opening date of September 2015 draws closer, it’s easy to see, even at this early stage, that the hotel is going to be a crowd pleaser. With the Stephenson Quarter development gathering pace and new phases unveiled it could be that this becomes the new area to see and be seen, there’s talk of a micro-brewery popping up in the old JT Dove building and with the Royal Mail building now up for development who knows what could crop up next on this über trendy site. A new residential development of executive apartments is in the pipeline further down Forth Banks which will bring a whole new clientele into the mix for the brand new Stephenson Quarter.

I don’t know about you but I’m excited about this, it brings jobs to our glorious city and adds another pillar to our amazing skyline as well as opening up a whole new zone of the city which was relatively unexplored……….until now. So if you’re around the Forth Street area on the Quayside approach, stop, take a look at the new Crowne Plaza building, it’s well on the way to looking like it does in the plans and you might just be looking at the next big thing in Newcastle when The Gin Bar opens its doors in August.

There’s just one thing I’m a little disappointed about….. I didn’t get to keep the hard hat.

Pixie x

Categories: Uncategorized

Le Petit Spa, Malmaison Newcastle

When I was invited to spend the day at the Malmaison Hotel Spa, I jumped at the chance, after all, what girl wouldn’t want to spend a day being pampered, preened and beautified, right?! My mission? To allow myself to be waxed, exfoliated, prodded and polished all in the name of research and to let you lovely readers know whether it was worth it, and whether it’s worth your time.

Let’s first start with the fact that I wasn’t even aware that the Newcastle Malmaison Hotel even had a spa until around three weeks ago and it’s been there as long as the hotel has stood on the glorious Newcastle Quayside. I know right?! Mind. blown. I was given a date and time for my visit and asked to select some treatments from an extensive menu comprising mainly ESPA treatments. On the day of my visit I packed up my hugest Tom Ford handbag and off I set.

The Malmaison is easy to find and it has designated parking (a dream in Newcastle city centre). It stands on the Newcastle Quayside right next to the Millennium Bridge and behind The Pitcher & Piano bar, it’s a great spot, the views are fantastic and there’s a constant flow of people passing.

Tucked away in the basement of the hotel is the spa, the hotel upstairs is a world away from the tranquil, hidden sanctuary below. An elevator ride transports me to a calm, quiet and low-lit environment, away from the hustle and bustle of the city, and as the doors open, I’m greeted with smiles from behind a reception desk. (The first thing I notice is how much higher up I am than the reception desk and I instantly wonder if I’m standing in the wrong place – I’m not) We go through the standard discussion about allergies etc. and what to expect from today and then I’m given a brief tour before being given a robe (my attire for the day) and shown to the changing area by Laura, my Therapist for the day.

One of the glaringly obvious things about the Malmaison Spa is that it doesn’t have the usual trappings that you would come to expect. There’s no steam room, no jacuzzi, no whirlpool, plunge pool or indeed any pool of any kind, and that’s because this is purely a treatment spa. yes, it’s a given that some people will consider this a negative, but in reality, it allows the therapists to concentrate on providing the best treatments available, and in a city like Newcastle, it’s more about getting beautified and getting out on the Town.

All of my personal belonging are locked away in a generously sized locker (good job really, as i decided to bring the biggest handbag in the history of handbags), and I’m shown through to the central Relaxation Area. This area is the hub of the spa, it’s where everything starts and ends. The room is dimly lit with music playing at a low-level, there are soft, squishy, leather massage chairs operated by remote control and there are a variety of teas available on a stand in the corner. I spot a magazine rack filled with fashion mags and photography books and I settle down in a massage chair with Elle magazine. After some intense Level Three pummeling from The Chair, I’m whisked into a treatment room by Laura. The rooms here are gorgeous and don’t have the clinical feeling of some day spa’s, everything has low-lighting and is very calming, there are individual flowers on each treatment bed and the same music is played throughout all areas of the spa.

First up is a Lycon Brazilian Wax, definitely an ice-breaker and yep, it’s exactly as it sounds. For anyone who goes through the pain of intimate waxing every six or seven weeks, if you haven’t yet discovered Lycon (or Brazilian Hot Wax), get it on your radar now as it’s almost pain-free and it takes half the time of strip wax. In a nutshell, the therapist pre-cleanses the area with oil and the hot wax clings to the hair rather than the skin. There are no cloth strips used in this process, the wax simply sets hard and is then pulled away. Trust me when i say that the Malmaison Spa is a great example of this service. The North East has been slow to jump on the hot wax trend, I know this because for the last fifteen years or so I’ve travelled to London for the privilege and although there are a few places offering it throughout Newcastle and the suburbs, they aren’t a patch on Laura. So if f you’re curious, or even if you’re a regular waxer, give the Malmaison a try, you might just be pleasantly surprised.

Next on the agenda is a muscle warming ESPA Body Wrap. I’m taken to a different treatment area where we choose products by conducting a “Smell Test”. This involves smelling various oils and positions and basing my choices on preference of smell. Once I’ve selected my preferred aromas, Laura tells me that this will give a muscle warming wrap – perfect as I’m nursing a shoulder injury. I’m exfoliated head to toe and covered in a green smoothie like substance before being wrapped in a big tin foil-esque blanket. Once I’m wrapped, I’m treated to an aromatherapy head massage whist the green stuff gets to work. I can feel a sort of deep heat sensation and the whole experience, strange as it is, is super relaxing. As soon as I’m cooked, i’m unwrapped and whilst covered up i’m taken to a private shower behind a screen in the corner of the room and instructed on how best to wash the mixture off, i’m then moved onto a fresh bed and we move on to the full body hydrating massage section of the wrap experience, including a bespoke deep tissue massage to aid recovery of my injured shoulder.

Now let’s be clear, I’m a massage freak. I have at least one a week and I’m pretty fussy too; I tell Laura that “I like to feel like I’ve been beaten with sticks” and she laughs and agrees. After all, what’s the point if you can’t feel it, right?! For a petite girl, Laura is strong and she’s right in there, all-elbows and heels of hands, she tells me that my back is full of knots and she’s not surprised I’m always in pain. She goes on to explain that each knot is a build up of lactic acid that should be released through pressure. The thing I really loved about this particular Deep Tissue Massage is that Laura is particularly attentive and has a knack for picking out those exact hyper-sensitive spots, moving my arm into various positions to slide my shoulder-blade, she’s almost relentless in her mission to iron me out, and regularly asks is the pressure is ok. I can tell she’s frustrated when there are knots that she can’t flatten.

On to the facial and I’ve opted for an Active Peel Facial; it claims to be a powerful and effective natural peel which smoothes, softens and evens out skin tone. A Clarisonic brush cleanse is followed by an intense enzyme peel containing botanical extracts and pumpkin enzymes which exfoliate and remove dead skin cells. I’m no stranger to a glycolic peel and I love the familiar tingling sensation when it eventually begins. Once the peel is removed, skin is massaged with rose quartz crystal rollers which cool and calm the skin and send me into a relaxing trance.

To finish with, I’m handed over to Bronia who sits me down for a Jessica Geleration Polish. Generation delivers a high shine, chip free finish for up to two weeks in a variety of colours. For a small charge you can add nail art or a French polish but I’m a creature of habit and I opt for a Rouge Noir type colour. As most of us already know, gel polish is cured under a lamp and so there’s no drying time – perfect if you need to be out in a hurry and don’t want to sit around waiting for polish to dry, also perfect if, like me, you opt for rich, dark colours. It’s worth noting that help polish should be soaked off when it’s ready to be removed, this way you protect the nail underneath and minimise any damage, the Malmaison offers a soak off service for £15. Bronia is hilarious, she has me cackling like a hyena throughout my polish, kind of like a friend you haven’t seen in a long time.

As my day of treatments draws to a close, I’m taken back to the relaxation room where I’m told I can stay as long as I want, or if I’d prefer, I can use the sauna and drencher bucket shower, there’s no hurry to get rid of me, the vibe here is chilled and relaxed and clients are encouraged to stay and do the same.

One of the great things about the spa at the Malmaison is that there’s no judgement. In an environment where you’re in and out of a robe and very little else for treatments, these girls have seen it all before and they aren’t bothered. I’m sure we’ve all been to that one place where we’ve felt a little uncomfortable but this is not it. Here, it’s just day-to-day business and the girls are completely unaffected. If you’re the nervous or body conscious type, have no fear, the staff here are friendly and professional and within about ten minutes you’ll have forgotten all about the worries you might have had when you arrived.

Le Petit Spa at Malmaison Newcastle is a hidden sanctuary in a busy city, and one that I’ll be returning to. It’s on the Quayside, has its own designated parking and offers every treatment you could possibly want and more. Yes it could do with a lick of paint but that doesn’t affect the treatments. In terms of aesthetics, the spa may have to up its game in the ever-changing sky scape of Newcastle but given the multi-million pound overhaul the hotel has just had, that might not be out of the question. For now though, know that if you’re ever in the city and just fancy a little peace and quiet, or some space to relax, it’s right there, underneath your favourite Quayside hotel. Would I recommend it? Yes, absolutely. It may just change the way you see beauty treatments. It’s a one stop shop and you get a relaxation room thrown into the mix, how many regular beauty salons can boast that? So, go, try it out, and let me know how you get on.

Pixie x

The treatments I had on the day were:

Lycon Hollywood Wax £34

ESPA Body Wrap £60

30 Minute Deep Tissue Massage £42

Active Peel Facial £75

Jessica Geleration Nails £30

Huge thanks to Therapists Laura and Bronia for looking after me all day long!