A juice created by one of Ireland’s finest foodies is the final special touch in making this a spa visit that’s out of the ordinary…
There are so many elements to a great spa treatment – first and foremost the therapist and their hands, but followed by the welcome, the products used, the sounds you hear as you lie on the treatment bed, and the after-treatment relaxation. I remember once having a fantastic treatment in a tiny room beside a noisy corridor in a department store, the poor therapist battling against the loud chat of staff coming in and out right beside us, and the drift of store muzak; no amount of essential oils and acupressure massage could cancel out that commotion.
City centre spas tend to be more of a challenge, with space at a premium. So when you find a great treatment bang in the middle of Dublin, it’s very welcome. Beyond the premium offerings at five-star hotels such as The Shelbourne and the Merrion, and specialists with long waiting lists, top-notch facials are few and far between. One of the most unexpectedly good we’ve found is at the Radisson’s spa, Velvaere, on Chancery Lane, Dublin 8 just behind Aungier Street. The hotel itself is really pretty nice, with smart, light, modern rooms that are astonishingly quiet considering the location bang in town, from around €216 a night.
And the spa is excellent, with a thermal suite (sauna, steam room, small hydrotherapy pool, loungers) and seats outside in the quiet courtyard. On weekdays you can spend an hour in here, followed by 90 minutes of treatment (eg microdermabrasion plus full body exfoliation) and then time in the relaxation suite for €150. Products are by elegant Parisian brand Codage (they also have IS Clinical); a recent visitor came in and snapped up the whole range, saying it’s tricky to source outside of Paris.
I tried a bespoke facial (€150 Monday-Sunday, one-hour treatment plus an hour’s thermal suite access). I’d recommend asking for Irene: she does a wonderful facial, really gentle but thorough – she is incredibly professional and experienced (she previously worked at the Merrion and also Cliff at Lyons, so only the best). With lots of facial and head massage, and birdsong in the soundtrack, it’s easy to drift away, even with a slightly spicy peel. And my skin looked noticeably firmer and more glowing for several days afterwards – this is definitely one to invest in before a big event or night out, as your skin really looks distinctly different, more polished, smoothed and radiant. I was genuinely surprised by the results. You get a little 5ml customised Codage serum to take with you (and can upgrade to a larger size), which is a nice touch.
And here’s another nice touch. New at Velvaere is an exclusive range of cold-pressed juices specially created by Majken Bech-Bailey, of the renowned Aimsir restaurant. One of her new ventures is a range of non-alcoholic drinks, and these juices, served to you in the relaxation room after your treatment (and available to buy exclusively at Velvaere), enhance the general wellbeing and healthy indulgence feeling of being here at the spa.
Bech-Bailey talked us through her careful selection of ingredients – local where possible, and all with a focus on wellbeing – and the process of creating these juices, which will change seasonally. For now, there’s Fennel, a blend to support digestion, immunity and heart health, via chamomile, apple and sorrel; and Sumac, which features cold-pressed aronia berries and roasted Alexander seeds, and has a tannin aspect that makes it almost like a fine wine (I’ve tried mixing this with fizzy water and it makes an almost cocktail-like drink for evenings, too). Both are rich in antioxidants and designed to promote collagen production and lower inflammation and stress. I love the bottles with their hand-poured wax seal top, too. The alcohol-free drinks market is growing, and Bech-Bailey is right there in the forefront, making intriguing blends that benefit your body rather than filling it with toxins and sugar.
While we chatted, she made a pot of the freshest chamomile tea, sourced from master herbalist Freda Wolfe’s Intelligent Tea. A gorgeous sunny yellow, it tastes a world away from teabag chamomile; I ordered a bag as soon as I got home, and I’m going to work through them, from dandelion and spearmint to Indian Spice tea, from €7 (www.intelligenttea.ie and stocked at stores nationwide including The Cake Cafe, Dublin 8 and Airfield Market, Dundrum). Temperature is key to get the most from these teas, notes Bech-Bailey; the water should not be over 75 degrees.
A juice created by one of Ireland’s finest foodies is the final special touch in making this a spa visit that’s out of the ordinary – yet well within reach if you live in Dublin.
