Angsana Spa at the Vineyard hotel took the winning title in the Best Luxury Wellness Spa category at the Worlds Luxury Spa awards for the African continent in 2013 and it is not hard to see why.
The Angsana Spa takes it name from the Angsana tree, noted for it’s crown of golden fragrant flowers that burst into bloom unexpectedly for just one day. It’s philosophy is to seize life spontaneously, to sense the moment and savour time as it passes inexorably.
Angsana is owned by Banyan Tree Hotels and resorts. The lifestyle oriented spa offers spa products and accessories, traditional handicrafts, resort style furnishings and unique gifts.
But enough of all the facts I’m writing this post to recount my time spent there just a few days back…and quite a time it was. What one first notices is the complete sense of calm when you enter the spa. Now you may be saying that surely this is to be expected, but is not always the case, in fact you are sometimes made to feel like you are just another number at any other reception desk but not at Angsana. You are greeted with great care from the moment you step into this sanctuary. Your details are taken and you are offered a beverage and a seat in the ‘lounge area’ where you can either sit outside and enjoy the gentle lapping sound of the Liesbeeck river which runs past the spa, or have a seat inside and enjoy the relaxing music and smells of the calming aromatherapy oils which waft through the spa.
Your therapist will come through to escort you to your treatment room and she will proceed to offer you a leg and foot wipe down with heated towels so before any massaging has begun one is already feeling totally relaxed.
Once you’re on the bed and ready for your chosen treatment the therapist will proceed to ask you if you’d prefer soft, medium or hard pressure for the massage and then she proceeds with what I can say will possibly be the best massage you’ll ever have. There is such attention to detail and to you that you never feel as if it is rushed. I mean of course when it’s over you wish that it never had to end, but as they say all good things do, but not before all of your tense muscles have been restored to a state of relaxation. Hands also receive special attention and all of this is finished off with a face and scalp massage. So full body really does mean full body.
The Angsana offers a wide range of treatments from hand and foot care, to speciality massages, facials and then a selection of bath and water treatments to leave you feeling perfectly refreshed.
