With increasingly dismal financial forecasts, the luxuries to which we have become accustomed over the past decade now seem like so much frivolous frippery. How to justify splashing out on decadent treatments and unguents when all around are preparing to weather the bull market?
The answer may lie with a package offered by the Sansana Spa in the Royal Marine Hotel in Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin. Book one treatment, for instance a facial for €100, and get in exchange a day of absolute, indolent relaxation. That price includes a facial that lasts 1 hour and 15 minutes; a foot ritual which involves feet being bathed, exfoliated and massaged; a back massage; refreshments and most importantly entry into the rest of the spa for the remainder of the day.
Manager Claudette Wells is keen for clients to make the most of their spa experience and thus recommends that if a treatment has been booked for mid-afternoon, that the client spends time relaxing pre- and post-beautification. "If your treatment is at 2pm, you could come in at 11am and relax, have the treatment and then stay until we close."
All in all, one could fashion quite the day's beauty retreat with access all areas to the thermal suites and relaxation areas, the 18-metre swimming pool, the hydrotherapy pool, steam room, sauna, ice fountain and showers that offer precipitation by way of rain, mist or drench. The Sansana Spa was recently awarded comprehensive hotel spa status by Fáilte Ireland. Products used in treatments come from Australia and are 80 per cent organic.
Open seven days a week, the opening hours are from 11am until 7pm and on Saturday from 9am until 7pm. See www.royalmarine.ie or call 01-2712563 for details.
Sarah Freeman