A Pinks Boutique Power Massage at City Spa Escapes, Manchester

Arriving at Quay House, Spinningfields for a Pinks Boutique Power Massage at City Spa Escapes, you would be forgiven for thinking you’ve turned up at the wrong place. This is because City Spa Escapes is located on the 2nd floor of what is essentially an office building in the wonderful location that is Spinningfields. However, as soon as you enter the spa, you lose all sense of that. There are 2 treatment rooms, both comfortable, warm and inviting, kitted-out with everything needed to provide a relaxing spa treatment.

I had opted for the Pinks Boutique Power Massage which promises a massage combining Eastern and Western techniques. It aims to soothe and relax aching muscles as well as cleansing your body and soul. A combination much needed for me a the moment! I’m in!

Walking into the room, I instantly felt calmer in the space dimly lit by candles and with soothing music playing gently in the background.

Ashleigh welcomed me in to the space and encouraged me to make myself comfortable. The experience began with me choosing which flavoured tea I’d like from a selection – I went for Strawberry and Mango (yum!). This is served in a thai clay teapot and set the mood for the rest of the experience. Ashleigh then asked me to put 4 different scented oils on my hand and smell each one individually. I chose my favourite one and this formed the basis of my treatment. I chose the lemongrass scent, which meant that the organic Pinks Boutique products were from this range. I found this infusion refreshing, invigorating and detoxifying.

The treatment started with a hot foot soak, infused with salts and fresh lemon slices. Ashleigh washed, exfoliated and massaged my feet and calves, whilst I sipped my fruity tea. I then moved onto the heated massage bed which was covered in soft blankets and was extremely comfy and luxurious. I laid face down and Ashleigh started the Power Massage by working on the backs of my legs. The range of motions she used to massage me created a pleasant warmth on my legs , rid them of the day’s aches and left them feeling soothed.

The next target area was my back (my problem zone) and Ashleigh worked her magic with a mixture of soft and hard pressure. I had a couple of particularly sensitive areas along my back and felt myself flinching a little bit at first (not with pain…it almost tickled). I could feel the difference the massage was making even after just a few minutes – as I started to relax into it, my muscles were relaxing with me.

I was then asked to turn over and Ashleigh began to work on the fronts of my legs. She started on one leg, massaging the foot too and then the knee. She then asked if I’d like my stomach massaged (an optional part of the treatment apparently) and having never had my stomach massaged before, I of course said yes! This was a slightly bizarre sensation at first and I won’t lie, I was worried I might have a few impromptu and embarrassing tummy gurgles…but I didn’t. Even if I did make funny noises, I get the impression that Ashleigh has heard it all before and wouldn’t judge me for a second – a very important trait in someone who is carrying-out what is a fairly intimate experience with you. Then she worked her way back down onto the other side of my body and finished the massage on the other leg and foot.

Then came the glorious head and face massage. I might sound like a bit of a weirdo using words like ‘glorious’, but for someone who loves people just playing with her hair, having a proper head and face massage is absolute bliss!

I was feeling so incredibly relaxed at this point that when Ashleigh softly said “Holly are you ok?”, I thought I was drifting-off in a cloud of loveliness somewhere. I came-to as she asked me to slowly sit-up as my treatment wasn’t finished yet. I smiled a happy smile as I didn’t want it to end. This was the part where she worked on my back and top of my neck again, which was lovely and a very different sensation when sitting up, compared to lying down. With a Power Massage, you really do feel like every part of your body and every aching muscle is getting tended to.

Ashleigh then raised one end of the bed and brought over a huge comfy pillow for me to sit back and relax on, wrapped-up snug as a bug in a rug. A very relaxed bug! That was the end of the treatment, but not of the experience. 90 minutes is a long time to be in such a relaxed state that it takes a few minutes to regroup and come back to the real world. Ashleigh also says you often need to replenish your sugar levels slightly, so she bought over another cup of hot fruity tea along with a few sweeties for sugar…ahhhh bliss!

Ashleigh uses a wealth of different techniques during this 90 minute luxurious massage, each having a slightly different effect and feeling on the body. The combination of all these techniques creates an invigorating yet relaxing massage. For some, 90 minutes may sound like a long time to take out of your day, but please please make that time. You will not regret it. I booked my massage for straight after work, so I was still home by 7.15pm and had the rest of the evening ahead of me.

I have used the word ‘experience’ a few times above and this is because the Power Massage at City Spa Escapes, Manchester is not just your everyday massage. From the tea, to the scents and products used, to the foot scrub, to the intricate massage, to the sweeties afterwards – this is truly a relaxing, cleansing and luxurious experience. Personally, I left feeling that my mind had been cleansed of all the day’s stresses and that my body had been soothed – a wonderful feeling.

I touched on it earlier and feel I should highlight how much of the experience is down to Ashleigh herself. She is clearly passionate and knowledgable about what she does and goes that extra mile to bring authenticity to her spa treatments. Having spoken to her about her training and background at length, I know that she has travelled across the world to be taught by the best people out there. This is definitely evident in her technique.

Ashleigh’s skill, combined with the natural, home-made organic skincare products that Pinks Boutique offer, make for a winning combination.

I could waffle on for ages about this experience as there is so much to say. I hope I’ve managed to do it some justice and there is only one thing left to say…Go and find out for yourself! City Spa Escapes offers a variety of spa and beauty treatments for men and women, but I’d highly recommend you start with a Pinks Boutique Power Massage, as it will really introduce you to the ethos of the spa in the best possible way.

Anyone who books a Power Massage quoting ‘hollygoeslightly‘ will recieve 20% off further treatments at City Spa Escapes (exc. HD brows). So there is no excuse!