Need to de-stress? Walk into this neighbourhood spa in Gurgaon (IANS Spa Review)

GURGAON - “Is the pressure, okay,” asks the masseur softly, as her hands move surely on tired, abused calf muscles. A musical melody wafts through the small speakers, with the lights kept moodily low for the ambience.

It’s not a spa situated in the salubrious environs of a five-star hotel, but located in the busy Super Market-1, a complex of offices, shops and popular restaurants, in this suburban town next to the Indian capital. It perhaps reflects the trend of bringing wellness treatments out of the luxury service sector - to a more prosaic, daily need.

Blue Terra Spa is the brain child of Kapil Dhameja and Sanyog Jain, both graduates from the Indian Institute of Management in Kolkata.

“I wanted to do something in the wellness sphere,” said Dhameja, who has worked with a healthcare multinational for over 10 years.

So, along with his friend, Dhameja decided to take the plunge to open a chain of health spas. Gurgaon was chosen for their first venture - the choice shaped not only available real estate but also the profile of the residents.

“The market has a number of condominiums surrounding it, where the residents are prosperous, well-travelled,” he said.

In fact, despite being open for only two months, the spa has already attracted a dedicated clientele, several of them expatriates. “We are now getting several return clients. In fact, that’s what we want. This is not to be treated only for a special occasion, but something for which a person can come, say after work for de-stressing,” he said.

Located on the fifth floor of Super Market, the visitor is greeted by a flower-bedecked Ganesha in front of the glass door of the spa. When a client walks in, he or she is greeted with a glass of water and hand towels, while the menu of available treatments is explained.

There is an extensive choice from Ayurvedic treatments from ’shirodhara’ and ‘abhyangam’ to holistic treatment like Swedish and Balinese massage, which take around 75 minutes.

The spa has four treatment rooms, including one for couples and another for ayurvedic therapies. Each room also has a high-tech steam and shower cubicle, so that a client can after the massage, take a rejuvenating shower.

The staff, diploma-holders, had been specially trained for three weeks before the spa opened.

One of the key attractions of the spa is its relative low prices. The most expensive treatments are two ‘ritual’ therapies from Indonesia for Rs.3,000, which include a massage, body scrub and mask or a splash.

A Balinese massage, which is a full-body treatment that combines acupressure, reflexology, stretching and aromatherapy and lasts for 75 minutes, is priced at Rs.1,600.

“If you look at our prices, we can’t even compare to five-star rates. Even compared to others (spas), we are 30-40 percent lower,” Dhameja said.