In the heart of the bustling Leicester Square is the imposing and oh-so-cool looking W Hotel. Inside the hotel, away from the noise of the street is the Away Spa; this is where Jonathon Carson of Elite Treat London invited me to review his massage treatments.
Elite Treat London is a collaboration company, made up of some of the most Elite (hence the name) practitioners in their field. From masseuses to beauticians, Elite Treat London offers you the best way to look after your body.
Jonathon is one of London’s premier massage therapists with an impressive list of qualifications including BTEC level 5 sports and remedial massage, deep tissue, hot stones, pregnancy massage and holistic massage.
I’m not uncommon with massages, as an avid gym goer and ex-lacrosse player I have been hyper aware of the benefits of massages and sport therapy for a long time; it increases blood circulation and helps feed the body. Through the reduced stimulation it psychologically and physically helps your feel balanced, increasing feel-good hormones and calms the Sympathetic Central Nervous system.
As I entered the spa I was I was greeted by Jonathon with a glass of water and a fruit juice shot which was designed t alkalise my body before treatment. After filling out the forms and talking about what I was hoping to get from my massage I slipped into my fetching gown and slippers and headed off to the steam room for a little R&R before we began.
The massage suit was a beautifully clean and peaceful space that instantly made you feel more relaxed. I hoped onto the (heated) massage table, face down, as Jonathan worked on my back, neck and shoulders first. Jonathon used a mixture of dry massage technique, to grip the soft tissues more easily and break down scar tissue, as well as deep tissue and hot stone methods to soothe the body. I had hot stones before, it’s an interesting part, I am never sure if it does anything measurable, but it does distracted from the painful working out of a knot.
Jonathon used a Balsamo Dolnatur balm over traditional massage creams as he says he prefers the texture, the balm warmed on the skin living a Vix-esque ‘burning’ sensation – it contains menthol and peppermint alongside eucalyptus, pine, Shea butter, bees wax, lavender, arnica, rosemary and camphor and it helps to reduce inflammation.
85 minutes later and I have been manipulated in about every which way possible, leaving the list of untouched body parts a much quicker one to get through than the opposite. I have never felt like I felt after that treatment. I found it hard to adjust and even talk again for a while. I was so calm and so relaxed, the mixture of traditional sports massage with remedial worked to great effect. I felt aligned spiritually as well as physically. The session was finished with another mixed fruit shot to help cleanse the body.
I can’t recommend Jonathon any higher; it was an amazing experience in an amazing location and hand-down one of the best treatments I’ve ever experienced.
Jonathon is currently available at the W Hotel on Wednesdays 12:30-9om with prices starting from £40 (my 80 minutes session with hot stones will set you back about £150).
You can also find Jonathan at the Spineplus Clinic in Chigwell on Monday, Thursdays and Saturdays (prices starting from £40) as well as Tottenham Court Road’s Fitness First on Mondays from 3-10pm. (prices starting from £35).
New customers booking in at Fitness First will receive an additional 25 minutes on top of their treatment for FREE.
If you don’t have the time to go out and get yourself a massage, Jonathon recommends the following products for home.
Aromatherapy Associates DE-Stress Muscle Bath and Shower Oil
“It’s very potent, do not over do the recommended use. This really helps in reducing inflammation due to the rosemary and ginger. It works in the bath or try applying directly to the area of concern, leaving for 15-20 minutes before rinsing.
£39.00 at aromatherapyassociates.com
Elemis Refreshing Gel
“This amazing gel, again through aromatherapy, reduces inflammation. Perfect for your gym bag.”
£29.50 at johnlewis.com
You can get in contact with Jonathan on 07432587566
Or on Twitter
Or by email at [email protected]
www.elitetreatlondon.co.uk
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