A visit to Shine Spa at Sheraton Bahrain Hotel offered Liz O’Reilly the perfect opportunity to relax and reset.
Alongside the spa, there are comprehensive fitness facilities – a mixed gym with more machines than I have, perhaps, ever seen, with pieces of Technogym equipment I didn’t even recognise. There’s also a ladies-only gym and studio space for those who prefer to work out with more privacy. Plus, having a qualified trainer on hand is great to demystify the workout experience.
Those using the spa also have access to the hotel’s gorgeous outdoor pool, which sits in an oasis among the surrounding high-rise buildings and provides various exercise sessions. It really does feel like your own little slice of paradise and, if you visit in the evening, the lit-up area is beautiful. There are elevated, open-air padel courts too, where you can get your daily dose of vitamin D while going into battle with your opponent.
Inside, the spa space is tranquillity embodied. Quiet tones of cream, oatmeal and pale blue invite relaxation, abstract artworks add interest and quiet, gentle music prepares you to surrender your stresses for a few hours.
There are separate male and female areas, each with three treatment rooms and sauna and steam facilities, and a couple’s area offers an intimate space to enjoy tandem treatments.
After sipping a welcoming cold hibiscus tea and filling out a consultation form to establish my medical history and preferences, I was introduced to my therapist, Ika, who would be looking after me for my massage and Thalgo facial.
She showed me to the extensive changing area which, alongside lockers and public space, has spacious individual changing rooms, a nice touch which I was only to happy to take advantage of.
Then it was time for the bliss to begin and we headed to my treatment room. The very low lighting and candles gave an immediate cue for my body to wind down as my session began with a foot ritual in which the heat and dust of the day were washed away with a coconut scrub.
I stretched out face down on the superbly comfortable massage bed and Ika got to work, lavishly slathering her hands with almond oil, known for its moisturising and anti-inflammatory properties, and starting at my feet. With gentle but firm movements, she manipulated and stretched my joints before using long, sure strokes to release tension in my muscles, working upwards towards my heart.
At my lower back, Ika’s pressure increased as she noted some stubborn knots which she managed to release without the usual pain. My shoulders were a more difficult proposition and took some extra work with Ika warning I might feel some pain the next day – in fact, I actually felt remarkably loose and comfortable.
I was just on the verge of dozing off when the massage finished and Ika spritzed my face with the lightly refreshing Thalgo Reviving Marine Mist, its delightful fragrance bringing thoughts of ocean breezes. She then applied a towel over my hair in preparation for my facial – always one of my favourite parts of any spa day.
She began with the Éveil À La Mer cleansing gel oil, working a light lather into my skin with gentle movements and tapping aimed at drainage. This Thalgo hero product promises a deep cleanse, even removing waterproof make-up and leaving the skin soft and moisturised.
After wiping off the residue, Ika then went for the second level with the Velvet Cleansing Milk, a creamier option with 96% natural-origin ingredients and Micronised Marine Algae Extract. The texture felt really silky and left my complexion deeply hydrated.
My skin is both dry and rather sensitive, so we had discussed in advance the parts of the regular treatment I would not enjoy. Ika suggested the Thalgo Resurfacing Cream, a gentler version of the regular scrub, and told me to let her know if I was at all uncomfortable. I must admit, it did feel a little rough, but definitely not painful and I have previously discovered that scrubs at this level can be seriously beneficial, so I was happy to leave myself in Ika’s very capable hands, knowing she would not go over the top.
The next part of the process would usually be a steam treatment and extraction but, again, aware of how reactive my skin can be, we moved directly onto the Prodige Des Océans Le Rituel mask, which was an absolute delight. The five-minute, oxygenating and anti-ageing treatment was applied as a thick, super-cold cream that was perfect to reduce any lingering heat after the scrub. I could feel it quenching my thirsty skin and sinking in deeply as Ika administered a brief but welcome head massage which left me, once again, almost on the verge of sleep.
Following the mask, Ika massaged in Prodige Des Océans Le Rituel Le Concentré, a marine-based, serum-like liquid that promises rejuvenation. The gentle massage felt fully regenerative, I must surely praise Ika’s skills in this area, and my skin was beginning to respond to the extreme level of pampering.
A soothing eye cream came next, gently tapped on with featherlight movements across the delicate ocular area around the eye socket and bones, and this was f
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