Scottish spa treatment: Santosa, Edinburgh

Unwind and let the cares of the world slip away during a deep relaxation treatment at Santosa, Edinburgh

The treatment

A Santosa Deep Relaxation signature treatment (90 minutes for £60) at Santosa, Edinburgh.

Why go?

Because you’re wound as tight as a bobbin, and this place should help you unravel. Not only does it feature a beautiful yoga studio, vegetarian and vegan cafe, there’s a shop selling fairly traded Nepalese goodies, and two downstairs treatment rooms.

Our spy says

My therapist, Maija, gives me a consultation form to fill out while I sink into a squashy upcycled sofa in this new venue’s cafe.

Then she leads me downstairs into one of the treatment rooms. I’m asked to choose from a couple of ayurvedic eye masks – I go for a jasmine filled one, then she leaves the room so I can get ready.

The treatment starts with a back massage using various techniques, from acupressure to Swedish. With medium pressure, the strokes feel liquid, comforting and soothing, and Maija seamlessly adds hot stones to some of her moves, which help to smooth knots and heat muscles. She also uses oils from yoga brand Yogandha – the Relax version of which contains organic lavender and vetiver.

Once I’ve turned over, and the mask is placed over my eyes, the full body massage continues, then segues into some amazing face, scalp and neck work. I love when hands are slid under shoulders, and used to work out tight areas. And, who knew my neck was so stiff?

This experience ends with 10 minutes of reiki. Maija cups her hands over my face, and the heat seems to make me drop off.

I’m generally a sceptic, but she tells me afterwards that she could sense there was a lot going on in my head and, apparently, the busier someone’s mind, the more likely they are to fall asleep during this element of the treatment. Anyway, my usually chattering macaque-like brain feels completely emptied out.

In the cafe, I refuel with some of their top notch salads – an avocado mixture, an apple, lemon and fennel creation and a sweet beetroot slaw, as well as a slice of vegan mango cake made by Edinburgh company Raw Ginger Piece.

The results

I have not been this chilled out for a long time. The results last all evening and I sleep like a stone that’s been dropped to the bottom of the ocean. As soon as the pesky old brain starts chattering again, I’m going back to Santosa.

• Santosa (21 Albert Street, Edinburgh, 0131-555 6255, www.studio.santosa.co.uk)