Savour the calm of G&V Spa’s pamper treatment

G&V Signature Pamper Treatment is available at a discount until 23 December

The treatment

The 90-minute G&V Signature Pamper Treatment, which is £70 (usually £110) until 23 December, at the G&V Spa, Edinburgh. It includes a body massage, paraffin hand wax treatment and detoxing facemask.

Why go?

This is the relatively sedate period before Christmas, when you’re still enjoying the Mog advert, doing some light wrapping and considering putting up the tree, but the panic buying and general Grinchy-ness hasn’t set in yet. Take a pause, visit this spa and savour the calm before the tinsel storm.

Our spy says

There’s something about this spa that makes me feel like a tortoise climbing into its hibernation box. It’s secluded, and noiseless, on an inside corridor of this five-star hotel. The therapists are always unbelievably nice. Today I have Anne.

She talks me through the therapy and, when she leaves the room, I slip out of the patterned towelling robe and lie face down on the bed.

When she comes back in, I’m instructed to take three deep breaths as she cups a few drops of a heady frankincense oil under my nose.

Then she massages my back like an expert baker making a seasonal stollen. Using medium pressure and a warmed rose oil, she works up and down my spine and along my stiff neck and shoulders. My legs get a similar pummelling, as did the soles of my feet.

Once I’ve turned onto my back, it’s time for the detoxing face mask. I’m cleansed and massaged, then a layer of gauze is pressed to my face and a thick layer of herbal scented warm mud is painted on. This is left to solidify, then Anne prepares the gloves, which are filled with paraffin wax at a temperature of 42 degrees. “The same heat that we wash our clothes at,” she says. As my hands are gently eased into the toasty melted wax, I do wince slightly, but it soon cools down a couple of notches.

While my paws stew, Anne massages the front of my legs, before removing my face mask with hot towels and gently spotting some moisturiser and eye cream onto my skin. My hands are eased out of their cosy pods, then my fingers and forearms are rubbed gently.

It’s over, so sad, the tortoise must come out of hibernation and think about putting up the decorations.

The results

My hands are warm and soft, my shoulders unknotted and I smell of roses. I’m ready to wade back into the festive fray.

• G&V Spa, 1 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh (0131-220 6666, www.quorvuscollection.com)