Scottish spa treatment: Radisson Blu Hotel, Edinburgh

Enjoying some festival down time at the Radisson Blu Hotel spa, Edinburgh. Picture: Contributed

The treatment

The Justbe Aroma-Indulgence, 90 minutes for £70 until the end of September (£90 thereafter) at the new Sleeping Beauty @ Melrose Spa, Radisson Blu Hotel, Edinburgh. Includes a Detoxifying Foot Soak, Personalised Full Body Aromatherapy Massage, and a Mini Aromatherapy Facial.

Why go?

To experience the marriage of Sleeping Beauty (its other Edinburgh venue is on William Street, and there is also one in Lerwick and two in Inverness) and Justbe Botanicals (an Edinburgh-based company which creates aromatherapy influenced goodies, such as oils, chocolates and teas, which are also for sale here).

Our spy says

Mid-way through the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and I’d forgotten that the hotel, where this new spa is situated, is right in the epicentre.

It doubles as Venue 39 on the High Street, so expect lots of flyer dodging on your way in. At least the hordes outside make for even more of a contrast once you arrive at the chilled reception area down on the lower level.

My therapist, Lisa, swiftly escorted me into one of their large wine-coloured treatment rooms, where she performs the foot ritual (a foot bath and scrub, with pink salt crystals and oils). While my tootsies marinated, I also got to choose a Justbe oil.

“How do you want to feel?” asks Lisa. I’d normally say relaxed, but I’m thinking uplifted, since I’ll be facing the crowds again soon-ish. I test out a couple of oils, and go for Justbe Happy, which contains perky extracts including pink grapefruit, lime and bergamot.

Then Lisa leaves the room, so I can get undressed and onto the towel clad treatment bed, face down. Once I ring the bell to let her know it’s safe to return, the treatment begins with a couple of deep inhalations, which involve breathing in the invigorating oils, then she gets to work on my back, using long flowing massage strokes that are reminiscent of Hawaiian technique lomilomi. She rubs all the way along my spine, there are figure-of-eights round my shoulders, and she does lots of work along the sides of my body, all with a medium pressure. The back of my legs are rubbed, and bent so that Lisa can get to work on my feet.

Then I turn over and the other side of my limbs are massaged. Sweet joy.

Onto the facial, and Lisa cleans off my make-up with a balm, then applies a selection of Justbe products, from its Uplifting Toner with Rosewood and Tangerine, to a Gentle Exfoliator and a Radiant Treatment Oil with rosehip oil.

To signal that it’s all over – boo-hoo – she gently presses along my body, using acupressure moves.

The results

I’m so chilled out that I even accept a couple of flyers on the way back up the High Street. That never usually happens.

Radisson Blu Hotel,

80 High Street, Edinburgh

(0844 445 7771, www.sleepingbeautysalon.com)