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Revitalize & Relax: Unveiling Raffles Spa, Seychelles (Praslin)

This Mans Journal

With not travelling as much during Covid-lockdowns and restrictions on spa treatments, reviews have been light on the ground to now. Thankfully with the ability to travel to the Seychelles for Christmas (you can view the whole itinerary on the website) we’ve been able to get away long-haul and be able to spend Christmas far from UK weather and the get-together restrictions. 

I love to travel and also love to try out different spa experiences, with Covid restrictions though some of the treatments were limited from the full spa menu - there were no facials available (which wasn’t an issue as I generally stick to Environ only) but I did like the look of a 90 minute ‘Ginger Renewal’ treatment. Where possible, as well as repeating favourite treatments like reflexology or deep-tissue massage I really do like more unusual treatments and this caught my attention, but on trying to book (and completely understandable) this wasn’t an option at the moment because of the body exfoliation part, which I hadn’t considered.

The details

Location | Raffles Spa, Raffles Seychelles, Praslin

Treatment | Muscle De-Stress Massage (Aromatherapy Associates)

Cost | €240 - £215 - $290 (all prices only a guide, based on exchange rates)

Time | 90 minutes (60 minutes also available at €165)

Spa website | https://www.raffles.com/seychelles/

Hotel website | https://www.raffles.com/seychelles/spa/

The treatment

I’m a big fan of Aromatherapy Associates products and use some of them at home, in particular the bath & shower oils and I use much of the De-Stress Muscle range. The treatment was the 90 minute Muscle De-Stress Massage using a choice of three oils; Nourishing Enrich Body Oil, Inner Strength Body Oil or Deep Relax Body Oil. My therapist, Ajeesh allowed me to try all three and while normally I would have been drawn to the Deep Relax oil, this time I seemed to prefer the aroma from the Inner Strength oil. I’ve always been advised to opt for the choice your body prefers most at the particular time, so the Inner Strength oil it was.

First off, sitting on a comfortable bench-sofa at the end of the room, I had a quick foot soak followed by a salt scrub. Once both feet were dried it was a quick change into the disposable boxer shorts (actually pleasing that there was a specific male version, but they were like a mesh-effect and didn’t really cover much) and then laying face-down on a comfortable massage bed. I’d indicated that I was looking for particular attention around both the neck and shoulder area as well as lower back, and indeed the therapist did exactly this. A decent amount of the therapy time was devoted to my back, the pressure was exactly as asked for (deep, firm pressure) and with the addition of the oil I could feel the tension melting.

I often don’t find it particularly comfortable lying face-down with your head through a bed attachment, but actually the one here wasn’t too bad. After focussing on my back, it was then onto legs with some stretching involved too; then a quick turn onto the other side and had the front of legs done, arms and then back of neck again/upper back. The treatment passed quickly but was executed extremely well, at the point at which I thought it was (disappointingly) over, the therapist was just washing his hands again before completing the treatment with a head pressure-point massage, which was excellent too. Overall the treatment itself couldn’t be faulted, was very well planned and executed.

The facilities

The spa area is made up of a number of individual pavilions - it was a bit confusing going in initially as the main ‘spa corridor’ was blocked off for some maintenance work on the (very impressive) steps down into the main area, but the signage wasn’t clear which seemed to direct you to the gym, which is housed in a separate pavillion near the entrance. It looked like there was a set of steps up to the gym only, and no through-way to the main spa reception, but later I realised you could walk up then down on the other side.

As well as the gym pavilion, there was a large building which housed both the male and female changing areas, as well as two separate wet-areas for each and what looked like it was a shop (under renovation); an open-sided spa reception pavilion then the main area was lots of individual spa pavilions throughout the grounds in front, many overlooking the ocean. More on these later.

Changing facilities

The male changing area was a decent size, there were toilets and a large sink/vanity area as you entered, then a smallish recessed area with lockers (no keys to lock). There were three individual shower/changing cabins; each had a walk-in shower area, separate sink and well-appointed with large pristine white towels, flip-flops and Asprey ‘Purple Water’ toiletries - shampoo, conditioner and shower gel (as in the villas). There was then a separate ‘wet’ area - a sunken jacuzzi area with two recessed beds under-water, a sauna and separate steam room. To one side were two experience showers with coloured LED mood-lighting, one with side spray only and the other both side and overhead shower options.

While the facilities were decent, they did look like they were in some need of (and seemed to be already getting) some TLC - there was a separate lounge area which had an adjacent patio area, but this was closed off because the decking had some major holes in the floor. The overarching issue was that the air-conditioning wasn’t working in that area and it was uncomfortably hot - after the warm jacuzzi and although both sauna and steam room had been switched on (and no one else there) after months of getting used to both of these being out of operation elsewhere due to Covid, I decided not to try them here. As with the rest of the hotel, the changing areas were spotlessly clean and there was an attendant cleaning around while I was there.

The treatment room

On booking my treatment, I was given the option of an ocean-view spa pavilion for the massage (without air-conditioning) or one with. I opted for the non air-conditioned and I think this was a great choice. The pavilion was further down from the main (spa) reception area and had the most amazing ocean view - it was open on three sides but had complete privacy from the other adjacent (but not close) spa pavilions and loved having the natural air-cooling. It did take some time to cool down after not having any air-conditioning in the changing facilities (and it was uncomfortably hot) but once I did the massage was great hearing the sound of the ocean lapping onto the beach and the natural sound of birdsong. On paying for the treatment at the end, my therapist did say that the Manager had applied a discount - I wasn’t sure what this was for, but they later phoned to tell me that I’d been given a 90 minute massage for the price of 60 minutes because of the air-conditioning issue (lack of) which was a fair gesture.

The hotel

I’ll be writing a complete hotel review after our stay, but first impressions are good after a potentially rocky start. We did arrive early after our flight and it was well before normal check-in but we were given an ocean-view villa (#122), one of 86 in total across the property, which did have an ocean view but also had a view over a car park, maintenance yard and generator station. Apparently this was only temporary and not normally allocated, once we complained we were moved later that day to one with a considerably better view (villa #280) and without the noise of the generator station either. All the entry-level villas are the same layout but what you are paying for is definitely the different outlook - you pay more for a better (higher level) view.

This Man’s Journal  top tips (any areas for improvement?):

  • It did look like some areas were needing some TLC but this also looked like it was already being addressed with the work underway.

  • Really minor, but details do count and it was the same elsewhere in the resort - the folios being used for presenting checks or completing the spa details form were woven, so almost impossible to write on without having the most illegible handwriting. I know this might sound trivial, but a flatter surface would be so much better - my therapist afterwards had to come back and ask what my gratuity said because the writing wasn’t clear. 

This Man’s Journal absolute highlights:

  • Great treatment pavilion - loved the view and natural air-conditioning.

  • Aromatherapy Associates products - personal favourite so great when they can be incorporated into a treatment. 

  • Excellent therapist - great massage and executed extremely well.

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