Infatuations of a features writer: Elegant opulence

Spa sophistication and a complete suspension of time and stress

Situated in the heart of the stylish Radisson Blu Sandton hotel, the Amani African Spa is as much a gem as the semi-precious stones that its 10 ten treatment rooms are named after.

Echoing the bold decor and striking interior design of the hotel itself, the spa boasts a sophistication and understated sense of opulence. The treatment rooms share the same lofty views of the City of Gold as the hotel suites, something that further emphasises a complete breakaway from the stresses of city living and a suspension of time and stress while one is comfortably “living the high life”.

Purple is a colour often associated with royalty, which might explain why, after a few short minutes spent in the luxurious Amethyst Room, customers comfortably slip into the role of an African king or queen, even if only for a day.

An inviting massage bed – overflowing with warm fluffy towels – sucks you in, the aromatic bergamot and grape seed oils start to wield their charms and slowly an hour-long hot stone massage kneads every last ounce of tension out of your muscles.

The secret of this signature Amani spa treatment lies in the winning combination of a cocoon-like dark room and the comforting warmth of the hot stones that serve to both relax muscles and warm up tight muscles so that the therapist can work more deeply and quickly.

Whether the smooth, flat heated stones are used either as extensions of the therapists’s hands or very pleasantly placed on the pressure points of one’s body while the therapist works on another part of your body, the end result of a hot stone is a feeling of such calmness and relaxation that one feels quite comfortably numb.

My therapist wisely advised me to take a few minutes to “wake up” before reluctantly tearing myself away from the room. Too often after a spa treatment people don’t factor in a bit of relaxation time, instead immediately opening themselves back up to the stresses of e-mails beeping on their phones and meetings that need to be scheduled.

Nothing can quite undo that sense of inner peace (the name Amani, incidentally, means “peace” in KiSwahili) as quickly as the power button on your Blackberry, which is why half an hour or so in the Amani’s bubbling Vitality day pool proved to be the perfect tentative step back into the real world.

The range of treatments on menu are extensive, and the spa offers new therapies such as salt therapy in their salt room and a signature five-step hydro journey.

Customers are also welcome to make use of some of the hotel’s facilities, such as the pool and relaxation deck and loungers, or ordering off the delicious lunch and dinner menus.