I love a spa day as much as the next person, but as descriptive as I can get about the treatments I receive and the pressure applied by the masseuse, I must admit that the differences that really stand out between various spas usually have to do with the products, location, cleanliness, ambience and perhaps the most important feature for me: the relaxation lounges. It’s rare for the treatments themselves to be substantially different and exciting, but I actually managed to find a very unique experience at The Spa at Palazzo Versace recently: The Forest Treatment.

I won’t drone on too much about The Spa at Palazzo Versace itself, as I’ve already written about it in detail here, but the treatment I received this time was so different, unique and enjoyable -compared to any other spa I’ve been to, that I’ll elaborate more on that instead.

For starters, the first difference I picked up on since my last visit over a year ago, is that the Neom products were swapped out for Aromatherpy Associates. Truth be told by the skincare philistine in me disguised as an enthusiast:  they’re almost all the same to me and I can’t ever tell the difference until I’ve been using something regularly for a few weeks. The only thing I pick up on is the scent, and the product used on me was a most unique blend of 22 essential oils.

This 75 minute experience intends to make you feel like you’re in a forest. It differs from others in that it actually starts you off in the sauna, where you receive a light tapping all over your body with. eucalyptus bunches. I love the fragrance of eucalyptus and always have a bunch at home, from when it’s fresh till it’s ultra dry, but the fragrance of eucalyptus in a sauna is just a whole other. level of relaxing you nerves and opening up your nasal passages. Was it funny? Everything is a little funny for me. I felt like a koala. No, I did not mind in the least.

I was then ushered out of the sauna and stood under an experiential shower, emulating a tropical rainstorm. Although it felt a bit scary and stressful standing there with my eyes closed as the water poured hard on me and the sound o0f thunder met with artificial lighting, in hindsight I must admit that at least it cleared my mind of any other noise and thoughts. That in itself feels like a detox, what with the 52 tabs perpetually open in our brains.

With robe in hand, my therapist was waiting right by the shower for me to finish, and then led me to my treatment room, which was adorned with faux tropical foliage to set the mood for the massage part of my Forest Treatment. To start off, my nasal passages were opened up by deeply and slowly inhaling a blend of 22 essential oils, followed by a deeply relaxing, knot-removing massage. Finally, my hands and feet were slathered in a clay mask and wrapped up in banana leaves, before being wiped clean. I think all treatments and spas should switch to using banana leaves instead of cling film.

It’s worth mentioning that the sauna, experiential shower and relaxation lounge are available to all customers regardless of what treatment you indulge in, however you won’t get the eucalyptus tapping and mocktail + berries on ice unless you’ve signed up for the Forest Treatment.

And here’s one of my best kept secrets: I actually buy myself their ‘gift vouchers‘ for the best bang for buck. The prices are so good that you really could go back every week if you wanted to! I can’t recommend this spa enough and simply can’t stop raving about it!