The New London Wellness Destination SL Seriously Loves
CREATED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BAMFORD
The Space
If you’re a spa-devotee, you’ve likely heard of Bamford – the luxury brand of organic treatments, skincare, homeware and clothing that first began at Bamford Haybarn at Daylesford farm in the Cotswolds.
Now spanning six locations worldwide, from Miami to Tokyo, the newly-launched Brompton Cross branch is serving as London's flagship. The space opened its doors earlier this month, on October 15th, and is already being hailed as a sanctuary of calm in the city.
Inspired by the tranquil greenery and natural surroundings of the Daylesford farm, Founder Carole Bamford has succeeded in her mission to bring a slice of relaxing country life into the middle of London – a light and airy space, the three-floor wellness destination is filled with cavernous treatment suites, bark-lined walls, fresh foliage, candles and crystals.
The Concept
Each floor is devoted to one of the three core pillars of Bamford’s wellbeing philosophy: ‘move, breathe, heal’ – designed to help people disconnect from the stress of urban living. The ground floor is the space to ‘breathe’, a welcoming, calming area where you can sit before and after a treatment. Sip on a freshly brewed organic infusion (each blended to create a certain mood or target a specific concern) at the bar and browse their ethical product range, or try out a complimentary express skincare treatment while you wait.
The top floor is home to a skylit yoga, meditation and sound healing studio (aka, the place to ‘move’), which offers morning, afternoon and evening classes available to book conveniently online. whilst the lower ground floor is where you can ‘heal’ in two luxurious treatment suites. Walk down the stairs and it’s like entering another world: pass through a white, candlelit cave to your private treatment area – complete with a personal shower, bathroom and changing area – and you’ll completely forget you’re in the middle of London.
All of Bamford's practitioners are experts in their fields with years’ of experience, and the wellness brand have also enlisted the help of leading nutritionists, fitness instructors and sleep gurus to host a series of events in the space.
The Treatments
All of Bamford’s treatments, from massages to facials, focus on healing and are based on a blend of modern techniques and ancient traditions from around the world known for relaxing and restoring the body and calming the mind. Expect everything from shiatsu and abdominal massage to hot and cold jade stones, crystal healing, acupressure and reflexology.
We tried out the new B Silent treatment, which just launched at Brompton Cross: a 55-minute experience devoted to relaxing the body and preparing it for sound, restful sleep (we definitely recommend booking in for a late afternoon or evening slot as you’ll want to drift off soon afterwards).
It starts with a stress-reducing foot bath using Japanese shiatsu rocking techniques, followed by a full back massage with Bamford’s B Silent Body Oil – a soothing blend of organic roman chamomile, lavender flower and CBD oils – and a series of assisted stretches designed to release stress, loosen tight hips, unlock the lower back and gently rotate the spine.
Finally, a massage on the neck and chest pressure points helps to release chronic stress, which is one of the main causes of depleted serotonin and can affect our ability to sleep well, and the B Silent Temple Balm is applied to the forehead and temples to prepare the body and mind for deep, peaceful sleep.
The attention to detail during the treatment was up there with some of the best spa’s we’ve visited across the globe, from the steam and rose petals below the massage bed to help open the airwaves and the heated panels on the bed to aid digestion, to the lavender-infused pillow mist sprayed before the treatment started and the breathing techniques incorporated throughout the massage. We left feeling seriously blissed out, and the restorative effects lasted for days afterwards – a total must-try for busy Londoners or those wanting to disconnect from stress of any sort.
The B-Silent Treatment costs £120 for 55 minutes at Haybarn Brompton Cross, 104 Draycott Avenue, Chelsea, London SW3 3AE
For more details, and to book, visit Bamford.com
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