Sofitel Luxury Hotels Launches New Spa Concept

To encourage conviviality and exchange, Sofitel has created a spa concept rooted in open spaces. Therapy at So SPA by Sofitel is presented in a way similar to the menu of a French gourmet restaurant, another area of Sofitel-style excellence. Les Entrées (Starters), lasting 30 minutes, are designed for busy urbanites looking for rest and relaxation after a busy day. Les Plats Principaux (Main Courses) and Les Desserts last an hour and feature body massages, facials, hot-stone massages and other delights intended to nourish the body and soul.

So SPA by Sofitel has also designed its own range of therapy products. So Exhilarating and So Rejuvenating are exclusive treatments enhanced by Sofitel music played on So SPA iPods. The massage tables have also been specially designed for So SPA. They boast a version of the celebrated Sofitel MyBed, featured in all Sofitel Luxury Hotel, which have been converted for spa therapy for optimal comfort and perfect relaxation.

In creating So SPA at Sofitel London St James, the brand is placing its central London hotel squarely inside the British capital’s spa world. This first So SPA by Sofitel has teamed up with two undisputed beauty experts and ambassadors of French cosmetology, Carita and Cinq Mondes. It will also be the very first opening for Cinq Mondes in the UK. Set inside the former head office of Cox's & King's bank, a historic building in the district of St James, Sofitel London St James boasts classic British elegance colored by a zest of French-style hospitality specific to Sofitel.

The spa menu also features a few exclusive therapies such as Petit Déjeuner Bonne Tenue for business travelers with little time to spare. So SPA will ensure that their suits are pressed and shoes polished, while they make good use of the sports room and steam-bath. Martinis & Manucures, Pintes & Pédicures and Scrunch (a scrub version of the brunch) are other amusing variations on the traditional spa theme.

Meeting up and creating ties are two philosophies placed at the heart of the So SPA experience. In true British style, patrons can meet at the spa’s Tea Bar to enjoy a cup of tea along with a French macaroon, while indulging in a manicure or pedicure.

To deliver another quintessentially British experience, London's first spa majordomos are assigned with assuring consistent excellence of service standards. Majordomos welcome visitors as they arrive, supervise the initial consultation and propose customized service by coordinating all details, no matter how small. For instance, they will advise guests on: the choice of music, composed especially for So SPA, depending on the mood and preferred therapy; the selection of essential oils and scents diffused in the therapy room; room temperature; a selection of teas to enjoy after the therapy; and a choice of pillows.

After therapy, the English-style tea ceremony at So SPA enables guests to choose their favorite tea from a selection containing the most appropriate virtues: a sweet anti-fatigue blend or a nourishing infusion. To prolong the ceremony at home, guests are invited to choose a preferred bath infusion.

In addition to the five therapy booths, including a twin model, So SPA features a traditional Turkish steam-bath, Dornbracht RainSky showers for aromatherapy and a private relaxation pool (Astorina).

Last but not least, guests at the Sofitel London St James can also enjoy the new So FIT fitness center: 1,075 square feet offering the very finest equipment and most notably the AlphaSphere by Sha. This is a multi-dimensional experience space that consists of a play on sound, light, warmth and movements, combining a unique quality of in-depth relaxation with vivifying and energizing effects.

A second So SPA by Sofitel will be unveiled at the Sofitel Marseille Vieux Port. At the very heart of the old fortifications of Marseille, the finest address in France's city of the south, will open its own 6,460 square foot So SPA dedicated to wellness and beauty.

In addition to the So FIT fitness center, enhanced by a relaxation pool, relaxation beach, sauna and steam bath, the So WELL area will feature a "duo" therapy suite with sea-view, three private therapy rooms and a private sundeck with the old port providing the panorama.

Aside from signature therapies, the Carita brand will administer its unique know-how by way of original therapies combined with exceptional products including: the customizable renewal facial care, adjusted to each skin’s own needs; replenishing cool care; soothing pampering care; delicious nourishing care; or matifying balancing care.

Sofitel Luxury Hotels will continue to roll-out the So SPA concept worldwide with a number of openings scheduled for the months and years ahead in Rabat (Morocco), Vienna, Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, Mumbai, Mauritius and Bangkok.