Celebrity Spotlight … Martel Maxwell Visits K West Hotel and Spa

A celebrity favourite, K West Hotel and Spa might just be a few minutes from Shepherd’s Bush tube station, but it feels a million miles away, as journalist and author, Martel Maxwell found out!

“I’ve just had the Siberian Petals Facial at K West Hotel and Spa, and if I was a cat, I’d be purring. Here’s why …”

First Impressions

My first impression happened to be a woman. In the lift on the way down to the spa, we got chatting and she told me she’d tried a good few spas but kept coming back to K West because the treatments are consistently good. You can’t buy advertising like that and it comes from an ethos of great customer care.

The Hotel

Hey, maybe I’m easy to please but any hotel that has Dean Gaffney hanging out in the café as you enter is good enough for me. The hotel stands out in a quiet street off the busy main roads of Shepherd’s Bush - like a glass-fronted dolls house at the end of a line of old houses. I could people watch the clientele all day - an eclectic mix with lots of creative-looking media types from nearby production companies sipping skinny lattés.

The Spa

Walking into K West’s Spa reception is a bit space age - everything is pristine, bright, clean and delightful. I was given a card with which I could access all the rooms, including an amazing chill-out lounge, and shown through to the changing room with fluffy towels and a bathrobe. The atmosphere made me feel like I was a hotel guest who had just rolled out of bed and taken the lift down to the spa, rather than taking the central line to Shepherd’s Bush. As a seven-months-pregnant woman travelling, this immediate change in perspective is no mean feat and it’s down to the calming effect of a great spa.

I couldn’t use the hydrotherapy pool or sauna because I’m pregnant but even so, I loved the area and relaxed in a booth big enough to lie down. The pool was pretty cool, sticking to the glass theme, like a cool, giant square goldfish bowl.

The spa is a great place for locals who can take membership and make use of the gym as well as exercise classes. When I was there, a Zumba class was on. But you’d never know if you were in the spa treatment rooms, reception or hydrotherapy area, which remain an oasis of calm.

Showers for me and I’m sure most people are about getting in and out as quickly as possible so as not to run late, but I spent time actually enjoying a shower in lovely surroundings: shampoo, conditioner, body cream, flip-flops, bathrobe, even hair straighteners are all there for your pampering.

The Treatment

There are so many virtues to the Siberian Petals Facial. For starters, the smell of the products was heavenly. The therapist (who was excellent and clearly experienced) detailed the ingredients before we started and even hearing my pores would be filled with natural extracts like white orchid made me feel fresher of face. When she actually applied them along with her well-crafted techniques, my only concern was the hour-long treatment would end all too soon.

What differed between this facial and others I’ve had is that as well as the various stages like exfoliating, cleansing, moisturizing and so on, my face was massaged with expertise so that I could feel the blood circulation really improving. This felt like it was doing by whole body good and afterwards, I noticed my face had more colour and looked healthier.

I felt pampered, with product after product applied liberally and I really felt the various processes working - from exfoliating to a moisturizing mask at the end and a heavenly head massage.

The Location

Five minutes walk from Shepherd’s Bush tube station on the central line. And you know what that means? Westfield shopping centre is but a few minutes away so after some holistic and beauty therapy, you could be very naughty and indulge in some retail therapy.

Top Tips

• Try to make time to chill out in the relaxation area before or after your treatment. Dim lighting, padded loungers, headphones with soothing music and a pile of magazines - what more could a girl ask for?
• I decided to stay in the hotel for a couple of hours afterwards and worked upstairs in the bar/restaurant by reception.  I recommend it - you’ll be given a wifi code and the melted mozzarella sandwich was delicious.
• If you fancy a girly treat with a family member of friend, this is perfect because you can make a day of it - ambling from treatment to nail bar to chill-out to steam room and hydrotherapy pool, followed by a bite to eat or drink. A few women had the same idea and it was lovely to see.
• If you happen to be pregnant, I’ve heard good things too about K West’s prenatal massage, with a specially-designed bed to lie on with a hole for your tummy so you get to lie on your front.

What else to say, but … Prrrrrrrrrrrrr.