Since having my two children and being run ragged on a daily basis I am fast becoming a fan of massage and cannot get enough of how incredible it leaves you feeling; soothing away the aches and pains of daily life. So I could hardly contain my excitement when I realised the Belmore Centre do a mud wrap hot stone Swedish massage and I checked in for a session with the biggest smile on my face.
The Belmore Centre Deluxe Back Massage
Pulling into the car park of the Belmore Centre which was clearly signposted from the main Stoke Mandeville Hospital road, I was pleasantly greeted by the friendly and welcoming staff at reception before being shown to a beautiful white stone waiting area filled with beauty products, soft lighting and soothing music. A few moments later I was greeted by Lauren, my therapist, and shown to a peaceful, cosy and quiet treatment room upstairs which was furnished with beautiful white and purple materials and sumptuous soft fluffy towels. After answering a few questions about my health concerning the procedures that I was about to have, Lauren showed me where to undress and how to lay and then she left the room as I got into position.
I removed my jumper and bra and pulled my jeans down slightly before laying face down so that I could look through the hole on the massage bed, covering myself with a gorgeously soft towel and closing my eyes as the fragrance of the scented candles filled the softly lit room. Despite having my top off I didn’t feel exposed or self conscious at all, as you lay face down the entire time and get undressed and dressed in the room alone so only your back is exposed. Moments later Lauren came back in and explained that she would cover my back with a fabric gauze which she would spread a warm mud onto before wrapping me in foil and allowing it to self heat. The warm mud felt so incredible on my back, melting into my muscles and enveloping me in a blanket of warmth and comfort as Lauren covered me with towels and I lay for several minutes with my eyes closed, absorbing the beautifully soothing sounds, smells and comfort of the soft cocoon that I was in.
After the mud mask had had time to sink into my skin, Lauren gently peeled back the towels, the foil and the gauze to reveal my back that felt moisturised and soothed. She wiped away the excess moisture with soft warm towels before beginning the massage. And oh my goodness was it divine! Starting with her hands she kneaded, pressed and manipulated her fingers up my spine, from my lower back all of the way up to the base of my neck and back down across my shoulders. I have no idea how I didn’t start snoring for how relaxing it was, as the tension, aches, pains and knots just melted out of my muscles with each movement leaving me feeling as if I were floating on air.
The hot stones felt beyond incredible and the only likeness that I can even attempt to compare it to is when you have that awful cold dull ache in the small of your back when you have a period, and you take pain killers and put a hot water bottle on your spine in desperation to try and relieve it by penetrating heat down through to the muscle and numbing the ache inside but frustratingly you just can’t reach it without burning yourself. The stones effortlessly reached deep below the skin and soothed and heated from within without being hot or hard as I’d expected. They were so smooth and gentle, warm and reassuring, I not only felt their effects on my skin but deep into my joints and muscles too. It took the massage to whole new level of relaxation, reaching beneath the skin and warming deep into the muscle making every bit of tension just melt away in a wave of hand movements, fingertips and hot stones.
Lauren worked the knots free from my shoulders and finished the forty-five minute treatment by covering me in warm towels and leaving the room so that I could relax for a few minutes and get dressed in my own time. I found it almost impossible to get up as I was so peaceful and relaxed and could have quite easily stayed face down in my warm little nest forever and a day. By the end of the session I was floating on air and smiling from ear to ear, a woman reborn and ready to take on another hectic day after my moment of paradise.
Lauren advised that I could return in around four to six weeks time for another massage to continue to keep my muscles conditioned and free from tension; at £38.00 for one session gift vouchers make the ideal treat for a loved one and a luxurious way to celebrate a special occasion. I adored my Belmore Deluxe Massage and can’t wait to return for my next!
You can visit The Belmore Centre’s website here and watch me having the Belmore Deluxe Massage in this video:
