Bliss at Body Sanctum
by Emily Davies - June 22nd, 2009. Filed under: South Island.After a very cold day of snowboarding at Coronet Peak, I decided to treat my aching muscles to a massage and float at Body Sanctum in Queenstown.
Heading up to the first floor on Athol Street, I opened the doors and was welcomed in to the warm, soothing spa by a sea of luxurious bottles and scents. I was delighted that the reception area projected such indulgence, as I eagerly awaited my treatments.
After being shown to my floatation room by one of the therapists, I was given a brief explanation about how flotation works. At first glance, the pod in the middle of the room seemed somewhat daunting; however I was swiftly assured that once inside, I would drift into a total sense of relaxation.
Floatation allows you to be suspended in a tank of water, free from gravity. The salt solution creates the state of weightlessness inside the pod, as water is kept at a comfortable room temperature by a computerised heating system. I was told the solution was ten times more buoyant than the Dead Sea and I was looking forward to testing if this was true.
Stepping in to the dark pod and closing the lid, I felt a little restricted however breathing deeply, I set about getting in a state of relaxation. As I lay back in to the warm water, I felt myself float to the top of the tank, as faint musical tones tingled in my ears from the pod’s speakers. Closing my eyes, I let myself drift off…
When the music faded thirty minutes later, I was disappointed that time had vanished so quickly. Half an hour of floatation is the equivalent to two hours sleep, and I certainly felt the benefits, with every muscle in my body feeling soothed. Floatation is fabulous for helping to recover from jet-lag, injuries, re-energising the body, reducing stress, softening the skin, drawing toxins out of the body and soothing tired aching muscles – perfect after a day on the ski slopes!
Delighted that I still had another treatment to go, I slipped on my dressing gown and slippers and was led to another room for my Tranquillity Massage. The floatation before the massage meant that my body was already completely relaxed; therefore I was able to benefit from the massage straight away. As my masseuse gently kneaded my head, shoulders, neck and back, I felt the tension leave my muscles and any distracting day-to-day thoughts drift from my mind.
Leaving the Body Sanctum, I felt completely rejuvenated. My aches and pains had vanished, and my only disappointment lay in the fact that the whole experience was over. If only I could enjoy that kind of pampering after every visit to the mountain!
Body Sanctum have two spas in Queenstown, the Massage & Floatation Centre and the Exclusive Day Spa. They also offer Mobile Massage, allowing you to enjoy a treatment in the privacy of your own accommodation.
For more information about the Body Sanctum, click here!
