Caledonian Chic at Guerlain Spa, Edinburgh

If you’re one of those people who considers spa treatments a luxury and not a regular occurrence, you’re not alone — a gal’s got to pay dem bills after all. Even so, there’s no denying the benefits of a good rubdown or deep pore cleanse. So, if there was ever a time to ‘treat yo self’  it would be when the only Guerlain Spa in the UK asks you to come and check out their spa facilities with your BFF, don’t mind if we do!

There’s rarely a time when hitting the spa doesn’t sound like best idea ever. No five star hotel would ever be complete without a five star spa, and the Waldorf Astoria in Edinburgh is no exception. Step in Guerlain, the French skincare house that promises to whip your mind, body and soul into shape one luxury scent at a time.

As you walk into the fresh reception space, you are seated before getting a guided tour through the signature Guerlain Fragrances.  From the fresh to the fruitful, each scent has a magical story to tell and mine was no exception. Idylle is the ‘rogue’ scent from the traditional powdery fragrances which are known to Guerlain. Created by the first non family member perfumer, Thiery Wasser, Idylle exudes femininity from it’s curvaceous bottle to the Heady Bulgarian roses hand picked at dawn. Not only was the picking time so specific, the roses had to be picked by woman, as the hormones in our skin can change the scent (amazing right?). I’m a sucker for a story, and my therapist Trisha was full of Guerlain filled factoids that only made me want to find out more about the brand and their sultry scents. Once you have chosen your scent to accompany your treatment, the therapist prepares your treatment room, spraying it on your bedding, robe and preparing a footbath before your massage begins
After a luxury foot bath and scrub,  it’s time to lie down and get ready for a rubbing. Now, as a person who goes for massages quite regularly I thought I knew exactly what I was in for. Turns out the Caledonian Chic treatment was like no other massage I’d had before. The clue was in the name, which was created specifically by the Therapists of Guerlain to represent and celebrate Scotland. My therapist Trisha was incredible, even checking out my alignment (I’m a little off centre, explains the back pain!) before getting started on my back. Her opening move was the ‘Saltire Stretch’, which is just as magnificent as it sounds, stretching the muscles to ease your tension. There were so many times where I thought, “how is she creating this incredible sensation?!” as she passed through all these very original moves around the body. My particular favourite was a spine tinling sensation which was to represent Arthurs Seat, (yea, I know)  finishing off the only way a Scottish themed massage should – raindrops a fallin’ on your head. Bliss.

After the massage I floated along to the snug to meet Bee for a glass of champers. I felt pretty high for a good 20 minutes after, relaxing in the warmly lit room before going to explore the rest of the spa facilities including the thermal pool, sauna and steam room. After being suitably rubbed, bathed and sweated, it was straight to the showers before making ourselves look human again at the ‘Touch of Colour’ counter, taking full advantage of Guerlain’s incredible luxury make up collection.

If you are looking for complete and utter indulgence with a glass of champagne, there is no need to look further than the Guerlain Spa. Don’t get me wrong, as with all luxury things they come with a matching price tag! But let me tell you, I won’t be forgetting that massage in a hurry! From the setting to the endless supply of top to toe care and grooming, it’s every bit as luxury as the brand. So whether your intent is to relax, beautify, or both, go ahead and book a “treat yo’ self” day with Trisha. You deserve it!