Ayurvedic /gen spa recommendations please

lightning

this thread is partly inspired by edsita's photo post of ladies beauty salon prices (thanks edsita -post here http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/s...php?photo=3457)

I would like recommendations for places presumably Ayurvedic where not only women can go and be pampered for a day.

After months trekking and travelling in the north I would like to have the mother of all massages and hot baths etc...for (at least) a day. I've always wanted to try the Ayurvedic Girodara treatment and the whole gamut of related 'reduce me to an aromatic pulp' spa treatments.

Whilst I draw the line at a 'half leg wax' or a 'brazilian' (I just clarified what that entails) , I'm definately up for what the girls are having.

Are these only available in trendy new resort spas catering to resting film stars or are there more traditionally-orientated and priced places?

Are there any social taboos about men getting such care?
I'm sure I'm not the only one -who's not in the YMCA either

experiences and recommendations please

thanks

anandi

Does location matter? I have some recommendations for Delhi, Rishikesh and Kerala.

-m2-

well here's some nice descriptions of a few - mainly of the 'trendy new resort spas catering to resting film stars' type, but someone might find what they are looking for :

http://www.smarttravelasia.com/india.htm

volga_volga

Ananda Spa Resort in Rishikesh first comes to mind - since you are in the mountains already...

otherwise Taj Hotel Group has Spa hotels. there is Ayurveda Kendra (which I have visited in Delhi) that offer residency ayurvedic treatments, a bit less luxurious than Ananda and Taj Group but better value for money if you are after a good ayurvedic massage rather than ego massage.

__________________
Tibetan Orphanage School in China
My other favourite place is Pakistan Travel Forum

lightning

thanks all,

no, anandi location is wide open so far. I'll be coming down from Nepal and heading south to kerala in the autumn taking in whatever I can on the way. I'll detour to a good recommendation.

Hmm.. m2 could be the thing,- will report back my findings if I go there. Ananda place looks likely.

I like the sound of 'residency ayurvedic treatments' VV, -presumably it's the therapist that is resident?

I'd like my body and it's elements smoothed into balance after months of himalyan mono-diet.
I look forward to my ego dissolving in bliss, or at least falling apart in a corner.

SitaParityaga

Lightning
I had a wonderful ayurvedic massage in Fort Cochin on Princess St. (although it was not girodara) Sorry, can't remember the name of the place...but its a large "clinic" with a banner sign across Princess St. Anyone in Fort Cochin can easily direct you to it. My one hour totally transforming blissed-out massage that put me into a trance-like meditative head space for two days was 340 rps. This is what you're looking for, believe me!

I have had alot of massages in the US by very skilled people...nothing came close to what I got on the coir mat on the floor of this place! They also had these multiple day "programs", where you get ayurvedic assessments, massage, and diet recommendations. I believe they were set up to do girodara as well.

I did go for other ayurvedic massages in Kerala, but none of them came close to what I had in Fort Cochin.

All in all, its best to get personal recommendations for any of these ayurvedic spas. (some of them are not the real thing) I'm hoping someone out there will be able to give you some more information on places they have tried out.

And Mala....hmmmmm, how can I describe a Brazilian.....its also known as a "landing strip". I tried to find an actual picture of what it looks like on the web, but no luck. (sorry guys!) This website will give you the best explanation:

http://www.substance.com/body/basics...217750,00.html

I referred to a Brazillian in my post under the picture as a joke....as you'll see when you find out what they are.

SitaParityaga

I just found out what they were too....heeheehee....I had to get the answer from my 24 year old stepdaughter. Boy, did I ever feel "out of the loop"!
Fort Cochin is the old city part of Cochin. In my opinion, the most interesting part of town.

May-be there is still someone out there whose been to one of those ayurvedic centers in Kerala.....I'm interested in finding one as well.

anandi

I've taken a tour of Ananda Spa in Rishikesh...very nice, but a bit on the pricey side. Across the Ganges, near Parmarth Niketan Ashram is the Parmarth Nature Cure Centre that also does Ayurvedic Treatments in a really basic, natural setting and very cheap! You can get a great massage/facial, etc. in Paharganj, New Delhi almost right next to Hare Rama Guest House, on the same side of the street, but not down the alley, it's upstairs from a bookstore and you'll see "Ladies Beauty Parlour". And finally, for some great pampering, the Somatheeram Spa in Kerala... I think the website is www.somatheeram.com. Enjoy!

lightning

thanks edsita & all,

I'm really looking forward to this.

I agree about the personal recomedation thing being the best way to find these things. I've had some really good treatments at home, and anything less can easily seem like abuse!


+Are there good reflexologists in India?

guerik

The place that anandi refers (in Paharganj) to is "Looks Beauty Parlour". It's in a pokey little room but the girls there are pretty good and it's very cheap - I think it was 150 rupees for a pedicure?
I wouldn't recommend their mehendi though.

mercedes10

Thanks for the recommendation in Delhi. I'd definitely like to have some treatments while I'm there. Can anyone recommend any others there? Also, guerik - what is mehendi?? (sorry if I'm being ignorant!) and why isn't it recommended? (or maybe your answer to my first question will automatically answer my second?!)

By the way, Brazilian = EXTREME PAIN! (believe me! been there, done it!)

guerik

Mehendi = henna tattooing.

The girl that did my Mehendi was quite young (maybe 18) and I think she just wasn’t very experienced – she had a lot of trouble controlling the henna as it came out of the cone and the design turned out very thick and amateurish. She didn’t charge me for it though (I'd had a bunch of other stuff done that day), and it was only a small design (around one wrist), so I wasn’t too worried. There are two other ladies working at Looks though, and for all I know they’re absolute experts.

I also had my hands done by a guy on the street in Jaipur though– he was fantastic! picture