Suzi Dixon visits Heaven, at the Hilton Manchester Deansgate
Heaven - an appropriate name for a spa at the best of times, but Hilton’s in-house spa in Manchester goes that extra mile to living up to its namesake.
I arrived at the city centre hotel after a stress-free journey from London Euston, unfortunately struggling on a mere four hours sleep, thanks to a friend’s pre-travelling do the night before.
I was booked in for a treatment at 2pm, but could not check in to my room until 3pm, so had to perform a brain-aching juggling of bags, papers and boyfriend before I even got into the lift to the second-floor spa.
But as soon as I emerged from the elevator, it was clear I was in good hands.
I hadn’t had a chance to look through the menu previously, but after a quick chat with the Heaven-sent therapists, the way forward was clear.
There were two areas that needed targeting - my thighs and the pollution-clogged pores on my face - so a wrap and a facial was the obvious answer.
First, the rather messy wrap. Interestingly, a Green Coffee Anti-Cellulite wrap was recommended - created by skin care giants Pevonia, green coffee is used in its granule, slightly brown form (it’s like being covered in mud, akin to Glastonbury) to boost circulation.
Coffee is a natural diuretic, aiding the breakdown of fat deposits, and is also deeply moisturising.
First, my skin was prepared with a vigorous body scrub, then after showering, the coffee mixture was applied and the therapist wrapped me in foil to encourage the pores to open and help eliminate toxins.
While the wrap set in, the therapist also set the Vibro-Tone bed to provide a full body massage.
Light electrical pulses are sent throughout the system, stimulating the muscles and increasing blood flow.
It’s also very relaxing - as the muscles heat up, I dropped off and had a 20-minute power nap that felt akin to a good eight hours’ rest.
I felt a little dizzy when I woke up, but the bed luckily folded into a sitting position, so it was easy to hop off and into the shower.
It was clear the treatment had worked as my thighs were bright red - this is normal, and down to the stimulated blood flow in the area.
I was still a little spaced out from my nap, so luckily it was straight back onto the bed for a Deep Cleanse facial.
Unlike most facials, where rich creams can cause my skin to break out, the Deep Cleanse ritual really lived up to its name.
First, my skin was gently cleansed and steamed to open the pores.
The therapist then uses a skin scanner to show up problem areas, such as parts of the skin that are dehydrated or areas of congestion. This meant she could tailor the rest of the facial to my skin’s specific needs.
A brief and thankfully painless extraction followed, after which cream after cream was applied - I must admit I lost track.
But the results were unforgettable. Despite the disturbance of the facial, my skin looked glowing and even, without any redness.
One of the best things about having a spa attached to a hotel is that after the treatment, you don’t have to travel far - a brief lift ride later, I was in my comfy twin room, wrapped in a robe, feeling totally relaxed and blissed out.
A leisurely dinner in the hotel’s Podium restaurant was all I had to deal with. After changing into something a bit more suitable for dinner, my boyfriend and I headed downstairs to investigate.
Podium is clearly a favourite with locals as well as guests - there were many ’special occasions’ being celebrated, and despite the opulent decor it’s clearly a family-friendly place.
Service is faultless and we were seated in a pleasant corner table with leather bound menus and wine lists.
I admit after a day in the spa I should have been on salad and water, but the contemporary menu was just too special to resist.
The wine list was extensive, too, and clearly aimed towards the special occasion celebrator with a whopping seven different champagnes on offer, including Krug Brut at £190.
We went for a more modest Prosecco Extra Dry, from the ’sparkling’ selection, at £25.
For starter, I opted for smoked duck breast with figs, which was served with a flavoursome yet not overpowering red wine jus.
The meat was melt-in-the-mouth quality, and the portion size just right for a starter.
My partner’s king prawns with chilli and noodles, however, was definitely dinner-sized. It was delicately flavoured, not too hot, but far too filling to begin with.
Luckily, being a solid West country man, he soldiered on to tackle the main course, lamb with root veg and red cabbage, which he declared ’sublime’.
I must admit I didn’t try it, as I was too preoccupied with my fillet steak. It was cooked perfect (pink-side of medium), presented well and accessorised minimalistically, and I was in heaven all over again.
We were both far too full for dessert, but our friendly waiter was so persuasive we had to split a plate of cookies and cream ice cream - not mentioned on the menu, it was plush, creamy and decadent - served with two espressos, it was the ideal accent to a fabulous meal.
Far from being tired, though, we were ready to see more of Manchester - and rather than jump into a taxi into town, we instead jumped into the hotel’s glass lift to go to Cloud 23, the hotel’s opulent bar/club that boasts gorgeous views of the city.
The queue was almost out the door with well-dressed Mancuians, but hotel residents get to be Paris Hilton for the night and queue-jump (to the sounds of tongue-clicking and pantomime-style hisses).
Cocktails were the order of the day - or, rather, night - and once finished, we happily staggered the short distance to the lift and our room.
One day in Heaven? You betcha - from start to finish.
To read the full article go to the Telegraph Online: Heaven Sent
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