Bali Health Lounge, Manchester

Chinatown is one of the most vibrant districts in Manchester city centre. Located just down the road from the central Piccadilly Gardens, it’s full of bright lights, neon signs and an all-consuming scent of delicious Chinese food. With it’s plethora of busy restaurants and Chinese supermarkets, it’s almost the last place you would expect to find a serene haven nestled just above the busy street scene… But I did.

Upstairs from the busy street level on George Street, there hides Bali Health Lounge. Bali Health Lounge is an Urban Day Spa, priding itself on being a centre of relaxation right in Manchester city centre. Walking into Bali Health Lounge, I felt as though I had entered a beautiful holiday resort in Asia. The decor is stunning; East meets West with beautiful bamboo, tropical plants and snug hideaways. On the second floor, there are even massage chairs in relaxation pods, which visitors are encouraged to take advantage of.

After being welcome by friendly reception staff, I was asked to fill out a spa form whilst enjoying a glass of Bali water (I suspect the water probably did not actually hail from Bali). The form asked all the usual questions – whether you suffer from acne, whether you’re pregnant (deffo not) and once I completed it, I was introduced to my therapist, Yvonna. Yvonna would be performing a 90 minute full body massage on me, and after a short introduction, she led me upstairs to the treatment rooms.

I don’t have any pictures of the treatment room itself as it was quite small – big enough for what it was needed for, though – but the rooms themselves are equally as beautiful as the main decor. Each has dimmed lighting, fairy lights on the ceiling, spa music and a large massage bed. Yvonna asked whether I was happy with the set up; would I like a temperate change? Glass of water? Quieter music? Actually, it was all perfect, and so she got started on the treatment.

I’ve had massages before, but none of them have been 90 minutes long. Before hand, I wasn’t sure what to expect – an hour and a half is quite a long time. It’s nearly a quarter of a working day. It’s a film. It’s the time it takes to get to Liverpool. Yeah, there are a lot of ways you could spend 90 minutes, but after this treatment, there’s no way I’d rather spend the time. Yvonna was incredible; she asked where I felt tension, where she should concentrate on and where she should avoid. In all honesty, I just let her work her magic, and that she did. Over an hour and a half, my whole body was massaged in the most relaxing and dignified way. Not even my fingers were forgotten!

Leaving the treatment room, Yvonna waited outside for me to get ready again and she took me downstairs to the main lounge. The Bali Health Lounge also prides itself on being an Asian Tea Lounge, and guests are invited to try complimentary tea from an extensive Chinese Tea menu. I opted for a delicious and spicy blend of Ginger and Lemongrass tea, which I sipped whilst I was told about the range of different offers available at the Bali Health Lounge. They model themselves on an American format of pay-monthly membership, starting from £40 for weekday only treatments, that includes a massage within the price and a small discount on other treatments. If I were to sign up, I’d opt for an anytime membership costing £60. It’s quite pricey for a monthly treatment, but right there and then, I could see the benefit.