Following a complete renovation of the what was the former Roxburgh Hotel on Charlotte Square the property has been transformed into the simply beautiful Principal Charlotte Square Spa Hotel Charlotte Square and the hotel spa was the last stage of the hotel’s recent renovation.
The Principal’s spa experience offers a new level of relaxation in Edinburgh for both hotel guests as well as day guests and Hidden Edinburgh were kindly invited along to experience the new Principal Charlotte Square Spa so read on to find out more about it.
The Spa
You can access the spa either through the hotel or via the spa’s Rose Street entrance, head down a floor to the spa area and you are instantly transported to a space and calm and tranquility. The new spa covers a space of 646 sqm and cost £1.27m to refurbish, there are 3 treatment rooms and relaxation room.
For pre and post treatments there is a new ‘mood lit’ 12m pool and thermal area which includes sauna and steam room.
And for those wanting to break into a sweat, the spa also includes a new gym complete with Intenza Fitness cardio machines and Impulse IT95 strength equipment for resistance and strength training and fitness studio which offers a range of classes from dynamic pilates to HITT, spin, Muay Thai and yoga.
Spa Treatments
The Spa offers a full range of treatments including facials, massage, manicures & pedicures, waxing and tinting and treatments lasting 55 minutes or longer include access to the relaxation room, and use of a bathrobe and slippers. The Spa at The Principal is the first spa in Scotland to offer treatments using OSKIA, an award-winning range of British organic beauty products. All treatments use natural, organic ingredients, with products by OSKIA and ishga skincare ranges. OSKIA’s luxurious facial treatments and potent, nutritional formulations are designed to give you a beautifully healthy, glowing complexion. The ishga massage is soothing and was developed on the Isle of Lewis using Scottish seaweed with far-reaching healing properties.
You can view the treatments menu here
My Treatment Experience
I started my spa experience in the waiting area, I was then taken down to the changing rooms and given a code to open my locker. Inside the locker was a lovely fluffy robe and slippers. After changing I made my way back to the reception and was taken to the relaxation room to start the relaxation process before the treatment started.
After about five minutes Megan my therapist came in and introduced herself and we went through my treatment checking if I was allergic to anything and the usual health forms you fill in before a massage. I decided to go for a massage, and there are a two to choose from including their hot stone massage and invigorating massage both of which are £80 for 55 minutes.
My treatment room was calming with soft lighting for illumination and relaxing spa music played in the background. In the middle of the room was the heated treatment bed covered in a range of blankets to keep you cozy during the session.
So the ishga Invigorating Massage is a full body massage that can be done at different pressure levels depending on how hard you like your massage and you can let the therapist know if there are any particular areas of your body you want them to work more on. I asked for more time to be spent on my shoulders as they are always tense. The massage starts with the therapist putting essential oils into their hands and asking you to inhale three large breaths as you lie facedown in the bed. The massage starts on your shoulders and back and then your legs, you then flip over and the other side of your legs are massaged, arms and finishes off with an Indian head massage, complete bliss!
The post-massage ‘high’ can be savoured by reclining in the dimly-lit relaxation room afterwards.
Post Treatment
After a thoroughly relaxing massage I made my way to the pool area for a few lengths and an unwind in the sauna and spa.
Food and Drink
Being connected to one of the coolest hotels in the city, means you have some great food options after your spa treatment. We choose to goto BABA their Eastern Mediterranean influenced dining option after the spa, but you can also dine in the Garden in the middle of the hotel.
Final Thoughts & Contact Details
The spa is gorgeous and offers a real escape form the city hustle and bustle. Individual treatments can be booked as well as the spa offering day packages like their Champagne Spa which includes a 55-minute treatment and a 25-minute treatment, lunch or twilight tea and Champagne
Monday to Thursday: £165 / Friday to Sunday: £170. Full details of packages can be found here.
Address: 38 Charlotte Square, Edinburgh EH2 4HQ
Web: www.phcompany.com
