Puneites visit spas to pamper body, mind and soul

Luxurious pampering has evolved into a lifestyle choice promoting health and wellness and many high-end spas have been set up in the city to explore this niche market.

The second Quan Spa in India, apart from Mumbai, is at the Pune Marriott Hotel and Convention Centre and the clientele includes corporate people, socialites, spa enthusiast and in-house guests. At 15,000 sq ft, the spa boasts of treatment and bathing rooms, an Ayurveda room and a Chinese yoga room.

Skah Body Opulence at Koregaon Park is a luxurious high-end spa. “We focus on the quality of the treatments, products, trainers and of course, the ambience”, proprietor Riona Biyani said. “And so our clients are always satisfied regardless of the price tags,” she added.

There are affordable treatments as well as more expensive packages for couples, which costs Rs5,000 per head.

The Ananda Spa at the Himalayas, ranked as the ‘Top Spa in the World’ by Conde Nast Traveller has opened its first branch in Pune at the Ista Hotel, giving the city spa enthusiasts a chance to sample its famous Ayurvedic experiences while the luxury Six Senses Spa will debut in the city at YooPune.

Manish Patwardhan, CEO of Spa Consultants helped start Skah in the city, along with many other spas. He feels that while Pune is growing at a faster rate in terms of the spa and wellness industry, it is still not living up to its potential.

He said, “The real issue here is of real estate. We have helped many spas start up in Koregaon Park but now for want of property and market saturation, luxury spas should be looking at Deccan and Aundh.”

Patwardhan, who is also the president of the Indian Spa Wellness Association (ISWA) comprising of stakeholders of the industry including spa owners, vendors, equipment suppliers and therapists, explains that the industry is still at its nascent stage.

Pranay Verdia of Pune Marriott Hotel and Convention Centre, stated, “Luxury spas are definitely a niche market in Pune, especially for a Spa like The Quan which provides the best satisfaction service and quality as the market demands.”

A luxury spa experience is targeted to the body, mind and soul. Different therapies are individually designed promising to combine relaxation with benefits to the body using exotic and organic products. The unusual treatments, scrubs, wraps and therapies are meant for detoxification, improve the skin, and alleviate pain, internal stress and other symptoms.

At Skah, the candle therapy involves using aromatic candle oil for massages to soothe and relax tired muscles which costs Rs2,500 . Marine algae, aromatherapy oils, sea salts and cold stones are utilised for the earth and ocean hot stone massage (Rs3,200) while the rose and ‘ashwagandha’ milk bath (Rs900) at The Quan Spa claims to exfoliate, improve skin elasticity and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Dr Ashish Davalbhakta started Pune’s first medi-spa two years ago and has witnessed a 200% growth since then.

“Aesthetics medi-spa is unique since we offer cosmetic surgery, aesthetic procedures as well as therapeutic spa treatments.” He said that clients can experience ultimate transformation by channelling them to the right therapies. Apart from the exotic vinotherapy and chocolate wrap, they also have
post-liposuction massage and scar improvement therapy.

The perception of spas has undergone a rapid change. It is now looked upon as a solution for health issues rather than just a mere indulgence. “The wellness industry is the fastest growing industry today, even more than the IT sector. With increasing incomes and hectic routines, more people are making it part of their lifestyle,” said Patwardhan.