Tried and Tested: The Porchester Spa, London

Us girls like nothing better than to pamper ourselves. This may be a little harder to do in these hard financial times. However, have no fear, there are still opportunities to revel in the little joys of life.


We recently came across the Porchester Spa in Paddington, Central London. What we like most is that it provides great value for money as for just £24, you can take advantage of two relaxation Russian steam rooms, three Turkish hot rooms and a newly installed Finnish sauna cabin and a plunge pool.

This spa isn’t just for the ladies, but gents too and Sundays are set aside specially for couples, so there's no need to exclude your other half.


While the Porchester Spa is far from luxurious, the treatments, which are available at an extra cost, certainly are. If you are anything like us, options like the Brown Sugar Rub Polish treatment or Pomegranate Salt Scrub makes us want to set up a permanent base in one of the treatment rooms.


Once you’ve had your fill of steaming and cooling, there is also a huge relaxation area with lounge chairs where you can chill out and even enjoy a snack from the onsite café. 

One of our staffers went to try out London’s oldest spa and here’s what she had to say.


I started off in the steam room before taking a drastic cooling dip in the ice-cold plunge pool. That sensation of moving from extreme heat to extreme cold was incredible. The plunge pool was so cold I could feel the muscles within my toes begin clench. You know, the kind of sensation you get after standing on a National Rail platform for half an hour in the height of winter!


There were gradations of heat in the steam room, so if you are new to the experience like I was you can ease yourself in gently.


My favourite was probably the Finnish sauna cabin which was pure dry heat. It was a bit like walking around Accra at the height of the dry season.

I also enjoyed an incredible hot stone massage which was so relaxing that I almost fell asleep even though red-hot stones were being stroked across my back. All in all, it was an enjoyable experience.


The Porchester Spa is open seven days a week from 10am-10pm. The Spa operates mixed, male and female sessions. For more information, please call the spa on 020 7792 3980 or visit their website.