An air of tranquillity hangs about the place in the early morning. A few dedicated putters are out on the greens already. The herb garden seems to be flourishing. All seems conducive to awakening that sixth sense.
Six Senses Spa at Jaypee Greens Golf & Spa Resort is a sprawling affair. Spread over three floors and 90,000 sq ft, it is, quite possibly, India&rsquos largest spa by floor area. Space itself can be a great healer and Thai wellness brand Six Senses has put it to good use in their only Indian outpost (more are in the offing, though, I&rsquom told). The wide range of facilities include a state-of-the-art fitness centre, a yoga studio where you can take classes in aerial yoga&mdasha form of yoga comprising traditional poses, pilates and dance, with the use of a hammock&mdashfemale and male hammams, a meditation cave whose roof soars to a pinnacle, a ladies club and a golfers treatment area. There are several pools, including one for Watsu, one of the most unusual therapies around. In the over 20 treatment rooms, there are dedicated ones for Ayurveda, Thai and even colonic hydrotherapy. There are sprawling relaxation areas which double up as venues for get togethers (of the healthy variety).
The menu spoils you for choice with its wide assortment of offerings, from signature massages, facials, wraps and scrubs to locally inspired treatments, specialist therapies and balancing journeys. I eventually settled for a traditional hammam, to be followed by a promising sounding de-stress four hands massage.
I was led to the hammam room, where a heated marble bed awaited. After a warm, herbal steam session, I lay down on the marble and my friendly therapist exfoliated me with a special hammam mitt. The nice, soapy scrubbing left my skin feeling clean, soft and smelling nice. Afterwards, I was led to a relaxation area, settled down with a pot of herbal tea and left to my own devices.
I cannot recommend the hammam enough. It&rsquos an extremely therapeutic practice. In fact, after emerging from the hammam room, I wondered if I needed further destressing at all. But, in hindsight, I&rsquom glad I continued my wellness journey.
I was deeply engrossed in a book about herbal remedies when someone turned up and led me to a new treatment room for my de-stress massage. The four hands massage I had opted for is pure pampering, with two therapists working in tandem to ease those tense knots in one&rsquos body. Mine were a skilled and attentive couple, punctuating the massage with warm compresses, occasionally working asynchronously but delivering full relaxation in the end.
Perhaps the most amazing thing about Six Senses Spa is that all the ingredients used in their treatments&mdashin the wraps, the scrubs, the massage oils&mdashare created in-house, often incorporating fresh ingredients from their herb garden. That&rsquos true dedication to wellness for you.
One of the highlights of the spa has to be the Watsu therapy, a form of aquatic bodywork that induces deep relaxation, and isn&rsquot offered in too many places in India. In Watsu, the therapist gently cradles the receiver and moves and stretches him or her around in warm water. Perhaps because it simulates a womb-like state, people loosen up quite a bit and can end up lowering
their guard (which is a good thing). Dr Pankaj, who has recently taken over the reins of the spa, told me he&rsquos seen grown men reduced to tears during a Watsu session. When I visited they were between Watsu therapists so it wasn&rsquot on offer but I expect the service is up and running now. And I have a great reason to go back. Maybe that sixth sense will be awakened after all.
