Luxury At It's Best, Miraj Hammam Spa by Caudalie Paris

When I was invited to go to the Shangri-La Toronto's spa, Miraj Hammam Spa by Caudalie Paris, I was excited. What lady doesn't love some time of rest and relaxation with some beautiful pampering? I will admit, I usually go to the spa with girlfriends for birthdays or other celebrations and usually stick with the spa basics of facials, manicures and pedicures so I was even more excited to try their signature treatment of Hammam and Gommage.

When the day came for my treatment, I was hit with one of those days. Those days when anything that could go wrong did, and things that you would never expect to happen decide to hijack your day. My Dad was visiting and in a way that only a Father can, he tried to calm me down and comfort me, encouraging me to just go and enjoy my time at the spa. I found myself asking if I even could. I had planned for a serene morning leading up to my visit to the Miraj Hammam Spa but instead walked into their doors feeling defeated, stressed and even anxious that maybe I wasn't in the right mind space for something I had been looking forward to the night before.

From the moment I turned the corner to walk into their beautiful marble and bronze entrance I began to feel a change. The staff all rose and greeted me, asking me how I was and putting me at ease with their pleasant demeanor and kindness. I was seated in the side waiting room as I filled out the paperwork as a first time guest. As I completed the form I was enveloped in a sanctuary of Middle Eastern furniture, textiles and accompanied by the soft tones of relaxtion, my day was turning and I had only been there for minutes.

I was introduced to my aesthetician and lead through to the women's change room. The Miraj Hammam Spa is a unique fusion of the ancient techniques and practices of the Middle East with the exquisite products and advances in skin care technology of Caudalie Paris. In the women's change room I was given a luxurious robe and spa sandals, my aesthetician showed me the selection of Caudalie products if I wanted to remove my make up or was in need of anything else, I loved this accomodative attention to detail and opportunity to begin the Caudalie experience right away. Continuing on into the Hammam I was given a sarong to change into and the experience of Hammam and Gommage was explained to me.

The Hammam and Gommage treatment is an authentic Middle Eastern treatment of steam and body exfoliation. Beginning with 15 minutes in a private high intensity and low mist steam chamber infused with eucalyptus this part of my treatment was to de-stress and allow my mind and imagination to wander. I layed down on the Jerusalem Gold marble wrapped in the sarong with my head rested on a towel rolled into a pillow. I closed my eyes and was taken away as the mist consumed my skin and my pores opened and the stresses and worries that were previously taking over my mind and day were coming into focus for how small they really were, I was falling into the relaxation that I had craved and needed.

After my time in the high intensity chamber my aesthetician came and brought me into the low steam chamber for the Gommage treatment. I was at complete peace as I removed my sarong for the Gommage to begin, laying down on my stomach my aesthetician started with circular motions exfoliating my skin with the eucalyptus infused black Moroccan soap. This experience is supposed to be the ultimate detoxification process and I felt an equal balance of zen from the Hamman and invigoration from the Gommage.

With my treatment complete I thought that my time with the Miraj Hamman Spa by Caudalie Paris was over but the relaxation continued when I was lead through to the relaxation room, a beautifully decorated room with pillows and Moroccan furniture in separated corners, all under the gorgeous dome of a copper roof. The attention to every inch of the spa in unlike anything I have ever seen before and ensures that your time is truly an escape with no reminders of the outdoor world. You leave everything at the door. I loved the exotic feeling of the spa, it added to the sense of escape which is refreshing when comparing the spa to the sea of spas all painted in muted tones with water music and modern decor. As I cozied up into my corner surrounded by a dozen silk pillows, I tucked into my plate of baklava and grapes accompanied by sweet mint tea, I was in awe of not only what I was experiencing but how I felt.

I had become wrapped up in the emotions of the day and the stresses and anxieties that take over all of us from time to time. As I have shared on the before, my health has been less than optimal and I have spent countless hours in hospitals and with doctors, sometimes being left to feel as though there is no answer or hope of an end. It's easy to get lost in the unknown and worry and I try to address this through healthy habits and making choices to better my well being whenever I can. My time at the Miraj Hammam Spa was one of those choices that helped my well being more than I expected and I was filled with immense grattitude for the time I had.

The worry I had of walking in at a time when I was stressed and was feeling less than, with a bad day was and being unable to appreciate all that the spa could offer was the exact opposite of the truth, the feelings and day I was having showed me the power of the spa and the all important time for self that we all need. The Miraj Hammam by Caudalie Paris was the epitome of luxury from start to finish. It gives you the luxury of time, the luxury of disconnection from our world of instataneous, it does all of this using the most luxurious of treatments using the most luxurious of products. My skin felt soft, invigorated and was glowing. The entire experience entices your senses and allows you to have a relaxing connection with your body. The Hammam and Gommage treatment is something I would recommend to anyone and would give the advice to go when you need it. When you feel too busy, when you think it's just not the right time, you need to go.

As I left the spa my Dad met me with a look of relief. When I asked him why, he said that I looked a as though I was having a completely different day. My time at the spa allowed me to readjust my thinking, it may not have solved the challenges I was having that day but allowed me to have the clear of mind to tackle them for what they were and not what my stress had worked them up to be. This review of the Miraj Hammam Spa by Caudlie Paris is not what I expected, not only did the spa far exceed my high expectations but it reminded me of the power of relaxation. The power of taking time for oneself. Thank you.