We all need to relax now and then: a hot bath at the end of a long day, a cup of tea on a Sunday morning, or a full body deep tissue massage to work out all those tight knots and tired muscles. If you haven’t tried the latter yet, don’t ask your friend to get the oil out. Instead, visit one of these six spas and parlours and spend a few hours lying back, relaxing, and being pampered.
Harborne Spa and Clinic
On a road directly off the High Street, Harborne Spa and Clinic is perfect mix between beauty salon and spa. The rooms are bright and minimal, but still private and cosy, so it’s a great place to relax. They offer the classic massage options including deep tissue, Swedish, Indian head massage, and aromatherapy, as well as options that are specific to your situation such as pregnancy massages. It is a great place to book for a gift or before an event as there are often package deals to benefit from, like the Cream Tea Pamper experience and birthday deals.
8 South St, Harborne, Birmingham B17 0DB
Moseley Haven
Walking into Moseley Haven, you instantly feel like you’ve been transported to a private spa in a tropical oasis. Each room has artwork and décor that makes you forget you’re on a busy high street. In addition to the Swedish and deep tissue massages on offer, you can choose a lomi lomi massage, which is a traditional technique from Hawaii that uses rhythmic strokes to make your relaxation all the deeper. You can also opt for the tranquil body and mind treatment or the deep tissue and detox treatment, both of which include aromatherapy facials.
3 St Mary’s Row, Moseley, Birmingham B13 8HW
Ayur Villa
Ayur Villa is a spa that uses authentic Indian practices on the people of Birmingham. Through traditional Ayurvedic techniques, they offer a unique experience that is hard to find in the UK. Some of the treatments they offer include a Choorna Pinda Sweda (in which the body is massaged with herb-filled poultices), an Abhyandga full body massage (which applies oil to the entire body), and a traditional Ayurvedic therapeutic massage.
1202-1204 Warwick Rd, Birmingham B27 6BY
Birmingham Sports Massage
If you are more interested in a massage to heal an injury or strain rather than as a relaxing retreat, look no further than Birmingham Sports Massage. This place does what it says on the tin, and offers massages based on what you specifically need help with. All the practitioners are qualified BSc sports therapists, and the company even worked with athletes at the Commonwealth Games. They can treat both sports injuries and common conditions including muscle strains, scoliosis, and whiplash, so whether you play tennis on the weekends or are hunched over a computer all day, they have you covered.
100 Holloway Head, Birmingham B1 1NB
Amala Spa
Amala Spa is contained within the Hyatt Regency Hotel off Broad Street in the city centre, and provides a tranquil escape from the business of the area. Although in a hotel, this spa is open to all members of the public, so you don’t need to be an out-of-towner to enjoy its benefits. They offer an interesting Orli candle massage, which involves having the wax oil melted over your skin, as well as their Comfort Zone New Life Maternity Treatment, to relieve swelling and tension in pregnant women. The spa is also home to a Turkish Hammam hot bath and treatment room, so you can have an indulgent steam after your massage.
Hyatt Regency, 2 Bridge St, Birmingham B1 2JZ
Amara Thai Therapy
There are many Thai massage parlours in Birmingham, but Amara is quite unique. They offer traditional Thai head, deep tissue, and hot oil massages for those who want a classic experience, but if you fancy going deeper into relaxation and muscle tension relief, they also provide Myofascial Decompression Cupping. This treatment involves having small glass cups sucked to the skin at acupuncture points to help the lymphatic system and blood circulation. It looks a little strange, but the effect has been utilised by both athletes and laymen for years, so it’s definitely worth a go. If that’s not your thing, then you might try reflexology, which is a foot massage that targets areas with sensory nerves with the aim of helping various issues from headaches to asthma. Whether it is effective or not is up for debate, but either way a nice foot massage will never be a mistake.
Quadrant Court, 49 Calthorpe Rd, Birmingham B15 1TH
