USP Jet-set. Nestling just behind Monte Carlo casino is one
of the Riviera’s most exclusive and well-established spas, Les Thermes de
Marins. The spa caters to the health and fitness needs of long-standing
Monaco residents, as well as those of the many visitors that pass through
this tiny principality. It is affiliated to several of the principality's
major hotels (in fact, it connects with one of the hotels via an underground
tunnel) and welcomes day visitors.
AMBIENCE Old-style Riviera glamour. The spa is spread over
four large floors and houses everything from hairdressers and gyms to beauty
salons and therapy rooms. Here you can try the latest cellulite-removal
techniques - a problem the French and Monegasques pay particular attention
to - to ensure that your body is fit for life on the Cote d’Azur. Despite
its prices it is not an intimidating place to be and you can take your time
there. The large terrace overlooks the main port, and as you lie back on one
of the sun-loungers, looking at the stunning yachts in the deep-blue
Mediterranean sea it is hard not to feel seduced by the Monte Carlo way of
life.
EXPERIENCE The staff is suitably cool and discreet, and
sunglasses and logos are de rigueur for guests. Upon arrival you check in
for your treatment, paying upfront. There's an extra day charge for access
to the swimming pool, Hamman and sauna. As well as a day visitor’s pass, I
had booked an hour-long bespoke massage - a hard choice from the dozens
available promising all sorts of results. I plumped for a straightforward
relaxation massage which left me feeling very calm and true to its
description, relaxed. My masseuse spoke English, though a friend who had a
similar treatment told me that she struggled to communicate her shoulder
problem, so if you don’t speak French it might be worth checking in advance
so you can request an English-speaker.
IN CROWD The spa is far too secretive to reveal who goes
there but one imagines it's a frequent pitstop for famous Formula One
residents and Le beau-monde. Monegasques mix comfortably with foreigners,
mainly from Russia, Britain and Italy. Even in high-season, the size of the
spa means that it never feels crowded. It is a great place to people-watch
as Italians in their towelling dressing gowns and sunglasses chatter into
their mobile telephones, wandering among the elegant French women d’un
certain age and the younger women from Russia who preen and pamper
themselves in preparation for a night at the Casino.
FOOD As well as a café, there is a more formal restaurant,
which offers two menus, one to cater for a healthy appetite and one for
those who are following a strict calorie-controlled diet. The food is great
and you can feel full and virtuous, slim of body and most certainly slim of
wallet (at this point it is best to have stopped adding up how much you are
spending).
WALLET WATCH Unless you happen to be staying at one of the
hotels that partner with the spa to give guests free access to the pool and
gym, you need a sizeable wallet even to step in the door. It is possible to
sample some of the Riviera lifestyle without breaking the bank if you know
what to ask for. To my mind one of the best-value packages on offer is the
Combination of Four Marine treatments – this allows you to choose from four
of the water-based relaxation treatments plus access to the pool, sauna etc
all for €140 (£90). Perhaps in anticipation of an influx of male business
travellers, the spa, has introduced a men-only programme "Exclusive
Homme" to de-stress and energise the body, with a 105-minute treatment
costing €175.
NEED TO KNOW Le Thermes Marin Monte-Carlo (00 377 92 16 49
46; www.montecarlospa.com)
