Amsterdam has the reputation of being Europe’s most hedonistic party city, but in reality, the excess is balanced with a progressive approach to health and spiritual wellness.
I was invited by Dutch airline KLM to experience the greener side of Amsterdam, and I’m not talking about hanging out in the city’s legal hash cafes!
A Relaxing Massage at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
Our pampering started soon after hitting the ground at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. Back To Life spa offers effective express treatments to help you relax before taking off or revive you between flights.
I started with a restorative back and shoulder massage from one of the super-friendly, caring therapists. She kneaded the knots out of my back, stretched my arms behind my head and snapped the tips of my fingers to enable a free flow of energy. I felt refreshed and relaxed already, but another treatment was still yet to come – the Aqua Massage.
I lay down inside a pod and looked like I about to be hurled into space, then the powerful water jets thrashed about my body in a sequence of movements that can be changed by remote control. Aqua Massage has a flexible water-proof ‘skin’ that acts as a barrier between the water and the body, so you can go in fully clothed.
After being lulled into deep relaxation, I perked back up at the Oxygen Bar. You can choose from different flavours of oxygen – orange or eucalyptus during my visit – and breath it in through the nose or mouth via a headset. After 30 minutes of oxygen, I experienced a clearer head, brighter eyes and an uplifted spirit. The cool air on my face also made my skin feel taut and refreshed. At just €7.50 for 15 minutes, it’s the perfect way to counteract the dehydration and fatigue caused by flying.
At Back To Life, you can also indulge in a fish spa foot exfoliation, where garra rufa fish nibble away the dead skin, followed by a smoothing massage.
Sauna Deco
After dropping off our bags at the decadent and relaxing Canal House, it was just a 2 minute walk to Sauna Deco, Amsterdam’s unique art deco spa whose interiors originate from Au Bon Marche department store in Paris. The stunning wrought iron railings and fittings were thankfully saved from demolition during the department store’s major renovation.
Inhibitions are to be left at the door at Sauna Deco, as the changing rooms are communal and the spa etiquette is nakedness, or a thin towel, for the saunas and steambath. What a way to break the ice and get to know your fellow travellers (in my case a group of UK journalists) a bit better!
I enjoyed a wonderful back and shoulder massage with hot oil poured across my back. The therapist had a soft, sensual touch and the connection with her felt more spiritual than just practical as she melted away my stresses, although admittedly this was my third massage of the day!
Dinner at Vardit Kohn’s House
The evening was dedicated to healing from the inside with a dinner party hosted by nutritionist and author Vardit Kohn at her house, just 30 minutes outside of the city. We started with Green Lemonade and worked our way through endives with walnut and feta, a delicious broccoli soup made with crushed raw cashews instead of cream (so good that we all had two bowls), aubergine and tomato salad, quinoa with sun-dried tomatoes, toasted granola with fruit salad and oat cookies that had been dipped in dark chocolate.
Vardit’s philosophy is all about balance and creating tasty, easy-to-make dishes that you don’t realise are actually healthy and good for you. Her energy and dedication is inspirational and she has a great sense of humour, even winning over the sworn cynics in our group.
Before the meal, we were plotting a late-night jaunt into the city to fill up on the Amsterdam staple of fries and mayonnaise, but we all felt full, satisfied and not in the slightest bit tempted.
Sahaja Yoga
The next day, we visited Sahaja Yoga to learn how to meditate. Our tutors were Peggy and Marco, a cool urban couple that wouldn’t look out of place on The Selby. They were open and candid about their experience with meditation. Peggy told us that she was immediately ready to be immersed, while Marco dabbled in it through Peggy and gradually made it a part of everyday life.
We learned about Shri Mataji and the path to enlightenment and then did a 10-minute exercise to try and unblock our chakras and let Mother Kundalini rise from our abdomen to the top of our head. Mother Kundalini is signified by a cool breeze felt by one or both hands hovered on top of the head. My right hand felt warm and my left hand felt cool, which Peggy told me meant that I am emotionally stable, but need to work on unblocking certain chakras.
Xpres Spa
Our final well-being treat was back at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol at Xpres Spa. I chose the Seaweed Facial, which incorporated a skin cleanse, a milk and honey mask, massage and moisturising. The therapist gave me a relaxing hand massage while the mask was working and finished with a 15 minute back and shoulder massage while the rest of the group finished their treatments.
The great thing about Xpres Spa is that you can drop by for a quick ten minutes on the chair massager or spend an hour or so between connecting flights indulging in a full body massage. It’s also very handy for a last-minute holiday tidy-up such as a mani-pedi or waxing.
After my spa and wellness trip to Amsterdam, I felt rejuvenated, supple and ready to take on the festive season. Vardit Kohn’s healthy recipes and the meditation techniques I learned at Sahaja Yoga have left a lasting impression and I feel inspired to incorporate small changes to my life.
KLM operates 11 daily flights from London Heathrow to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol with lead in fares from £99 return including all taxes.
Chérie City was a guest of KLM