A great spa to root for

MYSTERY GUEST/ Asian Roots is sheer heaven but the entry is marred by unfriendly staff

In more primitive times, like at the turn of this century when spas were but a gleam in the eye of some canny businessmen, people who led a stressed out existence just stayed stressed. Today that no longer needs to be the case. Spas dot the landscape. And they are willing to do anything to divest you of your stress. But there are spas and then there are the pretenders.

Asian Roots, a luxury day spa in New Delhi is, I am glad to say, the real McCoy. If there is one place where you should grow roots it is here, it is here, it is here. I stepped inside a waiting area with minimalist decor and thoughtfully placed orchids everywhere. I felt as if I had walked into a pool of serenity and silence.

But, and there had to be a but, in this almost perfect setting, I encountered a woman whose job was clearly to impart information to those who needed information. Simple. Yet the lady in question was impatient, and didn't want to tell me the difference between a Javanese Lulur and a traditional Balinese massage (both spa treatments).

Or whether the Balinese massage included a hair massage or even helping me choose between the different hair treatments. From pools of serenity to freezing cold impatience and indifference, the lady succeeded in breaking the spell that the place casts on you.

But the spell gets re-created when Lena, an Indonesian massage therapist, escorts you to the room where you are to encounter what a traditional Balinese massage is all about.

Lying down on a beautifully well-heated massage table Lena starts to work her magic and what she does is pure magic. Before she starts she requests you to chose the oil of your choice from a selection of four fragrances. "Sesame oil is what high quality places use as the base for massage oils," she informs me in her quiet way.

The massage is followed by some time spent in a steam room and then a shower. Then I head for a Royal Hair treatment which too adds to my general feeling of floating in air. A quick blow-dry later I am out pretty sure that a life well spent is one which is spent in such spas. Hey editor, if you need me, you will find me rooted in Asian Roots.

Score: The impatient lady at the reception is the only reason why the place doesn't get a full score so it's 7/10