Have a spa-lendid time

Spas are pushing the envelope to become the obvious choice for the urban audience looking for a breather from hectic routines

With stress levels in the city reaching new highs day after day, and with the harsh summer adding to the woes of Mumbaikars, the one business that seems to be rocking these days is the health spa. A larger number of people are willing to spend top dollar to get an hour's worth of relaxation and rejuvenation therapy.

And the spas themselves are begining to get smarter and re conceiving more innovative products in their bid to beat the competition and grab your custom. Organic and natural products are more or less a given and no establishment worth its name would dream about functioning without them. But they aren't enough to augment footfalls, which is why you have new products such as spa-on-wheels, packages for your poodle, and fish pedicures, among others.

Another noticeable trend is the increasing number of men who've started using the services of service providers in this space.

Then there is the concept of the couple spa which is gaining popularity. Says Shalini Chopra, a senior engineer in a software company: "I make it a point to take an appointment at my spa on Sunday noon along with my husband. This is the best way to pamper ourselves and get refuelled for another hectic week."

Shreya Bachawat, a college student from Bandra says "These group buying sites like snap deal, crazeal have contributed a lot towards the promotion of spas. Being a student, I can't afford to spend more on these luxury activities. So I daily keep on looking for offers at these sites."

Click here for the photo gallery: Urban rejuvenators