Pampered in Paris©
By Tina M. Lynch
KIETUD' -
Space Anti-Stress.
Dr. Who and Captain Kirk head for some relaxation in a
galaxy far, far away......!
Though I didn't actually see any Daleks or Cybermen,
or happen to catch a glimpse of Mr. Spock's pointed ears, I definitely felt as
if I was in their kind of place! Welcome to the ‘New Generation of Relaxation'!
Kiétud' is a ‘concept spa' housed in
modern installation hiding in a little cobblestone passageway in the 17th
arrondissement of Paris. Replete with pods and cocoons and domes and funky
infra-red light machines, Kiétud' is
a futuristic world of ‘Zen', where there are many ways to be nestled, cocooned,
molded, shaken, immersed, and massaged, all in the quest for some modern-day
pampering and well-being.
Daunted by the many different treatments to choose
from and not knowing what the ‘New Generation of Relaxation' was all about, I
decided to try the Sunday Brunch,
where I could get a wee bit of everything. The concept behind the Kiétud' Sunday Brunch is to spend a good
part of the day making the most of a multitude of options for relaxation and to
enjoy some delicious and healthy foodstuff and drinks while you're at it. All
that for the price of 99 € seemed like a bargain to me. The spa is open from 11h to 18h on Sundays
and the time zips by as you go in and out of the different treatments and hang
out in the lounge in between times, perusing magazines and books, replenishing,
or just kicking back.
Upon arrival we were greeted by the accommodating and
friendly staff and given soft, fluffy bathrobes to wear (over our swimsuits),
as well as little foot protectors (you can bring your own flip-flops if you
prefer). After being made cozy in the lounge, we helped ourselves to juice and
pastries in anticipation of our first treatments. The order changes depending
on what is available when you are there, but first on my docket was the Body Dome, which essentially consisted
of lying on a table in an elongated type of microwave oven. Supposedly it is
meant to stimulate and revitalize the skin, as well as help with drainage and
other biological processes. Not so sure if all of that happened, but it was
warm and the warmth began to melt away some of that tightness in my body.
Following a pause in the lounge came a type of guided meditation inside the
surreal Energy Sphere, an
insulated-acoustic-bubble-isolated-sensory-experience. After that was
the otherworldly Flotation Cocoon, in which you are immersed in warm salt
water in a type of dimly lit, convertible-lid, womb-like pod. It felt pretty nifty to just float for
awhile, but I am a tad claustrophobic, so after a few minutes with the lid
closed, I opened it up for the remainder of my session. After washing off the
salt water in a hot shower, I then slinked into the de-stressing Feng-Shui
Spa, where I was jostled and vibrated and steamed inside of a see-through
body-length pressure cooker. I liked it, but my body didn't stop vibrating and
tingling for some time after the session was over - something akin to still
having wobbly legs on shore after being at sea for a long time. I chilled out
in the lounge for a bit and had some tea until that abated, then entered the
private massage room for a deftly performed California/Shiatsu Massage combo by a real Earthling. He was very good
and easily sussed out what I needed and then
tailored the style of massage accordingly (and to my stated preferences). After
that I took part in an Infrared Facial Sauna, where
an arm of light swept back and forth over my face, supposedly stopping wrinkles
in their tracks, or so I hoped. Finally, to top it all off I stuck my feet in a
vibrating Serenity Reflexology Foot Massage contraption, which brought
me back to the jostling sensation, where even the fillings in my teeth seemed
to vibrate. Whoa!
All in all, it was a unique experience, to say the
least. Each futuristic treatment, while sometimes bizarre, provided an
opportunity to re-focus and unwind, which was, ultimately, the goal of the
whole adventure. Not knowing what to expect or what was going to come next
allowed for a certain openness or receptiveness to the treatment at hand and
perhaps even permitted me to enjoy the situation more. The lounge was
appropriately ‘Zen', with a pretty good selection of reading material, and Le Destresso
Kafé had a tempting array of relaxing herbal infusions, juices, tea
and coffee at your disposal, if you wished to have something in addition to the
brunch fare. In my opinion, this ‘New Generation of Relaxation' was an
unforgettable experience, especially for those who like the modern touch. As
far as I'm concerned, it's never too late (or early) to try something new,
especially if the objective is pampering and relaxation. Beam me up, Scotty!
Facts and Contact Information:
There are a variety of individual treatments (Les Singles) available, as well as
several stress-reducing packages (Les
Parties), such as Zen Tuesdays, Wednesdays among Girls, and Be 4 Zen. Also available are some specialized ritual
treatments (Les Rituels), such as Kietud Discovery, Kietud
Zénitude, Rose Duo Massage, and a special VIP Suite for a private
relaxation experience for couples, friends, or coworkers, where you can have
the place to yourself plus have a meal and champagne. They have just introduced
a new treatment, called Alpha Sphere, which looks like a modern,
illuminated lounge chair, upon which you have a multi-sensory experience,
uniting vibration, breathing, sound, light, and heat. Additionally, there are a
variety of more traditional California or Shiatsu massages available.
Three Kiétud' locations are available in Paris:
Kiétud' Etoile
5 bis passage Doisy
75017 PARIS
Metro: Ternes, Etoile, Argentine
Kiétud' Saint Paul
5 rue Beautreillis
75004 PARIS
Metro: Saint Paul or Sully Morland
Kiétud' Canal St. Martin
80 Quai de Jemmapes
75010 PARIS
Metro: J. Bonsergent or République
Website: www.kietud.com
Telephone: 3223 Kiétud (32
23 54 38 83) (34 cents/minute)
Copyright © 2008 by Tina M. Lynch
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