Every now and then we all need to escape everyday life. Whether it’s a stressful period at work or family gets just too intense, sometimes we need to take a break from it all. Since just staying at home doesn’t always do the trick if your mind wanders off to your worries, a little extra help to relax is more than welcome. And what better way of putting everything on hold for a while than a day of getting pampered.
Whether in Grimbergen or Boetfort, both just outside Brussels, Thermae facilities have everything you need and more for the perfect relaxation day. Saunas, pools, jacuzzis, steam baths, aufguss, scrubbing and several relaxation and mindfulness sessions are all included in a day pass, but there is much more on offer to get that pesky stress out of your system.
1. Facials
The offer varies from 25-minute-long scrubs for a quick revitalisation to 80-minute-long deep cleansing treatments. Massages, peelings and blackhead removal, everything your skin might need is available in different combinations.
The shortest, 25-minute-long treatment starts with a quick rose cleansing milk preparation of the skin. The exclusive skincare line, Sirène, that only makes custom made products for Thermae did a great job at including the delicate rose fragrance in the milk without the scent being overpowering or too sweet, which often happens with rose infused products. The cleansing is followed by a lavender scrub mask, which is applied on the face and neck and, while the mask dries, you will be treated to a shoulder massage. After the mask is scrubbed off, the session ends with a bamboo lotion massage to calm and rehydrate your skin after the abrasiveness of the scrub.
For the full facial package, the 80-minute treatment starts off similarly, with a cleansing milk. Then, steam is used to open your pores, making blackheads a lot easier to remove. After all the impurities are removed, to leave your face into tip-top form, the treatment also includes an eyebrow wax before finishing off with an extra long face and head massage.
2. Massages
The offer is also plentiful when it comes to massages. Whether you’ve been on your feet (in heels) all day, slouching over your laptop a little bit too much or, like me, are aging young and frequently get lower back pain, you will surely find a treatment to relieve the muscle tension, from 25-minute sessions focusing on specific body parts to 80-minute full body massages and everything in between.
If you’re looking for something a little more intense, the full body scrub might be the option for you. A Sirène mango body scrub is massaged into (almost) every centimetre of your skin, taking off all dead skin cells or impurities and leaving your skin renewed.
The best follow-up for the scrub is the lavender wrap session. Your body is covered in loads of lavender body lotion and wrapped up in a cocoon for 50 minutes so your skin can absorb as much of the cream as possible. In the meantime, you will be treated to a face and head massage that is so relaxing, especially in combination with being all warm and tucked in, I must admit I dozed off. The massage is also made with a hydrating mask to ensure every part of your body is well nourished and silky-smooth by the end of the session.
3. Packages
If you’re unsure which treatments to choose, Thermae creates specially curated packages each season, including great combinations of treatments. The Heikki, for example, is the perfect combination to revitalise your skin, including the body scrub and lavender wrap.
Besides access to baths and sessions, all the bundles include a bathrobe, towel and slippers, and, depending on how much in need of relaxation you are, overnight stays at the hotels on the premises, for the ultimate wellness getaway.
The offer can vary slightly between the two locations, but most of the treatments are available both in Grimbergem, at Wolvertemsesteenweg 74, and in Boetfort, at Sellaerstraat 42.