Snip Salon & Spa has a plum location on Turner Road. It is set in a charming, old-world Bandra bungalow that has stubbornly resisted being turned into a standard issue high rise. The Bandra branch is the latest addition to the Snip brand of spas. Proprietor Archana and Sumeet Bhobe also run two spas in Goa, and five branches in hotels. While the spa in Bandra became operational two months ago, the salon is a work in progress.

If location is the key to a spa’s success, Snip has got it down pat. It is located right on the bustling Turner Road, but you leave the noise outside the moment you step into its quirkily outfitted lobby.

Buddhist gongs ringed with feathers dangle from the ceiling, and lamp fittings that look like they belong in an old film set protrude from the wall. The whole spa is bathed in warm yellow light, which gives it a cosy and inviting feel.

Deep-tissue therapy
The spa menu features an array of organic facials (including an anti-ageing wine facial and a coconut facial), reflexology treatments and full-body therapies. But since the spa’s signature treatment is the Balinese massage — most of the therapists are Balinese too — I decided to try this deep-tissue treatment.

The Balinese massage is a hybrid of acupressure, reflexology, stretching and aromatherapy that is designed to destress and bring about deep relaxation. Since it is more than just surface deep, it requires a level of skill from the therapist. My therapist was courteous and attentive, and quickly put me at ease.

She started off by wiping my feet with a cold towel — a thoughtful gesture — before proceeding to daub my legs and then my hands with fragrant basil aromatherapy oil. She used deep, confident strokes — they felt as if someone was actually tracing the trajectory of my muscles and kneading them down.

At first, the level of pressure used in the massage meant that it took me time to unwind. There were moments when I nearly winced. But soon enough, I got used to the rhythm and pace of the massage.

After a thorough body massage came the most indulgent part of the massage. Since I did not want to take a shower, my therapist used a warm towel to soak up the excess oil on my body. It was a fuss-free way to end a massage, but so comforting that I was reminded of my childhood again.