Atelier de beauté Anne Semonin Le Bristol

Overall impression : Behind the discreet façade a few steps away from the main entrance of the Hotel Le Bristol we discovered a world of beauty and relaxation. This facility’s friendly and guest oriented staff, services available in two treatment rooms on the premises or at the adjacent hotel , restful ambiance, and reputable line of products centered on natural ingredients presented a winning formula for the beauty treatment enthusiast.

We appreciated the diverse range of options including a fabulous facial, a warm and soothing jet lag treatment with volcanic mud and algae, an in-depth podiatric pedicure and a Thai massage with essential oils that melted our aches away. We look forward to another visit to this cozy and welcoming beauty center!

Location:   on the well known rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré next to Le Bristol Hotel    

Owned:   Hotel Le Bristol    

Managed:   Co-managed between the Hotel Le Bristol and MATT S.A.  

Spa director :   Céline Goupil, a 20-year beauty center veteran

Year opened/renovated:   Opened March 1996; three month renovations were scheduled for February 2005. Treatments were made available at the Hotel’s treatment room while the beauty center was closed.

Size:     Two treatment rooms

Handicapped access: Having ground floor facial treatment rooms allowed the beauty center to welcome handicapped guests for face treatments. The massage treatments took place on the lower level which could be reached only by a staircase. Massages were available for ambulatory visitors and in-room for hotel guests.  

Languages : French and English  

Décor/common areas:   The beauty center, decorated in a contemporary style with white colors was bright and full of sunlight. It had a small reception area where Anne Semonin products and brochures, with a menu of services, were displayed. One treatment room was beyond the reception while a small staircase led to the second one, which was decorated oriental style.  

Number of staff: Facials: Four aestheticians and one trainee for face and body treatments. Massages and specific body treatments: Eight massage and treatment specialists were available, each one in attendance at the beauty center on a different day of the week

Special training: Staff, we were told, had an average of 10-15 years of experience.

Treatments experienced:   Anne Sémonin facial, intense vitality jet lag treatment, Thai massage and pedicure. The facial included a thorough cleansing followed by a relaxing facial massage and moisturizing treatment. It was one of our favorite facials in Paris. Djamel, a young and muscular podiatrist with several years of experience performed the pedicure ( pedicure medical ), an in-depth foot treatment during which the specialist trimmed dead skin, cleaned and polished toe nails and massaged the foot and calf to stimulate blood flow and reduce the development of calluses. This Bastien pedicure, named after Bastien Gonzalez was one of the best pedicures we have ever had. In lieu of nail polish Djamel buffed our toenails to a shiny sheen, which he said would last a month, and it did.

The Thai massage, conducted by Anne, consisted of stretching, pressuring and relaxing movements. For this oriental style massage, we dressed in a white thin t-shirt and tie pants she provided when we arrived, and lay on our back (later on our belly) on a thick floor mat in the downstairs treatment room.   After a brief discussion on preferences and health issues, Anne pushed and pulled legs, arms and torso in various movements. She used her own body to stretch and pressure ours according to the desired direction and degree of stretching necessary. She enhanced the massage with targeted and soothing motions facilitated with the Anne Sémonin classic massage oil (sesame base oil and essential oils).

xx

Fabienne guided us through a warm mud and algae centered treatment to jet lag oblivion. She first prepared the algae mud by placing it on an aluminum foil rectangle covered by a thin layer of fabric. Next we lay on our back over the mud rectangle which was on a treatment table. The algae made a light popping sound and caused a slightly tickly sensation from the bubbles of the heated mud rubbing up against our skin. While the mud worked its detoxification magic on our back, Fabienne gently massaged our shoulders, neck and arms; though legs are usually included in the massage, since we had just had a leg massage during the pedicure, she emphasized the shoulders instead.

Treatments available: Facial therapy, relaxing, Ayurvedic, Thai, and shiatsu massages, lymphatic drainage, foot reflexology, Korean relaxation, Thai reflexology, Jet-Lag treatment and Bastien medical pedicure  

Service: Staff were polite, welcoming, helpful and answered all our questions with ease and alacrity.

Treatment rooms:   Two treatment rooms: One general treatment room upstairs and a massage and body treatment specific room downstairs

Lockers and bathrooms: There was one small bathroom upstairs. Both treatment rooms had space for clothes; one had a closet and the other a large wooden clothes hanger.  

Cleanliness: Excellent

Amenities:   Cotton terrycloth bath robes and slippers, disposable panties, and cloth bonnets to protect guest’s hair.

Facilities:   Two small treatment rooms, one on the ground level and another, reached by a small staircase, immediately below.

Number of treatments:   Four

Date of review: January 2005

Would you return?   Yes

© Simon and Baker 2003-2010, Inc. All Rights Reserved
website development by Moonlion Networks
Problems? contact us   Want to quote us? check here