One very relaxed spa-goer... alas not me! Photo credit: Thomas Wanhoff

Yesterday evening I went to the Purity Spa at London’s Park Lane Hilton for my £10 mini facial pampering treat, as it was billed on the voucher. And the verdict? Well, the facial was pleasant, but on the whole… you get what you pay for.

This was my first facial and I was a little unsure of the whole thing. I’d heard tales of steam guns and microscopes and great, shiny metal pincers with laser accuracy, but lucky(?) for me, the mini facial didn’t include any of those things. It was more of a drawn-out, multi-phase face wash, set to the standard spa soundtrack (you know, nature sounds overlaid with gentle strumming and/or Enya-type vocals).

Our vouchers entitled us to up to an hour’s use of the steam room, sauna and relaxation areas… but I’ve got to be honest: I didn’t want to spend an hour in there. These spaces were shared with the hotel gym, so they were less ladies-who-lunch spa break and more men-who-travel-for-work sweat break. In fact, the steam room sort of ponged of it.

Afterwards my skin looked and felt perhaps a little softer and smoother than before, and certainly cleaner, but I’m disappointed to report that the mini facial was no great transformative experience.

My spa sidekick, who has had a few facials in her life, pronounced it “Nice, but definitely a mini facial. And I’ve had better.” However, the woman who was wrapping up just as we went in could not stop raving about her facial… I reckon she didn’t get a mini, though.

Again, it’s important to have realistic expectations – and for £10, an extended face wash, facial massage, masque and moisturising session was plenty.

The verdict: If you want a dreamy spa session, complete with scented steam rooms and luscious relaxation chambers, look elsewhere. If you want a nice enough mini facial, or an excellent (or so the other customer led me to believe) full facial, this could be the place, and at £10, this is certainly the price.

Spent: £10

Saved: £15 – the average mini facial runs at about £25