Set in a historic neo-Classical building overlooking Prague Castle, the AVA Spa at Four Seasons Hotel Prague is all things decadent.  You might think that the spa offerings would be not unlike what you’d find at any Four Seasons spa around the world, however given the historical connection to thermal baths in Karlovy Vary, a great wellness travel escape less than two hours from Prague, the AVI Spa offers thermal baths as part of their spa offerings.

AVA features five treatments rooms, including a couple’s suite, spa bath and a vitality pool in addition to separate steam and sauna rooms and a lounge area. They use natural water and mineral rich products, offer exclusive facial and body treatments with moor muds, and use three cosmetics lines: Omorovicza, Sodashi and Swiss Perfection. Since I went for a massage over the Mandarin Hotel Spa and had tried the classic thermal baths at the Imperial in Karlovy Vary, I decided to opt for a facial, a great choice I felt given their wide variety of anti-aging choices and products.

From the oh so luxurious and elegant lobby area, it’s not as easy as you’d think to find the spa when I asked a bellman to direct me. “First time here?” he asked. “Yup,” I nodded. Apparently, the spa has been expanded, so much so that it’s on an upper floor and in its own wing. Just so I wouldn’t get lost, I blindly followed him up the elevator as he escorted me to the spa reception desk.

Located in three Old Town buildings featuring baroque and renaissance styles, this ever so refined 5 star property is less than a minute’s walk from a metro station and a mere five minutes’ walk from the Charles Bridge.  For those interested in staying here, the rooms can best be described as sophisticated with marble bathrooms; and many rooms having chandeliers or vaulted ceilings. Opulent suites add living areas, and some include additional bedrooms. There’s a modern-chic Italian bar/restaurant as well as a fitness center on-site.

Since I was running a little late, I quickly dressed into the white terry robe they gave me and settled into a cushy chair in the waiting lounge.

There are lots of ‘fine’ details throughout the spa, from the lounge areas to the treatment rooms themselves, and like most Czech-based spas, they take pride in using many natural ingredients.

I’m a huge fan of loose leaf tea was was thrilled to see that they offered it and would prepare a pot of tea for you with some assorted almonds, dried fruit and biscuits.

The treatment rooms are bright and airy but elegant and luxe…

Anti-Aging Facials

Since they offer a few different product lines, they have a nice array of offerings for anti-aging facials. One such treatment is called a Cellular Lift Concept, which is a five-step lifting treatment that works on firmness, sagging and wrinkles. It naturally lifts the skin and brings long term benefits. They also offer something they refer to as a Cellular Hydrating Rejuvination, which also targets wrinkles, but through hydration and product that helps with irregular skin texture to leave the skin feeling smooth and rejuvenated.  There’s also a Cellular Brightening Radiance Facial (gotta love the name), which direct targets the cells responsible for hyper-pigmentation. It is designed to specifically lighten dark spots, leaving you with an even and brighter complexion. I tried a facial they refer to as PURE RADIANCE, which uses the Sodashi product line. It both softens and exfoliates in the beginning and then uses a nurturing face mask rich in herbal extracts to purify and hydrate the skin. Sodashi Plant Essence Synergies will leave your skin feeling revitalized and fresh. I felt as if my skin had a better overall glow afterwards and my skin was tighter than when I arrived, always a good thing.

Sodashi also offers a Samadara ULTIMATE Age-Defying Facial which in hindsight, I wished I tried. They give you a Rose Quartz Crystal facial massage followed by the line’s Age-Defying Crème to deeply penetrate the skin for maximum gain. It’s also a bit longer than the standard facials, giving you more treatment time as well.

Of course, they have body treatments, offer pedicures and manicures, have a fitness center on-site as well as a sauna inside the men and women’s changing rooms. And, if you do want to do one of those traditional Czech-inspired healing baths, they offer them — the water is enhanced with essential oils and flower petals. Signature rituals include body wraps, a La Boheme Massage with uses linden blossom oil and is apparently very detoxifying and those inspired by Karlovy Vary tradition as mentioned above. You can also go for a body scrub and massage combo or something they refer to as a Signature DETOX. In this treatment, they start you off in a Rhassoul Steam Bath, then move onto a full body exfoliation, followed by a pink clay mask. The idea is to stimulate your lymphatic system using essential essences of juniper berry, lemon and cypress during the full body massage. The spa offers lovely salt therapy exfoliant procedures as well where they use organic green tea salt or vanilla and sandalwood.

My favorite part of the experience however, was AVA’s vitality pool which has a wide variety of massage jets and accessories for the ultimate hydrotherapy. And, it was dead quiet when I was there so only had to share the pool with one other person. Pure bliss!

DETAILS:

Four Seasons Prague & AVA Spa

Veleslavínova 1098/2a, 110 00

Praha 1 – Staré Město, Czech Republic |  

Renee Blodgett

Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.

She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.

Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.

Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.