10 of the best massages that we've ever had

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10 of the best massages that we’ve ever had

Whether you’re suffering from a stiff back, tense shoulders or are feeling the stress after a day spent hunched over a computer, a good massage can truly be transformative in how you look and feel.

So to help relieve any niggling aches and pains that you may have, here are 10 of our favourite massage hot spots boasting a team of magic hands to get your muscles back to working order again. From aromatherapy to deep tissue massage and even ones that tackle cellulite, hopefully our gallery holds what you’re looking for when it comes to finding The One.

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Urban Escape at the Metropolitan by COMO

Featuring the likes of shiatsu and Thai massage techniques, the COMO Shambhala Spa provides a much-needed dose of calm amongst the chaos in the capital.

Massages are luxurious yet also effective - not at all painful but enough to loosen you up beautifully. The essential oil blend is really unique and you even get an unlimited amount of ginger and manuka honey tea which makes for a delicious touch. Long enough for you to almost drop off, it’s the perfect pick if you really need to zone out and take a minute out of London and all of its mania.

From £90. Metropolitan by COMO, Old Park Lane, London W1K 1LB. 020 7447 5750.  www.comohotels.com .

Photo Credit: COMO Hotels and Resorts

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Bliss Spa London

After a week of bad posture and computer staring resulted in a back with more knots than a sailing regatta, the Blissage 60 massage was just what was needed to help release the tension in our stiff shoulders and wooden hips.

One of our favourite parts of the full body massage was the rejuvenating paraffin wax wraps that enveloped our tired tootsies throughout. Softer, brighter looking feet awaited us after the hour long treatment, along with full range of motion in our necks too. Available in an express 49 minute version too, it provides for the perfect in and out lunchtime massage especially when time is of the essence.

From £75. 60 Sloane Avenue, London SW3 3DD. 020 7590 6146.  www.blissworld.co.uk .

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Urban Retreat at Harrods

Whether as part of their menu of scrubs or slimming treatments or stand-alone back massages, the team at Urban Retreat are supremely skilled when it comes to easing tension and getting skin back into tip top condition again.

Whether you’re pre or post-holiday, the Thalgo Frigi Wrap is great at aiding lymphatic drainage and is coupled with an intensive lower body focused massage to help you feel a little trimmer and streamlined too. The décor is reflective of its name - an oasis in the middle of city, however the check-in desk and array of high-end lotions and potions gives it an interesting metropolitan edge.

£85. Fifth Floor, Harrods, Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7XL. 020 7893 8333.  www.urbanretreat.co.uk .

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Elemis Day Spa London

What happens when you combine one of our favourite body brands with a menu of muscle-easing massages? A luxurious treat for both body and mind, that’s what.

From options that rehydrate the most parched of dry skin to ones that tackle stress, the Frangipani Body Nourish Wrap is a must-book to help restore vitality and suppleness to post-holiday skin. A top to toe treat with a foot and scalp massage too, the wondrously exotic-scented Monoi Oil lies at its centre, to instantly transport you to a sun-drenched haven without racking up the air miles.

£40. 2 Lancashire Court, Mayfair W1S 1EX. 020 7499 4995.  www.elemis.com .

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Neville Hair & Beauty

“Tetyana Niroomand Rad at Neville has some of the strongest, most stress-relieving hands I've ever experienced,” said our Editor-in-Chief Susannah Taylor. “With the face of Katherine Jenkins and the hands of an All-Black (she is also a judo expert) Tetyana was so good at massage aged 14 that she earned a living from it then.

“Today she works out of Neville, the beauty palace behind some of London's most beautiful celebs (Poppy Delevingne is a fan and they are the official colourists for Next Models). Tetyana will work out all your knots with the ultimate stress-relieving back and shoulder massage, but the real magic happens with her Human Power Plate Massage where she eliminates toxins and breaks down fibrous tissue and fatty deposits. Not for the faint-hearted, it can be quite a painful experience but you can literally see the smoothing effects after just one session.”

Prices by consultation only. 5 Pont Street, Belgravia, London SW1X 9EJ. 020 7235 3654.  www.nevillehairandbeauty.net .

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Beauty Works West

Located in London’s Notting Hill, the menu of treatments available at this massage hotspot addresses anything from relaxation to aching limbs and cellulite to lymphatic drainage. Encompassing mud wraps and one of our favourite leg sculpting brands Legology , the services on offer ensure that you’ll not only feel lighter mentally, but also physically too.

Stylish, results-driven and a great place to get a quick toning fix that will help eradicate some of the day’s stresses too, there’s never been a better reason to go west in our opinion.

From £80. 8-9 Lambton Place, Notting Hill London, W11 2SH. 020 7221 2248.  www.beautyworkswest.com .

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Aromatherapy Associates Boutique & Treatment Rooms

Bespoke and tailor-made to your individual needs thanks to your own personal blend of essential oils to revive, rejuvenate or relax with, this Boutique is the perfect choice if you’re having trouble switching off at the end of a long day.

With a team of experienced therapists who conduct a detailed consultation beforehand, no knot is left untied and stress and anxiety is melted away thanks to the beautiful fragrances emanating from the aromatherapy-infused products. We’d particularly recommend the Perfect Back add-on treatment which not only included the most relaxing of back massages, but also a deep cleansing treatment and scrub to leave skin soft and nourished.

From £50. 5 Montpelier Street, London SW7 1EX. 020 7838 1117.  www.aromatherapyassociates.com .

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The Josh Wood Atelier

Whether you’re suffering from aches, pains, jet lag or back pain, massage therapist Carla Williams at Atelier Beauté is the ideal beauty expert to book in to see.

Knowledgeable and confident, you’ll feel like you can strip off in front of her and ask her absolutely anything! She gets to the crux of your particular body problem professionally and with ease with a thorough check of your history and MOT of any issues you may have. The result? One of the most bespoke massages we’ve ever had. Utter bliss.

£150. 6 Lansdowne Mews, London W11 3AN. 0203 393 0977.  www.joshwoodcolour.com .

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Privet Beauty

You’ll view your desk in different light after handing over knots, stiffness and areas of tension to masseuse Erinah Chadambura . A deep tissue massage with her will make muscles mobile once more and her intuition to zone in on and rectify problem areas is second to none.

Located just off the hustle and bustle of Portobello Road, the spa offers a mixture of treatments with a rustic edge courtesy of a ‘Potting Shed’ area for nails and a ‘Log Cabin’ for facials. The perfect mixture of relaxation, variety and results, you’re sure to walk away with an added spring in your step after handing any aches and pains over to Erinah’s skilled hands.

£78. 214 Kensington Park Road, London W11 1NR. 020 7221 5674.  www.privetbody.co.uk .

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Aveda Lifestyle Salon & Spa

Using a range of different techniques alongside the brand’s Stress Fix range, the Aveda Stress Fix Massage combines reflexology, deep tissue and aromatherapy to make for an amazingly comprehensive treatment to relieve the most strained of post-work day nerves.

Bespoke and carefully designed to target any areas of tension, from the decadent treatment rooms to the body-boosting products (the Aveda Blue Oil  is amazing), it reaches depths that a normal massage cannot. Both body and mind are left relaxed and supremely chilled out for the ultimate precursor to a good night’s sleep.

From £82. 174-177 High Holborn, London WC1V 7AA. 020 7759 7355.  www.aveda.co.uk .