I booked myself in to have the Java body wrap which provides firming and slimming results…read more When I got there, they measured my body taking note of my current body size. Then I had to put on some very attractive paper pants before the lady started to wrap me up using lots of bandages that had been soaked in what can only be described as a clay like substance. They were left on for around 60 minutes whilst I was left to lay on the bed and relax. Afterwards I was measured again and I had lost a combined total of 5 inches from different parts of my body. Very impressive.

Beth is the most amazing massage therapist. She has helped me with back, neck, and shoulder issues,…read morewhich are aggravated by my hours behind a computer. The spa itself has been refurbished, and there are now some amazing new treatments rooms (including a double room for couples/friends). This is a dry spa so there are no wet rooms/sauna etc. It is a restful, peaceful place to visit, and has a lovely team there. Worth signing up to their newsletter online so that you get sent a discount code for your first treatment.

Vibro is the only gym I've ever stuck to. Results in a matter of weeks and a friendly place to work…read moreout. Massages are fantastic too.

Once in a while everyone needs a break, and at the end of a particularly stressful week of work i…read moretook Friday afternoon off for some me time. Having had Vibro suite recommended to me by a friend I decided to check out the spa and am very glad I did. They have a fantastic range of treatments and are able to accommodate you if you want a 30 minute lunch time treat or like me an entire afternoon of relaxation. In an attempt to relax I opted for a "Deep Tissue Massage" and a "Bespoke You Facial" both were 1 hour treatments. The welcome was fantastic and I immediately felt at ease and was offered a range of drinks, the initial massage was carried out very well and actually did work to release some of the tension I felt. This was followed by a 10 minute break where I was allowed to sit relax and offered another drink. The Facial consisted of a 15 minute consultation asking about my skin type and normal routine. This was followed by a full 1 hour facial which I think was done very well. Unlike many other spas I wasn't pressured into buying any products or booking a follow up, the staff were fantastic and both treatments were great value for money. I would definitely recommend Vibro Suite.

So, the Cube hasn't been around for -very- long in Birmingham, but I hadn't had a chance to…read moreproperly check it out as yet. As I very rarely come to the Mailbox area of the City (this probably stems from being a student and not being able to afford to come here), when I saw an offer for Afternoon Tea; I thought it was about time to get down and properly have a nose. I was looking for an excuse to meet up with my friend (Lula Belle of http://www.glamourinthecounty.com/) for sparkly and chats, it was a good an excuse as any to book up and invite her down to join me. First thing of note, the renovations/work that is currently going on in the Mailbox has made it a darn confusing place to be. Rather than going in the main entrance, we had to walk around the side of the building and then travel the escalators to then go down the stairs to get to the Bridge for the Cube. This, however, was only the start of our incredible journey to find the Lounge in the Cube. Once we had got in the Cube, we went down to the ground floor (where the are is most visible) just to realise all the doors are closed off. There was signs on the doors advising us to go the level 6 though. "Great!" we thought and toddled off. Are there any signs telling you what floor you're on? No, No there aren't. After finding an exit had been closed off (for more work), we finally found a friendly security guard who advised how we could get to the Club and spa (up the escalators, around the building, along the bridge and down yet more stairs). Once we had finally got into the building, however, it was worth the trek. We were greeted at the smart reception (by a gigantic climbing wall, who knew that was there?) by a friendly member of staff who gave us directions to get through the warren like building to reach the cafe/bar. Once we had reached it, it was like a little breath of fresh air. Greeted by bright purples and yellows with fabulous design details and obvious cleanliness and care; we knew this was the right place to be. Once we had confirmed our reservation, we were asked whether we would prefer tea or coffee, if we had any allergies and whether we wanted sweet Prosecco (the answers were coffee, no and Of Course!). We found ourself some comfy high backed chairs towards the back of the venue and sat back to await our Afternoon Tea. First thing of note, I have never HAD afternoon tea before. As another hit in my "Festival of First's" activities, I thought this might be one I would really enjoy (spoiler alert: I wasn't disappointed). The coffee and Prosecco was delivered within a couple of minutes. The coffee was hot, strong and delicious. The staff (and the company) was wonderful throughout the whole experience. As soon as we had finished a pot of coffee, it was refilled and bought back promptly. The selection of finger sandwiches, cream scones (with fresh fruit and jam) and cakes were fresh and delicious (and we were given just the right amount). We were booked in for tea at 3pm. By 6pm, we were still sitting and enjoying the chilled out atmosphere (as well as the last of the coffee). Even though the venue closed at 6pm, we weren't once hurried out or asked to move on. The food, staff and overall experience was fantastic. As a note to the Cube though; better signage would be a good idea!

I managed to get a good deal for a day spa visit here for my mums birthday for the both of us. The…read morestaff were welcoming on arrival even though we did have to call twice to find out how to get there as neither of us had been there before! There is a good size changing room for women, with showers and hairdryers. The pool would seem to be too small for swimming lengths but good for relaxing, which I'm sure is the point of a spa. There are 2 jets which massage your back while your in the pool, though initially they can feel slightly harsh you do get used to it. There are showers by the pool to rinse off afterwards. There are also two saunas (at different temperatures) and a steamroom. Around the corner is a chill out area with pods which can fit in two persons. It is very relaxing. Our day visit included lunch but to get to it we had to walk back through the main reception, which was strange. It also felt rather weird to eat while in a dressing gown while others are fully clothed. People don't seem to walk by the fully glass walls that often but I did feel slightly uncomfortable being in a dressing gown. It was quiet which was nice and there were sofas so you could relax with a glass of wine. The wine cost more than I expected to pay but then I realised it was a spa in city centre Birmingham. We had facial included in the price and got a pedicure for extra. The staff were very knowledgeable when it came to the facial and they took care considering my nose job. The young lady talked me through the process beforehand and tailored the facial to suit my personal needs. It was very relaxing and my skin felt fabulous afterwards. The pedicure included a nice glass of champagne and a massage. It was worth it and the nail polish lasted ages! The day was perfect but did not last long enough but came out feeling very relaxed. It was the best way to end the week.

Whilst I realise this is a review for a big chain, I really think this one needs to be shouted…read moreabout! Context: I am a fat girl. I don't want to be a fat girl any more. I have been a member of a number of gyms in the past, and for many many reasons hated it and quit. I was determined this time to find one that would work for me. Enter Bannatyne's Brindley Place: The bizarre decor immediately appealed. The pool is dimly lit, so I don't feel super self conscious about my bits being on show, and the gym itself is never rammed full of people so I never feel I'm being looked at. The muscly oiled men keep to themselves in a separate area with free weights which also helps me feel less anxious about visiting. But the real reason this place is awesome is because of two very specific people: 1) Steve Northam - he inducted me into the gym, he puts up with my whinging and my craziness over any kind of exertion, and at times he can be a little bit strange too (he does competitive fencing! Amazing, right?!) but above all he encourages me to keep at it. And it seems to be working. 2) Lee - a personal trainer who runs the spinning class on Thursday mornings and Sunday evenings. He warms us up to COUNTING CROWS (yes, I know, it shouldn't make sense but IT DOES!) and continues the sessions mixing Lady Gaga and Alanis Morrissette and Pearl Jam and Kings of Leon and on the rare occasion we manage to twist his arm to turn on the disco lights, it's like doing a bike ride at Snobs. And I've discovered I LOVE it. So. Indie / metal spinning, and crazy helpful instructors? On that note I'm IN. (ahhh cheesy ending, I know, but I couldn't resist :)

I booked this spa day through the wanada site which included use of all the health club facilities…read morea facial and a free take home product! A great way to spend a Saturday with a friend :-) Arriving at 10:30 I was determined to make use of all the facilities, and that's exactly what we did. My friend and I were shown around the health club - free water machine,changing rooms, swimming pool, steam room, jacuzzi and sauna. We spent spent our time relaxing on the loungers reading magazines and generally just chillaxing using the jacuzzi and steam and sauna rooms. The changing room facilities are great complete with the usual showers, toliets, lockers (don't forget a £1 coin!) drier for swimming costumes and hairdryers. You can also bring in your own hair straighteners to plug in. We each had a facial in the spa whereby they used a range of Elemis products on our skin which resulted in super soft skin. The spa staff were friendly and professional and I must say I felt very relaxed after my treatment as it included a head massage too. I will defintely returning for another spa day.

On my birthday, I was treated to a full body wrap. I had mentioned before about how much I loved my…read morefirst wrap so I was happy when I was given another one as the majority of women lose between 2-8 inches from around their body straight after the treatment! Perfect pick me up for anyone wanting to feel a bit slimmer. When I got there, they measured my body taking note of my current body size and started to wrap me up using bandages soaked in what can only be described as clay like substance. They were left on for around 60 minutes whilst I was left to lie on the bed and relax. Although the inch loss isn't permanent but a good start to a healthy diet, when I was measured I had lost 6 inches from different parts of my body. Great treatment if you want to feel extra special.

Firstly what a beautfiul place, with such a relaxing atmostphere!…read more It was the first time we had been to Lily may and we were very pleasantly suprised! Between us we had a massage and a body scrub and we would both fully recommend them to all. Overall a beautiful place, welcoming staff and heavenly treatments that have left us both feeling very relaxed!

My understanding of" halal" was that it referred to how animals are slaughtered before reaching the…read morebutchers. So when I came across Pure Halal Beauty, I was somewhat confused. What do beauty cosmetics have to do with halal? Well, it turns out that the salon provides make-up that does not conflict with Islamic practises. Although the concept of make-up seems to clash with the ideas behind the faith - but I digress! The salon is very compact but bursting with cosmetics that are aimed for Asian skin tones. Although they're not just limited to these so they have fewer colours in lighter or darker shades. It's an interesting concept, which I'm sure would attract a lot of clientele. Only I wasn't overly impressed with the colours, despite their focus on skin-caring properties and policy of no animal testing.

I did something in January I never thought I would do.... I joined a gym. I did a lot of research…read morefirst, as I wanted a place which I wasn't locked into a 12 month contract, had a pool, had classes I would do (and enjoy) and would be the cheapest option; Bannatynes won hands down. Located just off Corporation Street, it's got several bus stops around it and is a 3 - 5 minutes walk from either Snow Hill or New Street train station. I will warn you, the exterior (as you can see from the photo) isn't glamourous. If you want a place for posing and taking "gym selfies", you may want to look elsewhere. Once you are a member, rather than carrying around another pesky card - you get a pin number to enter. This is just put into the turnstile by the reception desk and Voila! You're in. As a side note, once I had decided to join - I was a member in 10 minutes and had full access immediately. Something to note if you're feeling determined! There are separate male and female changing and shower facilities downstairs and then stairs to the pool/steam/sauna area or you can grab lift to get up to the gym. The lockers are padlock operated and you have to take your own (or buy one from them). I am yet to try the actual gym equipment or classes, but all of the classes seem to be done over a range of days and times to suit even the most busy schedule. I am loving the hydrotherapy pool (perfect for post swim achey limbs) and the Sauna. The gym also has a "Bannatynes Spa". Not recommended for a "spa day" (the actual area is very nice), but you wouldn't want to head to the pool for a relaxing time as it's full of people swimming for fitness. I had my first ever massage today by a lovely lady called Steph. As a new member of the gym, I had 50% off - making a 45 minute Swedish massage experience £18. They do offers regularly, so if you are a spa person, wotrth giving it a go. All in all - there are things that could be improved. But for £29 a month - it pretty much does everything I would want a gym to do!

This place is the reason I can eat out as much as I do.....so obviously, I am a big fan…read more High-end gym equipment, a good range of classes and a fantastic swimming pool, sauna and jacuzzi, make this, in my opinion, one of the best fitness centres in Birmingham. At £40 per month it is slightly more expensive than a lot of gym memberships in the city, but I think its good value given the amount you get for that. My biggest recommendation are the spin classes, they are tough but you definitely feel like you have had a good workout after one of those! A few sessions here a week....and another guilt-free weekend.....perfect.

I normally just file and paint my nails myself. However, as it was a special occasion I decided to…read moretreat myself to a full manicure. When I arrived, I was seated on a small table in the corner and the lady took my previous nail varnish off. Next she filed my nails into the desired shape and began the full manicure. The inside décor was pleasant, it was quite neutral although some of the posters on the wall looked dated and slightly off putting. There were some nail varnishes and similar products available for sale but I always feel they can be over priced in salons so I didn't purchase any. The woman who was doing my nails wasn't overly chatty but the service was quick and my nails looked better than ever.

Those that know me, know I love getting my nails done. I've been to a number of places in…read moreBirmingham and people are always asking where to go so I'd though I'd expand on my knowledge and check out Nails 4 U on Corporation Street. It's right down at the end, close to the Children's Hospital and Boston Tea Party. It's quite small inside. There's seating in front of you as you enter and there are three tables where you can get your nails done on the left hand side. They also do waxing (cannot comment much more on that) which they do at the back of the shop behind a curtain. There's also a hairdressers downstairs. I went on a Friday afternoon around 3.30pm and they managed to fit me in immediately. It got busy around 4.30pm and a queue did start to form. The gentleman that did my nails, prepped them very well. It doesn't look like I had infills which can be the case sometimes as the nail starts to grow. However, I had a replacement nail put on and its wonky. I didn't notice at the time but I'd be concerned if I was getting a full set here. That's not where the bad news stops. The nail varnish. I knew something was going to go wrong when the gentleman didn't understand that I just wanted the tips of my nails painted. My nails are rather long and he initially put just only about 5mm of varnish on. I had to ask for more twice. Most people when they do the tips, paint the nail then 'tidy it up' with nail varnish remover and a brush. That did not happen here. I hate being mean to people but I was not happy at all. The varnish was painted on in a straight line, it was lumpy and it was so thick at one point I thought there was more nail varnish on than acrylic! The cost for this was £16 which is about right, if not a little cheaper than some other places, but I was very unhappy with the varnish and my wonky nail, even though the prep was very good. This could be down to who served me but it's put me off for life.