Essence Spa at the Clarion Hotel Cork

As hotel spas go, Essence comes up with a good to very good rating. I tried their 30 minute classical back, neck and shoulder massage and came away refreshed and relaxed. The atmosphere is very relaxing. There is a very comfortable waiting area with chaises with adjustable neck cushions. Soft, relaxing music, appropriate mood lighting and serenity were all there, which made the fact that my therapist was 15 minutes late (even though no one else was there) a bit more bearable. Their brochure is replete with caveats and warnings about arriving late and requesting that you arrive 10 – 15 minutes early for a consultation. Sometimes it makes you wonder who is the client and who is the service provider. The consultation evidently doesn’t apply to the type of massage I had since there wasn’t one. Oh well, 30 minutes in the waiting area relaxing and getting away can help you overlook some things. The therapist I had was also quite good, though not at good as some that I have had elsewhere. I prefer a more deep tissue massage pressure even with the back/​neck/​shoulder massage, and although she was quite capable of getting close to it, I sensed that she was at about her limit as she was breathing quite heavy about halfway through the time period. I am not sure she would have had the stamina for a full hour, but who knows. Overall a very good experience and one worth trying if you are in the area, but not necessarily going out of your way to get there.