Ishana Spa: Get Pampered Before You Take Off

After checking in and immigration at Terminal 3, we were bored of visiting the shops selling designer watches and perfumes (are they any different?), so my wife decide to take a nap before the Emirates flight to Dubai and we headed towards the departure gate.  As soon as we went past the shopping area, a giant shaped Surya (the Sun) statue held my attention, which was a sheer delight to the eyes. This 4 meter tall statue, made of copper pieces is designed by Satish Gupta and its splendor could be described by the fact that it took my wife’s sleep away, so, we decided to take a stroll to the corner shop which looked quite exotic from the distance.

As we reached closer, a beautiful roll up read ‘Ishana Nature Spa. Now Open.’ It’s a Souvenir Shop cum Spa with mystical appeal. Most of the goods on sale command your attention and not to say, they are quite heavy on pocket. We took quite some time to closely see and appreciate every piece of art in the store. The curtain made of square tiles was so enticing that we didn’t waste time in asking if we can have one in our living room, but to our disappointment: It was NOT ON SALE!

By now the live performers had set up their instruments and the classical music was seeping into our nerves while the fountain was already creating a trickling sound and the fresh flowers were floating in the pool. Dozens of bells were hung above the pool which did add an appeal to the ambiance. The set up is so soothing that you forget all the airport hassles which you went through few minutes back.

Now it was time to look at the Spa offerings and I moved to the counter where a well-groomed smiling lady was waiting for me to answer. The most noticeable point was: they were not pushy at all, which is quite uncommon in Delhi. I browsed through their menu and surprisingly the service was quite reasonable. A 15-minute foot massage is priced 600 rupees and full body massage which lasts for 45 minutes was available for 1500 rupees. Not Bad!

Before we could decide to give foot massage a try, I heard the boarding call. Alas! The thought of relaxation slipped into stress before I could realize.  We collected the brochure and rushed to the gate thanking the girl.

YOU shouldn’t miss this opportunity.

Location: Terminal 3 International Departure Lounge

Price: 600 to 1500 rupees

You can find more information & pictures about Ishana at http://www.newdelhiairport.in/ishana.aspx

P.S. On my last visit at Ishana on 03 September 2011, I noticed a steep rise in prices. Now, the services cost between 900 and 4800 rupees.