Grass routes: How CBD spa treatments took the hotel world by storm

In luxury hotels from here to Hong Kong, products from massage oils to herbal teas are being given the cannabis-lite treatment. Lucy Thackray checks out where to try this beyond-mellow trend

CBD or cannabidiol is thought to naturally reduce inflammation and pain (iStock)

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I’ve been intrigued by the use of CBD in skincare and spa treatments ever since Kim K threw a “CBD-themed baby shower” complete with pampering sessions for her pals, back in 2019. Now, three years on, casual use of CBD oil and gummies for anxiety and wellbeing is a growing trend both sides of the pond, but I wondered then – and wonder still – about its effects when applied in a more topical sense.

For the uninitiated, CBD is a derivative of the cannabis plant which is making big waves in the health and wellness world.

Just one of many cannabinoids (derivatives from the cannabis plant), it has a completely different effect on the body than the most famous cannabis derivative – THC, which is what gets you high and can have a negative effect on your health.

Its benefits when taken regularly – usually as an oil or tincture – have been lauded by alternative wellness experts the world over. But bolder medical claims, that it naturally reduces inflammation and pain, and could ease conditions from depression to Parkinson’s and epilepsy, are still being studied by doctors.

Well, it looks like 2022 is the year the travel world catches up with Kim’s “home spa” experience. Not only is Switzerland’s prestigious and spendy Gstaad Palace spa hotel offering “high-tech CBD treatments”, where you’re scrubbed down with a mix of CBD oil, rose petals, lavender and hemp leaves, but Anantara’s Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Ko Samui hotels have all rolled out whole rituals involving infused teas, a soak in a bath of cannabis-infused herbs and a CBD oil massage.

Meanwhile, Yorkshire’s Coniston Hotel & Spa is planning a whole CBD-wellness retreat in March; and you’ll find CBD in treatments at day spas from LA (Desuar) to Cork (Priya).

The theory is that, applied topically rather than ingested, the proper amount of CBD still works with cannabinoid receptors (endocannabinoids) in your nervous and immune system, stimulating serotonin and reducing cortisol, the stress hormone.

It’s worth saying at this point that doctors and wellbeing researchers are divided on the benefits, saying there is still much to learn – but that never stopped the spa industry embracing a wonder ingredient.

At any rate, this is no fleeting fad – the CBD market is projected to be worth $20bn (£18bn) by 2024 – so it’s unsurprising that the luxury hotel world is sitting up and taking note.

Many are launching a double-pronged approach of both spa and edible moments using the magic ingredient - just ask SchlossHotel Zermatt, which has launched cannabidiol-infused massages alongside CBD muesli, or scrambled eggs with hemp oil, at the breakfast table.

But you won’t find it in every corner of the globe – CBD is still illegal in several countries, including the UAE, Russia and Singapore. Meanwhile in Spain, it can be used topically - in the spa treatment sense – but not ingested.

SchlossHotel Zermatt has launched cannabidiol-infused massages alongside CBD muesli, or scrambled eggs with hemp oil, at the breakfast table

One of the biggest travel names to embrace CBD wellness is Mandarin Oriental, which partnered with specialist OTO, a pioneer of the high-end CBD scene in the UK, in September to create its treatments.

The brand has also designed pampering spells for Cliveden House, Montcalm East, Mondrian Shoreditch and the W Hong Kong, with a couple of European hotels in the pipeline.

Helen Cain, OTO’s spa manager, is such a believer in its benefits that, after implementing it at the hotels she worked for as a spa director, she left her job and joined the CBD company.

The designer of three differently scented massages and developer of a new OTO facial, she is effusive about the effects of this type of experience as opposed to the classic aromatherapy massage.

“The first time you have a CBD massage, you’ll feel on top of the world – your muscles will feel incredibly relaxed, you’ll sleep better,” she says.

She compares the anti-inflammatory, relaxing effect on the body to becoming “a well-oiled engine”.

“You’re also going to get way more in a treatment than you would taking it yourself, at home – around 70-100mg, where an ingestible might be 40-60mg. Because we’re applying it topically, we approach it from different angles – with a spa oil, with a cream, a roll-on and depending on the spa, a shot of our CBD booster in a drink.”

Cain compares the anti-inflammatory, relaxing effect on the body to becoming ‘a well-oiled engine’

Don’t expect the traditional cannabis aroma, she says – OTO doesn’t use any “hemp terpenes” and blends its CBD with botanicals and essential oils, so there’s no unpleasant muskiness to the treatments.

With a long background in luxury – she’s worked for Richard Branson’s Virgin Limited Edition properties among others – Cain is sure this spa trend is here to stay, with more hotels adding it to their menus as we learn more about the effects of cannabidiol.

But she does acknowledge that there is a broad and unregulated spectrum of products on the market – not all CBD is equal.

As such, she urges curious spa-goers to find out the distinctions between different types of CBD product, and to ask questions about their hotel before booking. How much CBD does the treatment aim to deliver, and how will it be administered? Does their treatment use a full-spectrum CBD product? The ideal is a pure “isolate” product, since full-spectrum ones contain other types of cannabidiol besides CBD – don’t be afraid to ask for a brand name and research it online.

And if you’re already at the spa, “don’t be afraid to ask to smell the product,” she says – a pure CBD oil won’t have a hemp-like smell.

Of course, anyone with health concerns should talk to their GP before ingesting CBD.

So how much will it cost you? Anywhere from £49 for a massage at Cornwall’s Budock Vean to upwards of £300 for a two-hour ritual at Gstaad Palace.

As to whether it will mellow you out more than any other treatment – that’s for you to report back on.