Within a 500m radius of Espa Life at Corinthia in London are a number of very important buildings where very important matters take place. The Houses of Parliament. 10 Downing Street. New Scotland Yard. Yet in the blissful cocoon of Espa Life, none of that matters. All that matters the heated swimming pool. Occupying four floors of the lavish hotel – two above ground and two below – Espa Life is one of the wellness brand’s two next-generation spa facilities. Here, you start at the top. From the reception, you descend into the women’s level, then the men’s level and finally the Thermal Floor.

The heated pool with its Tron-like lighting rippling off the water beckons. For a greater rush, the vitality pool gushes with the motion of air- and water-massage jets, while an ice fountain is available for an invigorating wake-up shock after time at the amphitheatre sauna or steam room. Just an hour at the Thermal Floor can feel like years have been shaved off. Exiting is like rebirth – moving from cavernous depths to the floors above – a metaphor of rejuvenation.