What to bring to a spa and what to leave at home

On a first spa visit, the most common question is not about the treatments but about what to bring. The answer is reassuring: almost everything you need is provided. Robe, towels, slippers and disposable underwear are usually included in the price. Even so, a couple of missing items can spoil an otherwise good day, and a couple of items are better left at home entirely.

Start with what genuinely helps. A swimsuit comes first, even if you have only booked a massage. Many venues have a pool, a sauna or a steam room, and the urge to use them often arrives once you are already there. Second is a hair tie or a comb, because your hair will be oily or damp afterwards. Third is your own face or body cream if your skin is sensitive and used to a particular product. Fourth is a comfortable change of clothes: after a massage or a wrap, tight jeans and rigid underwear feel distinctly unpleasant.

Also useful are a small bag for wet items, a water bottle if the venue does not provide drinking water, and a contact lens case with solution - lenses are awkward in a sauna and face-down on a table, so many people take them out. If you take medication on a schedule, bring it; spa visits have a habit of running longer than planned. Glasses wearers will want a soft case, since glasses have to come off in a sauna and on the table anyway. With long hair, a hair towel or cotton turban is worth packing alongside the tie - hairdryers are common enough, but queueing for one is not how you want to end a spa visit. And if you are heading straight to a meeting afterwards, bring a small mirror and basic make-up, because changing room lighting is rarely up to the job.

Now for what to leave behind. Jewellery tops the list. Rings, chains and earrings all have to come off for treatments, and that is exactly when they go missing. Expensive watches and significant amounts of cash are not worth bringing either, even where lockers are provided. Strong perfume is best skipped too: in a spa it collides with treatment oils, and your scent will be noticeable in the next room.

Phones deserve a paragraph of their own. They are rarely forbidden outright, but they are the main reason people leave a spa less relaxed than they might have. Most venues ask that phones be silenced and kept out of shared areas, because they disturb other guests. If you truly must be reachable, tell the receptionist - they will know where to find you.

A few words about preparation itself. Do not arrive straight after a heavy lunch, and do not arrive on an empty stomach either. Do not shave on the same day if a scrub, a wrap or a honey massage is planned, since freshly shaved skin reacts more sharply. Nail polish makes no difference unless you have booked a nail treatment. And there is no point applying make-up before a facial, because removing it is the first step.

Health information is part of what you bring as well, just carried in your head rather than your bag. Chronic conditions, recent surgery, allergies and blood-thinning medication should all be mentioned to your therapist before you begin. Pregnancy is worth flagging at the time of booking, since some treatments, particularly heat treatments and wraps, are unsuitable. If you are unsure about a specific treatment, ask your doctor beforehand.

Finally, bring rather more time than seems necessary. Fifteen minutes of margin before and half an hour afterwards is what separates a visit you leave feeling settled from one spent watching the clock. No amount of packing can substitute for that.