The Joys of the Bubble Bed

Although the correct name is an airbed lounge, I call it a bubble bed. If it sounds pretty magical, that’s because it is. My first encounter with one was after a tough workout at the luxe fitness centre affiliated with Four Seasons Hotel London at Canary Wharf.

The changing room had the full roster of post-gym pampering: bar/café, sauna, steam. In the wet area I noticed a gleaming, sunken stainless steel pool. In the low mood lighting it glinted and the water looked squeaky clean and extra pure, while also slightly fizzy in that aerated aquarium sort of way.

I could see that, under water, a series of stainless steel tubes had been arranged to create a double-width chaise longue. For something that was made of metal, it looked undulating and utterly comfortable. At that point there was no choice. I had to get in.

As I settled in, the bubbling began. Thousands of tiny bubbles fizzed up through the chaise structure, enveloping me much like a swimmer in a great glass of body-temperature Badoit. I didn’t so much recline in the bubble bed as float above it, suspended and weightless, cosseted the whole while in the gently warmed water.

I don’t know if the bubble bed perhaps evoked memories of the womb, but its calming, relaxing effect is beyond words. So I won’t describe it further. Try one as soon as you can.