When the opportunity to review the most talked about celebrity trend during a stay at London's swanky South Place Hotel landed in my inbox, I jumped at the chance. The hotel has teamed up with IV vitamin brand of the moment Get A Drip for a 'Retox to Detox' package, and safe to say my interest was piqued.
IV drips have been plastered all over Instagram for years thanks to everyone from Kendall Jenner to Harry Styles. Meanwhile, Victoria Beckham is rumoured to enjoy bespoke daily IV drips, vitamin infusions and even MRI scans to ensure she is on tip-top form during her spa stays in Baden-Baden. If it's good enough for VB, it's good enough for me!
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So what is a stay at the five-star, luxury London hotel really like? And do IV drips really live up to the celebrity hype?
Which celebrities are fans of IV drips?
I was in good company as everyone from Madonna to Gwyneth Paltrow is reported to enjoy IV drips for their health benefits.
Justin Bieber previously revealed he receives weekly infusions to flush out toxins in his body, while Simon Cowell can't get enough of them, getting B12 "pumped into him" in his X Factor dressing room. "Even when I'm having a viewing session with producers, [a nurse] just sticks the needle in me and we carry on whatever we are doing," Simon once told GQ.
IV drip treatments are loved by celebrities including Chrissy Teigen (pictured)
Confident that I would emerge as glossy and glowing as a Hadid or Kardashian, I was primed to put the experience to the test.
What is IV therapy?
IV therapy, also called intravenous therapy, is a method of delivering nutrients and hydration directly into the bloodstream.
Nutrients travel throughout the body faster because they go straight to the organs, bypassing the digestive system entirely. This means the absorption rate is extremely high at over 90 per cent. Hence why it's considered a "miracle" cure for a hangover – it acts fast.
You can get IV treatment Get A Drip straight to your room
What is the Retox to Detox package?
This summer, the South Place Hotel launched a package called 'Retox to Detox' in association with London’s leading IV vitamin brand, Get A Drip. The idea is that you unwind with dinner and drinks, treating yourself to cocktails at South Place’s 3 Bar and dinner at their Chop House brasserie, before heading 'out out'. The next morning, feeling a little worse for wear, you'll receive a vitamin infusion from Get A Drip straight to your room. Not to mention breakfast in bed, plus a massage – dreamy.
Get a Drip is bringing vitamin drips to the masses and the company has seen an incredible surge in interest in recent months. From mobile call-outs to in-clinic appointments and cool hotel collabs, it is no longer reserved for the Hollywood elite.
The South Place Hotel's rooms are perfect for a post-party pamper
You can choose from a range of different vitamin combinations designed to hydrate ('Hydration'), energise ('Energy'), support immunity ('Immunity') or purify the system ('Detox'). I went for one of their most popular treatments, the 'Detox' drip. As someone who suffers from crippling hangovers – and I mean seeing stars levels of bad – this sounded perfect for me.
Packed with all the good stuff including the B Vitamins, Vitamin C, Calcium, Potassium and more, I was hooked up to the bed with my 250ml bag and the treatment had begun.
The key ingredient in the drip is Glutathione, known as a "master antioxidant, breaking down free radicals and helping cell regeneration. It was quite a slow process, and chatting to the nurse, I discovered that everyone's veins absorb liquid at extremely different paces. Meaning that by the time my hour was up, I had only got through 1/3 of the bag!
How glorious is the view from the South Place Hotel?
Call it a placebo effect, but I felt sprightly. Giddy, I rushed downstairs to my full body massage, a welcome treat after an evening of cocktails. I was refreshed, and my headache had definitely gone.
For those worried about any side effects, there were none aside from a tiny bruise on my arm. While I initially felt a little squeamish and awkward, the certified nurse really put me at ease and was so lovely that the whole experience went by in a blur. In fact, it was a bit like a continuation of the weekend, gossiping and chatting in the room together.
The east London hotspot is seriously slick. Boasting 80 rooms and suites, a wellness centre complete with a sauna, treatment room and gym, a Secret Garden for private events, and frequent collaborations with artists, the South Place Hotel offers more than your typical boutique hotel stay.
I am a sucker for a nice bathroom, and the South Place delivered both in terms of style with marble double sinks, and comfort thanks to a walk-in shower and massive bathtub.
The room had been given the party treatment for 'Retox to Detox', with a ‘black book’ of East London's most iconic venues and a weekly events calendar should the mood strike you to go out-out, welcome nibbles and a flat-screen television perfect for playing music and turning your room into a party hub.
The food and drink are where the hotel comes into its own. The Chop House brasserie hit the mark with its wide-ranging menu options and delicious food. I had the steak and chips with peppercorn sauce; tender, flavourful – and wow, those chips! I also recommend the creamy burrata entrée and the delicious homemade sorbets to finish.
Next stop was the bustling 3 Bar, which remained busy as midnight approached. The bar staff were delightful and the cocktail choices interesting, with unique twists on classic big flavours. We sampled Tanqueray gin-based drinks and were not disappointed.
Located right next to Moorgate station, the South Place Hotel is perfect for party animals, with venues including Colours Hoxton, The Blues Kitchen and Village Underground nearby. Sadly, the only date I had was one with my pyjamas, and it was time to head up to bed for me.
The Retox to Detox package costs from £400 per room per night. It includes two complimentary cocktails, one dinner at Chop House for two, breakfast for two, and a Vitamin Drip treatment. Visit www.southplacehotel.com for more information.
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© South Place Hotel
© South Place Hotel
© South Place Hotel
© South Place Hotel
© South Place Hotel
