From the ancient Romans, through Bertie Wooster, to Douglas Adams and beyond (Emma Watson has confessed to taking a bath every day!) the bath has been the perfect exemplar of how to relax. For some, hot water and foaming bubbles were all that was needed to shut out the world entirely.

Since 1970, baths have been under threat. In the 40 years between 1970 and 2010, showers went from a feature of only 5% of households to 80%. At the same time, as house building has slowed but demand has risen ever higher and higher, householders find themselves pushed for space. A landlord can fit in and charge a whole extra person by shrinking or removing a bathtub, which means the dominance of showers continues.

If you’re looking for the perfect bath in modern London, it’s worth planning and today we’re looking at how to make that happen.

Products

There are lots of different bath products, and they all come with unique advantage or disadvantages. Bath Bombs are colourful and fun, they effervesce, and contain unique ingredients to treat and moisturise your skin, but they also leave a distinct residue in the bat afterwards and can stain the tub! Standard bath bubble is convenient, but far from exciting. Those interested in real luxury need to look into bath oil for men: it’s a delicately cleansing and moisturising experience for your skin that you simply can’t get anywhere else.

If it takes experimentation then experiment away! There’s no perfect right answer, only what’s right for you so sample the smells and textures of different products before you settle on what’s right for you.

Find a Bath

If you’re sharing a small, rented flat, you might well find your bathtub is insufficient for a proper soak. It’s time to start looking around. If you’ve got family members with a well equipped bathroom, give them a call. Ask friends if they’d mind if you used their bath. If you have a tripped check with your hotel or AirBnB – it might be that you’re heading for somewhere with a luxury tub!

Once you’ve found one, remember it. A return visit could be just what you need.

Make Time

The most important ingredient for a bath is time. You need to be able to lock the door and not worry about anything except the steam rising from the hot water, your glass of wine or cup of tea, and whatever book you’ve brought in with you. Block out the time for a bath and treat it with the same respect you would a business meeting. It’s time to relax.