The recently launched Sanctuary {At The Suites} offers a spa-esque experience in the heart of Edinburgh. Located within the Princes Street Suites on Waterloo Place, guests and members of the public can unwind with a variety of treatments including facials, massages and body wraps.

Owner and fitness instructor Paul Lindsay opened the business at the tail end of last year.

“I come from a health and fitness background, doing sports and remedial massages, deep tissues massages. I work at the Caledonian Hilton and was also an on-call masseuse for the Suites,” he said.

“The one thing I have always said to myself I think I could make a profitable business owning a spa.

“I have noticed a swing in the hotel market towards apartments. There are currently 17 boutique apartments waiting to open in Edinburgh.

“Apartments seem to be taking over hotels. You just have to look at occupancy rates and how busy they are. The Princes Street Suites have had over a year of over 90% occupancy which is huge. The Sheraton doesn’t come any place close to that.

“If you were to stay in a hotel, you would get a basic room with a cupboard and a bathroom. In this economic climate, people want more value for money. They want to go away and de-stress, be pampered.”

Despite the somewhat bleak state of the economy, Paul finds that dealing in luxuries has not been affected.

“Britain is huge on the difference in class. I am working class and there are still those who are upper class,” he said.

“It is just my opinion but I see a swing in the market towards luxury items.

“My industry accommodates everyone. We had an Indian gentleman who booked half a dozen treatments for his wife over the space of a month so straight away you can tell he is quite wealthy.

“In contrast, my first client this morning works in a florist.”

Sanctuary’s “unique selling point” is their Complete Sanctuary Experience. Paul books out a penthouse room for the day for a client, who can bring along a group to have manicures, pedicures, massages and facials.

Local café Eteaket caters food and a tea service.

The first such experience was “an absolute sensation”, according to Paul. He expects more bookings as people shrug off belt-tightening after the holidays.

Although his business is moving from strength to strength, Paul had little support from public organisations that support entrepreneurs when first building his business plan.

“I tried to get advice. My appointment with Business Gateway was changed twice and in the current economic climate business grants seem to be shunned upon by the government,” he said.

“Even for basic information on tax and PAYE I had to fork out money to get advice from solicitors and accountants.

“It is all very well for them to say have a look online. Not everyone has the time to sit and scroll through Google and read wildly different opinions. I eventually took the decision to speak with an accountant.

“That was the only negative thing about setting up a business. There was very little help from the government which is very disappointing. It is not as if it was lack of trying on my behalf. It is the cut backs within the system and in companies that are government owned or run.

“However, I’m here so I was able to make it in the end.”

As for the future, Paul is hoping to one day open a countryside retreat and spa, akin to Stobo Castle.

He said: “I am quite driven and I feel that life is nothing if you don’t have goals and desires.

“My big picture is opening a large retreat. My partner Dawn also works in the industry and it would be great to make it a family business.”