It's a fact that work usually dominates the last few days before
Spring Festival. Yet however busy people are, they should always
leave some time to relax. The most convenient way to relax is to
hit the spa. People just lay there in water or on a bed while
masseuses take of their bodies with magic tender fingers. A spa is
the ultimate pleasure. Ultimate pleasure requires the right venue.
For your convenience, here are some prestigious spa houses in
Beijing and Shanghai.
Beijing
*Anantara Spa
Starbucks didn't stay in the Forbidden City, but German hotel
chain Kempinski so far is getting along well with Chinese Great
Wall. Hiden in a green valley at the foot of Badaling Great Wall,
Kempinski has developed a stable customer base. Anantara Spa is
located just inside Kempinski Great Wall.
At the entrance of Anantara Spa people are greeted with a
refreshing and pleasant thread of lemon leaves. Anantara Spa has
two distinctive programs. One of them, named as Anantara Cultural
Package, lasts two hours and will help people quickly recover from
physical and mental fatigue. The other, the Anantara Spas Journey,
lasts two to seven days and is for people coming to the Great Wall
for vocation. The latter is tailor-made and altered according to
each customer's needs. An arrangement so considerate is surely well
rewarded and Anantara was hailed in the British travel magazine
Conde Nast Traveler's Hot List 2007.
For winters specifically, customers may try the Winter Romantic
Melody Package. It includes a 30-minute hot TCM sauna, a 45-minute
warm Boreh dry skin elimination treatment and a 45-minute back
massage. Combining back massage with warm and pungent treatment
nutrients, this winter package treats winter skin damage Plus, the
whole massage trip is complemented by soothing music exclusive to
Anantara.
Anantara Spa has also worked out, together with the Kempinski
Hotel, a menu for spa customers including both drinks and staple
food but all insipid and healthy.
Location: Commune by the Great Wall Kempinski, the Great Wall
Exit at Shuiguan, Badaling Highway
Tel: 021-81181888
*Zen Spa
Globalization is a fusion era. Elements of various nations and
various cultures 'spirit. While occupying an archaic traditional
Chinese courtyard, Zen Spa's decoration follows the principle of
western aesthetics.
Entering Zen Spa, customers are easily taken aback by the fusion
or mood dominating the venue. While the sound of creeks and the
breeze coming from the window create a natural hue, the cutting
edge western spa equipment in sight will immediately remind
customers that we are already far away from that barbaric era. This
special contradiction is in line with the essence of Buddhism, the
dominant theme at Zen Spa as its name suggests. Buddha bears all
contradictions in heart and then turns them into a harmonious
single one.
Zen Spa has special winter programs. The whole process lasts
three hours, including a sugar candy fresh ginger bath which is
moisturizing and keeps off coldness and humidity, a traditional
Thai herbal medicine massage and then a Thai essential oil massage.
In this process the customer gets to experience both Chinese and
Thai massage techniques. A bonus is the free natural flower tea and
fresh juice as well as a special Dubai flower tea.
Location: Bldg 1, A8 Xiaowuji Lu, 15 exit Dongsihuan Nanlu
Tel: 021-87312530
Shanghai
*Lotos Spa
Lotos Spa stands out for its considerate alterations. The spa
will change its dominant fragrance as the weather changes.
Customers smell pleasant orange fragrance on cloudy days but
soothing rosemary on hot days. On summer days, customers canhave
jasmine and mint tea, but lemon tea is served in winter.
The spa's flower engraved thick wooden door opens automatically
as customers approach it. As the door closes quietly, it also
blocks all the outside metropolitan hustle and bustle. Inside the
spa are creeks and chirping birds.
Lotos Spa has two specialties. One is Xiangtuo massage, which
originates from Thailand. It's a massage technique designed to help
people in acute pain in specific body parts, such as backaches,
shoulder aches, neck-aches, common among office workers. The
masseuse will put a special sack where it hurts. The pack contains
16 hot traditional Chinese medicines whose special aroma helps
drive away the pain. This technique does pretty well for ladies
going through their period. The other is French original Phytomer
collagen facial, which is exceptionally effective in moisturizing
skin and making it shine.
Location: 2/F West Tower Somerset Grand Shanghai, 8 Jinan Lu,
near Taicang Lu
Tel: 021-33080088
*Sensation Spa
While most spa houses are in an apartment, Sensation Spa is an
independent building, with glass walls on four sides through which
sunshine easily makes its way into the room. The whole spa is
wrapped in the aroma of British original essential oil whose aroma
changes with the season.
Rose Otto massage is Sensation Spa's unique program. The
masseuse will use the special Damascus Rose Otto essential oil,
which is a top luxury aromatic essential oil, to give customers a
thoroughly soothing massage. Red Wine Massage is Sensation Spa's
another specialty. The special function of red wine will help
whiten and tighten the skin. The whole Red Wine Massage package
includes dry skin elimination, red wine milk bubble bath and red
wine lotion.
Location: 3/F, Jinqiao Megafit Sports Club, 600 Lantian Lu, near
Yanggao Zhong Lu
Tel: 021-50306005
(Modern Weekly January 15, 2008)
