ASIAN IN-SPA-RATION

From the bewildering range of alternatives, CATHARINE NICOL selects five palaces of pampering where the treatments are worth going out of the way – if not necessarily the body – to experience

Asia is home to the world’s most superlative spas, many of which embody the trends of the moment. Book into one of these sanctuaries and discover design that pushes the envelope, absolute environmental credibility, treatments that use just-picked ingredients and experiences that give new meaning to the words “life-enhancing.”

Soneva Kiri by Six Senses
Koh Kood, Thailand
Koh Kood, spitting distance from the Cambodian border, is a tropical forest-topped and waterfall-carved island within Koh Chang National Park. Fly in over the coastline on board Soneva Kiri’s own plane to the luxurious resort, where you’ll live as much outside as inside the rustic-chic of a pool villa. This natural, soul-comforting architecture extends to the Six Senses Spa, where Spa Director Korakot Nachalaem recommends the Jungle Escape.

Gratefully abandon air-con; instead stretch out under a secluded, open-air mist shower while the therapist scrubs away stress and city memories, along with dead skin cells. Your body will be glowing and tingling, ready to be kneaded and stretched Thai herbal massage-style, using ingredients literally just picked from the spa garden. Traditional Chinese medicine also features on the menu, with chi nei tsang abdominal massage to aid digestion, and cupping for that Olympic-rings pattern on your back that will look so impressive in a bikini.

Prestige tip: Slice your environmental footprint down to barely a toenail by staying in The Eco Villa, a zero-emissions prototype that harvests rainwater, wind and sun for the utmost sustainability. Most surprising is the pool, a leafy lagoon that’s kept clean naturally by the foliage.
sixsenses.com

Sofitel Legend Metropole
Hanoi, Vietnam
Vietnam’s spa scene is skyrocketing, and its leading comet can be found at the deliciously historic yet inventively modern Sofitel Legend Metropole, Hanoi’s grand dame. Le Spa du Metropole first wows visually, the theatrically designed interiors of reception and treatment rooms marrying mosaics with harmonious colours and – unique to each room – Asian or European styles.

As you absorb the atmosphere, the fragrances and oil blends by Grasse perfumer Laurent Severac begin the journey, and the menu of hydrotherapy entrées, massage and body treatment plats, and add-on desserts with Ytsara products will leave you feeling delightfully spa (instead of food) comatose. Spice up a leisurely bath pre-treatment with champagne, try the amusingly named Scrunch, a scrub and brunch combination, or go dégustation with the Highlands in the Mist package of steam, bath, body polish and massage.

Prestige tip: To get a taste of Vietnamese health traditions, Dawn on Halong Bay is an organic facial using green tea and bamboo shoots. Ingredients are coaxed into the skin via local Dien Cham acupressure work, unblocking energy flow and almost ironing the complexion smooth.
sofitel.com

Alila Villas Soori
Bali, Indonesia
Surroundings of black-sand beaches and essence-of-green paddy fields nurture guests at Alila Villas Soori, far from the hubbub of modern-day Bali on the island’s west coast. Alila’s resorts are leaders of environmental design and at Soori villas somehow feel like they belong in situ.

Treatments at Spa Alila are also a deeply grounding experience, with an emphasis on natural ingredients. Scrubs go rich with coffee, coconut and cocoa, or fresh with aloe vera, cucumber and chlorophyll, while wraps stimulate with ginger, cinnamon and turmeric, or turn back the clock with seaweed and lavender. Quintessentially Balinese is a crème hair bath; here the traditional version soaks locks with essential oils, coconut and cocoa butter. Tempting men into the spa is the Alila Man facial, which scrubs with rice bran and sandalwood; detoxifies with clay and lemon; and moisturises with aloe vera, honey and wheat.

Prestige tip: For a wind-in-the-newly-shiny-hair early morning or sunset experience, take to the beach with your significant other on hooves rather than bare feet. Bonding with one of the gentle giants from The Royal Stable, while galloping through the surf, is romantic, thrilling and spiritual, all at the same time.
alilahotels.com

Amanfayun
Hangzhou, China
It’s one thing to stay in a resort designed to look like an authentic village, but quite another when the old stone paths and ancient Chinese homes set alongside a gurgling stream really used to be inhabited by a community. Amanfayun’s collection of villas and restaurants has been gently transformed from simplicity to simple luxury, the spa’s sprinkling of treatment buildings too. Neutral colours and textiles, wooden baths and white linens all contribute to the relaxation factor, and the Signature Bamboo massage is a treatment using pints of warm oil, hands and bamboo rollers that roll, slide and draw away muscle tension.

Scrubs make good use of the famous local green tea, and wraps include magnolia growing just outside your door. Oils change seasonally, logical when the ingredients grow locally, and the spa’s concept brings aspects of traditional Chinese medicine to life. The reflexology, for example, soaks feet in water laced with ginger and gives a treatment so professionally done it’s possible to have a sneaky snooze.

Prestige tip: Boost your karma by waking early and witnessing the early morning prayers of the monks at the local Buddhist temple. The tonal chanting and gentle drum beat work like a meditation for the mind.
amanfayun.com

Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat
Ipoh, Malaysia
Set between Kuala Lumpur and Penang, The Banjaran is all about hydrotherapy and spa treatments combined with fitness, diet and the all-round recharging of batteries. Nature packs a punch with rock caves, hot springs and dense jungle, making meditation, soaking and trekking highlights.

Stays start with complimentary wellness consultations, and in keeping with local Malay, Indian and Chinese roots, guests could go on to a Malay urut massage with a traditional recipe of oil and a combination of seamlessly delivered techniques such as stretching and kneading; the curious Ayurvedic Pizhichil massage where warm oil is poured on the joints; or Chinese acupuncture to help the body heal itself. Most fun are the hot pools, caves turned steam rooms, the Garra Rufa Doctor Fish Pool where minnow-sized fish nibble feet smooth, and the gasp-inducing ice bath. Health programmes – longevity detox, fitness, etc – last from two to 21 days, setting you on the right path, or totally transforming your life.

Prestige tip: Facials here are by organic product Kuush, and it’s impossible not to choose the Kuush 24-Carat Gold Facial that stimulates your skin to rebuild collagen, soothing and smoothing the complexion, and making you look and feel radiantly younger.
thebanjaran.com