There must be literally hundreds of foot reflexology shops in Xiamen, ranging from small 4 person palours in small shops, all the way to establishments that employ hundreds of foot masseurs with their own building.

Whenever I am in Xiamen, I will visit one, both to relax and to get my regular dose of foot massage. I’m always spoil for choice amongst the hundreds of foot reflexology palours in Xiamen and I normally visit one that is near to my hotel. My last visit was to Le Zhu Tang, literally translated as Happy Feet Hall, which is just adjacent along a busy street where I was staying.

Front entrance to Le Zhu Tang

It was my last day in Xiamen and I should be leaving for the airport in a couple of hours. I normally spend the remaining time in a foot massage palour to kill time, relax my tired feet as well as get some free food.

We chose a 1-hour session as we wanted to have more time to have lunch. We were lead to a private room that had 3 massage chairs, a LCD TV and an en-suite toilet/shower. There were two of us but typically in Xiamen, you’ll be given such a private room even if you were to visit alone.

The massage routine was similar to other reflexology palours I had been to in Xiamen. The usual routine consist of a hot water foot wash, the actual foot massage, a short, quick back and shoulder massage and a hot towel wrap of the feet and leg.

The private room we were in; complete with LCD TV and toilet

The masseur use fire to sanitize the massage rod

Once the foot massage was over, we had a choice of relaxing in the room or have lunch at the cafe. (Most other palours serve food to your room; for Le Zhu Tang, you have to go to a cafe).

The cafe was not packed as we were there during a lull period. Unfortunately, the choice of food was also minimal for the exact same reason. We had local porridge, a specially cooked noodle dish as well as some juices.

Some of the other larger places I had visited in Xiamen had double-boiled herbal soup, bento sets, dim sum, dessert and other delicacies. In comparison, Le Zhu Tang seem to fail in the food and beverage department if compared to other similar establishments in Xiamen.

It was soon time to leave for the airport. We paid up, said our goodbyes to the cafe ladies and was soon out to the hustle and bustle of Xiamen streets.

While Le Zhu Tang has good number of rooms, they are not the biggest or the swankiest in Xiamen I had been to. Their massage and service standard are average and so is their price of RMB75(US$12) for an hour of foot massage.

Will I come back again? I guess not; not when there are hundreds of other similar places I can visit in Xiamen, many of which are newer, bigger and swankier for the same price.

Location of Spa:
Jiahe Road, Xiamen, China

Size of Spa: Many rooms within a 2-storey shophouse
Facilities: Private room with LCD TV and en-suite toilet and shower. Common cafe area
Friendliness: Friendly
Pricing: 1 hour foot massage starts at US$12. Other treatment and massage services start from that price onwards.

Are you a professional in the spa and wellness industry? Or a very curious onlooker?

Well, you’ll be glad that a trade exhibition for the spa and wellness industry will be held in Singapore soon. Beauty and wellness trade visitors can check out the spa and wellness industry in Singapore and Asia at the Intimate World Asia from 15 – 16 July, 2010.

The two days will see fashion, spa and beauty industry players and operators search for potential trade and partnership opportunities. Members of local Singapore Spa associations as well as neighbouring spa associations can take part in networking sessions, seminars and product presentations and future entrepreneurs can pick up a tip or two about the industry and increase their product knowledge.

Intimate World Asia also incorporates Health & Alternative Asia where health products and services like organic food and supplements are showcased. Traditional remedies and alternative treatments like addiction and holistic treatments are also offered in this Trade show.

The exhibition will be from 15 – 16 July 2010, Hall B at the MBSS from 10am to 6pm

We know that China has taken the capitalistic route for a long time and is on it’s way to becoming a rich country. We can see the rich and famous spending serious money on all sorts of luxurious items – cars, fashion, food, housing, entertainment…. and high-end spas.

I was in Xiamen, China recently and had the chance to catch a taste how the noveau and rich live in China – by visiting one of their most upmarket spa.

I had been in Xiamen before and really enjoyed visiting Riyuegu – an open air hotspring resort out in the countryside. This time, I did not have the luxury of time and will need to make do with a visit to a spa within Xiamen itself.

There are many foot reflexology places in Xiamen and I have been to their hotel spas previously. This time round, I wanted to go where the locals go and not where tourists will go. I ask my hotel concierge to direct me to an upmarket spa where the rich and famous in Xiamen will go. He promptly recommended that I try the RI-Star spa. (The spa is pronounced as Li-Jing in Chinese).

The taxi driver had difficulty bringing me to the spa. Not a good sign that this is a famous upmarket spa in Xiamen – not when a taxi driver is not aware of it’s existence.

Eventually, we found the spa. Or should we say the building… because the spa occupies it’s own building. No doubt it’s a small building and located in a side-street but the entrance to the building tells you it’s a place to be reckoned with.

The entrance and lobby reeks of opulence. You can feel that it is different from other spas. This was confirmed by the price list – everything are priced at least 2 to 3 times that you’ll need to pay at most good quality spas in China – and matches the price of upmarket spas in Singapore. Even the entrance price to the spa – without any treatment thrown in – cost a hefty US$20.

I decided to check out it’s grandiosity.

There are separate spa entrance for male and female. Once past the entrance, attendants jump to attention to serve you from clothes changing to showing you to the showers to pouring cups of tea. By the way, the changing area is where an offer was made to wash and dry my socks… and where the impression scale begin to take off!

Once past the changing area, you enter the wet area which includes cold and hot pool, steam and sauna rooms, a small lap pool and in the middle of it all – a live aquarium and food area.

It was obvious that the spa is not brand new but was definitely opulent when it first opened and despite it’s age, attained a certain level of class. (I later found out that the spa is more than 12 years old but still remain as one of Xiamen’s highest-end spa).

I used the facilities and then hit the shower. Unlike most spa which kept one or two choices, you had a whole selection of brands of shampoo, cleanser, tooth-paste and even facial scrubs and toners to choose from. The towels are soft and fluffy – closer to hotel towels then the typical thin towels you find in spas.

The Wet Area

The food and rest area

This was the first time I see food and drinks served in a wet area. As soon as I sat down, I was offered a choice of tonic soups and a selection of local delicacies including steamed sweet potatos, stewed eggs and oyster noodles. I tried all of them and they were delicious.

I was then lead to a 2nd level where the massage treatment area were.

Each treatment room has a TV… not that I would want to watch TV during a massage. I had opted for a 1 1/2 hour Royal Jade massage; which is very much like a hot stone massage that you may find in Japan or Thailand. However, instead of hot stone, heated Jade were used, which the Chinese believe to have detoxification and medicinal effects.

I never had a hot stone (or Jade) massage before; believing it to be a gimmick and also because it tends to cost a premium. I’m glad I did try it this time because the effect of hot jade on the body does have a therapeutic effect you may not get from other forms of treatment.

After a very satisfying massage, I was lead to the rest and food area. I had complimentary fruit juice and Chinese dinner. The dinner was very satisfying with attendants again on full alert to my every move and request. In most other places, you need to stand up, wave your hand or look around for an attendant to come to you. Here, a mere look upwards mean an attendant will appear at your side!

You can then choose to relax in one of the soft sofa available, watch TV or listen to the live performance of a Chinese Pipa performer. (Pipa is an ancient Chinese musical instrument – and yes, it’s a live performance). Or choose to smoke a complimentary cigarette or cigar. This is also the area where you can mix with your partners – if you are visiting with members of the opposite sex.

At this point, a guest relation officer approached us, to talk to us about membership schemes. Apparently, this spa sells membership, and membership entitles you to treatment discounts as well as a whole private section area within the spa. Members are also entitled to visits to similar LiJing spas in major Chinese cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Xian, Qingdao, Zhejiang and Hangzhou.

The GRO tells us the spa is known as a CEO spa as apparently, many top CEOs within China are members. The spa chain even publishes it’s own magazine and list major movie and TV celebrities such as Zhang Ziyi and Li Bing Bing as members. Hmmmm…

I decided to check out the audio-visual room where a high-resolution projector was showing a movie. I had a choice of smoking and non-smoking section and again, attentive attendants will set you down comfortably and pour you drinks. I told the attendant I would like to rest and to wake me up an hour later.

An hour later, it was time for me to get up to change to leave.

A quick choice of the varied shampoo and cleanser and a shower later, I was refreshed and ready to hit the streets. I paid at the reception area and was offered a salute from the security guard as I stepped out. This is a special spa indeed.

Will I come back? Yes and No.

Yes, because this is obviously a very special spa with superb facilities, service and massage standards. Despite being a little bit dated and expensive, it’s well worth it.

No, because I simply don’t like that smoking is allowed in both the wet area and rest area. And no, because I am sure there are still many good spas waiting for me to discover in Xiamen and in China.

If you are a first time visitor to Xiamen, go visit Riyuegu. Only then should you choose the RI-Star spa. Have fun!

Location of Spa:
128 DongDu Road, Xiamen 361012, China

Size of Spa: Hugh. Has it’s own 3 storey building
Facilities: Full spa facilities. Wet area, rest area, movie area and private member area.
Friendliness: Extremely Friendly. Extremely attentive.
Pricing: Spa entrance at US$20. Treatment starts from US$65.

Note: I receive emails from readers and one of the top questions has been: Where is the best Thai massage spa in Singapore? Read this article for your answer…

I’ve been a keen fan of Thai massage for a long time. Once or twice a year, I’ll make a trip to Bangkok or Phuket to indulge in my Thai massage fantasy and have always returned home refreshed and recharged.

What happens when I am too busy to make a trip to Thailand? I look for a local Thai spa that can deliver to the same quality of massage and service as an authentic Thai spa. I’ve checked out quite a few in Singapore and had hesitated to make a recommendation – until I came across Ayuthaya Royal Thai Spa – which matches a good quality spa in Thailand when it comes to ambiance, decor, quality of spa products used and the quality of the masseur.

The Filipino receptionist who picked up my phone call was polite and knowledgeable and we quickly firm up a date for my visit. Ayuthaya Royal Thai Spa has 2 branches; one at Pan Pacific hotel in Marina Square area and the other at Gallery hotel near to Clemenceau Avenue. I decided to visit the Gallery Hotel branch.

Ayuthaya Royal Thai Spa is located at Gallery Hotel

Gallery Hotel is an interesting avante garde hotel located near to Havelock Road. The spa is located at an annex of the hotel and I was able to find it only upon making a few inquires with the hotel staff. Even then, I ended up entering the spa via it’s back entrance and not the main entrance.

The spa is typically Thai; with lots of Teak furniture, flooring and colourful Thai cushions and curtains. The receptionist informed me that there is an ongoing promotion and I paid less than S$200 for a 45mins body scrub, 1 1/2 hours of Royal Thai massage and 45mins of foot massage.

The spa has about 6 treatment rooms, including 1 couple room. All rooms come with en-suite showers. I was lead to a room and a Thai masseur entered soon and started my session.

The scrub was quite standard. Nothing to shout about. Then the Royal Thai massage session started and my-o-my, this was one of the best Thai massage I had anywhere in the world; be it Thailand or otherwise. The masseur put in 101% effort and her strokes were just out of this world. Definitely a 5-star effort.

It ended all too soon and the foot massage started. Unlike other places, I was able to lie on the bed while the masseur carried on the foot massage. I had forgotten that traditional Thai foot massage uses a stick instead of fingers and it can be quite painful. I had to endure a good 45 minutes of pain as the masseur carried on poking the stick on my foot.

I came out of the room thoroughly refreshed and recharged. The foot massage hurt a bit but pain is always inversely proportionate to the light floating feeling you get after a good foot massage.

I am a cheapskate and there is also no tradition of tipping in Singapore. However, the Thai massage I just had was absolutely wonderful and I ended up giving my masseur a generous tip! That tells you how good it was.

Location of Massage Palor:
1 Nanson Road #02-11 Singapore 238909

Size of Spa: Moderate, with 6 private treatment rooms
Facilities: None
Friendliness: Extremely Friendly
Pricing: Single massage treatment starts from US$45. Combined packages available.

What happens when you cannot get enough of Thai massage when leaving Phuket, Thailand? Simple, you get a last minute massage at the Phuket International airport!

Do you know there is a small massage palor at the Phuket Airport?

I just did not have enough of Thai Massage & Foot Reflexology on my last trip in Phuket. Yes, I went to Phuket to get plenty of Thai massage but I got so caught up doing the rest of fun stuff in Phuket that I just did not find time to indulge in Thai massage. Thank goodness I found this palor at the Phuket Airport which ended my short vacation on a high note.

Massage Palor at Phuket airport departure lounge

This massage palor (I think should be new; wasn’t there on my last trip 2 years ago) offers standard massage treatments like Thai Massage, Foot Reflexology, Manicure and Pedicure. Although their prices are a bit steep compared to outside the airport, it’s still worth the last minute indulgence; especially if you just can’t get enough of Thai massage.  Apparently, many people must have felt that way too; so much so that it’s worth it for the owner to invest in a shop in the departure lounge of the Phuket airport. Rental surely cannot be cheap.

Although the place feels small outside, it is ingeniously designed that it is able to take about 10 customers for foot massage in 2 separate halls and four customers for Thai or aromatherapy massage in small private cubicles just behind the reception area.

When we entered the palor, there were no customers. We chose Thai massage and let the therapists knead our bodies just nicely for the plane journey back home. As usual, Thai masseurs never fail to live up to expectations. It was almost as if Thai ladies have natural genes to provide a good massage anytime.

It did get uncomfortable after a while as more customers entered the palor. You can hear loud customers and screaming children through the thin partition walls of the massage cubicles. So while the massage was good, the noise factor of this place is something to consider if you’re thinking of having a last minute massage.

Overall, this place does have my recommendations if you have plenty of time to kill at the Phuket airport. Or like me, you simply could not get enough of Thai massage or foot massage and need some last minute indulgence!

Location of Massage Palor:
Departure Lounge, Phuket International Airport

Size of Spa: Small, with 3 private treatment rooms and 12 reflexology chairs
Facilities: None
Friendliness: Friendly
Pricing: Single massage treatment starts from US$15

I have just returned from a 4-days short holiday break at Phuket staying at the Andara Resort (See review at earlier article).  It’s always so nice to have a short break in between busy weeks and Phuket has always been one of my preferred short-break destination since it’s only a one and half hour flight time from Singapore. With Phuket, you are always spoilt for choice in terms of hotel accommodation and beaches. Each time, I try to stay at a different beach & hotel to gain a fuller flavour of Phuket.

For this trip, I stayed at the Kamala Beach, which is located on Phuket’s west coast, just north of the ever popular Patong beach. Like most tourist beaches in Phuket, the area behind the powdery Kamala beach has a great many choice of places to eat and drink and not forgetting the many shops, hair salons and local Thai massage salons.  The shops at Kamala beach are not as many and varied as Patong beach but there are enough to keep you busy as you stroll down the streets. In fact, I prefer the quieter Kamala beach as it is not as crowded, busy and noisy as Patong beach.

Along the beach, there are also many small Thai massage open-air salons that offer basic services with a row of chairs or daybeds for giving massages like foot reflexology, Thai massage & oil massage. These are incredibly cheap and a good 1 hour Thai massage can be had for just 300baht (US$9).

I was hot, dirty and slightly sun-burned from spending a day at the beach and was looking for a better class spa to pamper myself. More importantly, I needed a facial as I was afraid I may have burnt my face after sunning myself for sometime at the beach and not always remembering to re-apply adequate suntan lotion.

Along a row of shops along the beach, there were a couple of higher quality massage salons. I chose the best looking one and walked in.

The Kamala Royal Thai Spa is located in a 2-storey house and designed in modern contemporary Thai decor. Just walking into the spa gives you a totally refreshing feeling from the hot, noisy and busy street outside.  Although it is not as posh looking at those spas located in the hotels, the Kamala Royal Thai Spa does have some refine details that gives the spa an overall peaceful feel. The Spa is an open-plan retreat of solid wood pillars with a bubbling waterfall and Koi pond at the boundary area to give a zen-like atmosphere to the environment.

The Kamala Royal Thai Spa

A warm welcome from the receptionist

Spacious massage room with ensuite showers

The receptionist welcomed us with cold tea and refreshing towels while we selected the treatments from their spa menu. The spa offers various therapies from foot to Thai to oil massage; body scrubs to wraps and facials. Prices are a little bit on the high side compared to the smaller massage salons just outside the street but for the nice environment, I was willing to give it a try.  I opted for a 60 mins Facial Sunrise and a 120 mins Royal Thai Therapeutic Massage.

As I was led by my Thai therapist to the treatment room, I could smell the scent of floral incense. There are eight rooms for oil massage in private closed door environment, four rooms for traditional Thai massage and an area that sit six for Thai foot massage. Most rooms have en-suite showers and some are couples rooms.

One great joy about massage in Thailand is that you are almost assured of good massage therapists. I guess massage tradition and culture has been so long in Thailand that almost every masseur is good and you seldom come across one that is average or below average.

We started with the long and relaxing 2 hour Thai oil massage that put me into a peaceful snooze. This was followed-up with a very refreshing facial that consists of cleansing, scrubbing, toning & moisturizing the face with honey, yogurt & cucumber. It was the first time I had a facial that includes honey and yogurt but according to the therapist, this is the most soothing combination that offers intensive care for after-sunburn treatment.

The Kamala Royal Thai Spa is currently running a special massage promotion: a 1 for 1 treatment (for any 90 mins & above treatments). So it’s really a very good deal especially since it means your partner enjoy the same treatments absolutely free be it a massage, facial, wrap or scrub! Hence, if you are ever in the vicinity of the Kamala beach in Phuket, make sure you make a visit to this spa!

Location of Kamala Royal Thai Spa:
128 Moo 3, Kamala, Phuket 83000, Thailand

Size of Spa: Medium, with private treatment rooms
Facilities: Suana and Steam room
Friendliness: Friendly
Pricing: Single massage treatment and packages available. Also facial, body wraps and scrubs treatment available. Prices starts at US$22 for single massage session.

Once in a while, you take a holiday and the hotel or resort you stayed in was so fantastic that you do not want to leave. Andara Resort of Phuket certainly qualify as one such resort as far as I am concern.

We stayed at Andara Resort on our last holiday in Phuket, Thailand. Andara Resort is one of the latest boutique resort/hotel that are giving mass-market hotel chains a good run for their money, not only in Phuket but all round the world. Boutique or niche hotel, in case you are wondering, are usually smaller and revolve around a certain special theme be it hotel concept, architectural uniqueness, outstanding F&B concepts or simply being better, cozier, friendlier, less noisy and more comfortable than most typical large chain hotel.

The grand entrance to Andara Resort

The lobby to Andara Resort

Andara Resort is certainly one such boutique hotel concept. Located at Kamala beach, Western Phuket, it is away from the maddening crowd at the popular Patong beach and yet retain all the special charms of a Phuket holiday – sun, sea, beach, pool, shopping, food and massage. Andara Resort is more than just a hotel – in fact, each room is not just a room but an entire apartment – ranging from 1 room to 4 room apartments; many with their own swimming pool. You can call it a ‘condotel’ if you like; it has all the comforts of a full apartment or condominium including a full kitchen, laundry room, dining table, audio-video system, luxurious bathrooms, multiple bedrooms and even a private pool for some units.

You can ‘hide’ in your apartment throughout the entire holiday if you wish; cook, eat, watch TV and luxuriate and suntan at your own private pool. You do not have to meet another soul throughout if you do not want to as the apartment is totally self-contained; right down to ice-maker, coffee-maker, micro-wave oven, cooking stove, ironing board, sound system, ample supply of towels and multiple rooms and bathrooms.

6 luxurious apartments to one apartment block

Spacious living hall with a sea view

Master bedroom with grand beach view

Fully equipped kitchen – coffee maker, ice maker, oven, stove

Alternatively, you can have the kids, grandparents and yourself living in one apartment or have a boisterous party of 4 to 8 adults and yet be able to retreat to your own personal bedroom at the end of the day. Cook, wash and entertain as you like or pick up the phone and get the resort to provide full housekeeping, F&B and entertainment services.

Other than the facilities provided within the apartment, the resort also has a restaurant, wine bar, health club, swimming pool and a spa (not completed when we were there). Or the resort concierge is able to arrange day trips, rent a car or even send you to the beach if you wish. We organised a day trip and a rental car with the concierge and were surprised that prices are exactly the same as we would have paid if we had approached any tour shops down the road. No ridiculous mark-up as some hotel are apt to do.

Swim and suntan at the 30m resort public lap pool

Or swim and suntan at your own private infinity-view pool

The resort is just a short 400 metres to the nearest beach. Take a short 10 minutes walk there by yourself or the resort can arrange to drive you there. And if you specify a time, even come and fetch you back to the resort. The Kamala beach is on a cove and hence, the waves are not rough and the sand is powdery as Phuket’s beaches are famous for. Incredibly, Andara Resort even has their own private space along the beach and as a guest, you’ll get comfortable deck chairs, towels and even flotation devices while everyone else at the beach will have to pay for their deck chairs and bring their own towels!

Along the beach is a great variety of restaurants, shops and massage palours. You can relax at the beach, wine and dine, shop and have a massage and just give a call and the resort will send a vehicle to send you right back to your apartment. Simply heavenly.

You can also easily get a taxi to explore other parts of Phuket (Patong Beach 20 mins; Phuket Town 30 mins), join the many day tours to go island hopping, elephant trekking, fishing, diving, watch Thai boxing or cabaret shows or perhaps like us, rent a car and go explore the entire Phuket island via a series of good roads.

The Andara Resort is scheduled for it’s official opening only on 12 February 2010. Hence, this is an absolutely brand new resort and you must be aware that final renovation and landscaping work is still an on-going process and may mar an otherwise perfect holiday with some noise and dirt.

Of course, the advantage of checking into a brand new resort also mean that everything still feel and smell brand new and if you’re lucky like us, the likelihood of being upgraded to a higher class suite or penthouse is very high!

This review is provided from my husband’s point of view. I was unable to make the spa appointment.

Six Senses Spa

You may recall that we visited this hotel and spa a year ago. We were there for a stroll then as we had heard so much about the Sharq Village hotel and the Six Sense spa. The hotel and spa is rated as one of the top hospitality and spa venue in Qatar.

We had made a point that we must visit and try out the Six Senses Spa one day. We finally did.

You know, sometimes I hate to review brand-name spa such as Six Senses Spa. It is a high class establishment and it comes with a high price tag. Hence, the moment I walk into such a spa, I switch into review mode straightaway and I’m not sure I was really there for work or pleasure.

I always want my reviews of such brand-name spa to be good because I know they have invested much time, money and effort into upholding their brand. I also know spa management sometimes read my reviews and I was always worried staff may be blamed correctly or wrongly for a bad review.

Tough call. But I insist my reviews must be true to the spirit. Sometimes, all the more for brand name spa.

Six Senses Spa main entrance

We walked into the spa and asked for a spa menu. There was a Thai massage available and my husband opted for it. Co-incidentally, the January promotion was for Thai massage and he could get a US$30 discount off the price. I walked away then for my other personal appointment.

My husband was assured that it was a Thai therapist but was available only at 10pm. There was a 1 1/2 hours interval and he agreed to use the facilities in the meantime. While he was at the reception desk making the appointment, the male Indian receptionist was at the same time picking up phone-calls, talking to other colleagues and attending to customers who were there to drop off keys or payment. Obviously, he was either overworked or did not understand the concept of personalised attention to a standing customer. In the meantime, 2 other of his colleagues were hovering around in the background.

Anyway, my husband asked that should an earlier appointment be available, that it be arranged. The answer back was a fast ‘no’ and the receptionist was quickly back on the phone again.

No luck, he decided to enter the facilities area with a waiting attendant. He was shown around the facilities area which was done up in a myriad of small alleys to recreate the feel of an old Arabian souk. (Market place).

And then, he found out that shorts were not provided to customers. How would a first-time customer know he had to bring his own shorts in a high-class spa? And this being a conservative Arabian society, even males were not supposed to be seen in the flesh! Luckily, the attendant was apologetic and did his best to hunt down a pair of shorts. He had to make several attempts before he was successful and a good 20 minutes was wasted.

With shorts worn, he was able to explore the facilities. The hardware was there but the ‘heartware’ seems to be missing.

• The steam room was extremely hot. No one was able to use it.
• There was a hot pool and a small swimming pool. No hooks/towel racks were provided and towels were strewn all over the floor, sofa and flower pots
• The quiet(rest) room was also a common corridor area. How does one rest and make peace with people walking by all the time?
• No jacuzzi?
• Minimal signboards for the myriads of corridors. If there are any, it’s brown words on brown signboards on brown walls in dim warm light.
• No attendants in attendance in the wet area. Hence, strewn towels, misaligned sofas, dripping taps…
• 6 shower stalls but 3 provide cold water only. There were no sign to say that it was a cold shower and so a few customers were confused why there was no hot water…

In the meantime, my husband was approached 3 times that his appointment had been changed to 9pm. In other words, he had less than 10 minutes to enjoy the facilities after wasting 20 minutes hunting down for a pair of shorts. He obviously refused. Apparently, the staff was not prepared to take ‘no’ for an answer because he was asked a total of 3 times to change his mind!

Granted it was 9pm and it must have been a long day for the spa’s staff. However, this is still a 5-star spa and you would expect more. Also, obviously the management had not reviewed the spa’s shortcoming or may have chosen to ignore them. Anyone familiar with spa management should have picked up these minor but niggling issues straightaway. The facilities were great; all it need was management and staff to put some ‘heart’ into managing it. Otherwise, what makes it different from the ordinary spa and massage shop?

Luckily, the rest of the time passed without incident. The massage room was big and comfortable and the Indonesian masseur was good with the Thai massage. Peace has been made.

Location of Six Senses Spa, Qatar:
Ras Abu Aboud Street, P.O.Box 26662, Doha, Qatar
Size of Spa: Large, with private treatment rooms
Facilities: Suana, Steam room, Hot and Cold Pool, Gym. Separate man and woman facilities as well as common facilities
Friendliness: Friendly
Pricing: Single treatment and packages available. Also facial and reflexology treatment. Prices starts at US$125 for single massage session. Membership scheme available.

It’s lousy to be away from home during Christmas! So, what’s the next best thing I can compensate myself? How about a hide-away in a luxury hotel, sit by the beach and pool and gorge myself silly on good food?

Decision made. Next, to look up a hotel. This is a no-brainer…I have a free Hotel Intercontinental Hotel voucher set to expire on Christmas Day itself..so the choice was unanimous – Hotel Intercontinental, Qatar. Date: 24 December 2009.

Hotel Intercontinental, Qatar is not the newest hotel in Qatar. In fact, it seems to have been around for a while. The outer facade does not look new, the rooms are well decorated and furnished but you can tell it’s slightly aging, and the restaurants does not serve exciting cuisine. However, it seems to be packed with expats and local alike – much more than some of the newer and grander hotels around.

I think the reason is simply this – once you step past the lobby of the hotel and enter past the pool area – you’re in a oasis of your own. The hotel has a grand pool, health and fitness club and beach area and while not exactly letting your hair down, you can relax and let go some of the inhibition you have while residing and living in conservative Qatar.

I like the fact that the health club has 2 squash courts. I have not played squash for a while and enjoy slamming away at the squash court. The courts are also used for ’spinning’ – a sort of stationery bike aerobics group exercise – and a group of lady expatriates were cycling away to some hot and pulsating music.

The pool area is large with a swim-up bar. Alcohol is served and bikinis are in abundance. Deck chairs surround the pool and continue on to the large beach area. Once you sink into a deck chair, sip a beer, close your eyes, dig your feet into sand and listen to the waves, you’ll never imagine you’re in Qatar!

Hotel Intercontinental – as viewed from beach

Large Swimming pool area

Relax by the sandy beach

For those with children, there is a kid’s playground and a shallow wading pool. For those with older children, a beach club cater for kayaks, water-scooters and sailboats for rental.

And when hunger or thirst strikes, there are numerous restaurants dotting the pool area or within the hotel itself. There is a large international buffet restaurant, a cafe, a Mediterranean restaurant, a Mexican restaurant cum bar and a large Lebanese seafood restaurant.

I do have to admit that restaurant prices are on the high side, especially with the galore of Christmas meals, and I couldn’t have as many meals as I wanted in the hotel. Luckily, there are hourly shuttle bus service to the nearest shopping mall and I was able to settle a couple of meals at the mall and back without having to burn a hole in my wallet. Nor face the stress of driving in Doha’s traffic on my day off.

There is a spa at the health club but prices are a bit scary. There is also a Chinese massage and acupuncture clinic at the 2nd level but having visited their sister outlet at Sheraton hotel, I wasn’t too keen either.  (Read here)

But you don’t really need a massage here to have a good time at the hotel. To be able to enjoy the sound of the waves and be able to drink the occasional beer had already made my day. I now understand why this hotel is a top favourite with expats despite being slightly out of the way and not being the newest nor the grandest!

Asia has it’s own Oscar version of the best spa destinations in Asia. Once a year, the spa and wellness industry get together to celebrate the finest amongst themselves.

Have you been to any of these award winning spas? If you have, why not tell us more about these spas and let us all share why these spas are so deserving of their awards!

Dated: 13 November 2009

Last night the winners of the fifth AsiaSpa Awards, presented by AsiaSpa magazine, the region’s most recognised spa and wellness publication, were announced and honoured at a glittering evening in Hong Kong. Celebrating the best in innovation and quality in spas around the region, the 27 categories voted on by 28 independent judges were won by spas, spa personalities, associations and resorts that have set the benchmarks for quality and service in the region.

It was a night of glitz and glamour as Asia’s spa community came together to celebrate its finest. Themed “La BelleÉpoque”, the event saw guests dressed to the nines in their most elegant 1920s fashion. Women dressed in their finest feathers, jewels and silky dresses, while the men came in fedoras, vests and suits.

The big winners of the night included Thailand which won for “Destination Spa of the Year” for Six Senses Destination Spa Phuket as well as “Asian Spa Capital of the Year”. Green T. House in Beijing also won for “Day Spa of the Year” as well as “Spa Design of the Year”. “Spa Event of the Year” went to the Global Spa Summit held at Interlaken, Switzerland. In the first year for the category “Best Children’s Spa Menu of the Year”, the Ice Cream Spa at Conrad Maldives Rangali Island emerged as the category’s debut winner.

“The year has been a particularly tough one for the spa and wellness industry, yet some spas, brands and resorts have come out even stronger than before. The highly respected ASA are there to recognise the very best of the best and push forward the whole industry to higher standards.” said Olivier Burlot, Managing Director of Blu Inc Media.

“Asia currently has the largest number of spas under development of any region in the world, a fact that is reflectedin the magazine’s pages,” said AsiaSpa’s Editor-in-Chief, Rebecca Walker. “We are looking forward to an exciting 2010.”

Hosted at Hong Kong’s classy Armani Bar, guests enjoyed buffet treats and musical beats supplied by the bar. Bombay Sapphire cocktails flowed freely and Baccarat’s stunning glass jewellery was showcased by the presenters. Guests walked away with special gifts from Aromatherapy Associates, spa vouchers from City of Dreams in Macau, Fiji Water, LCN products and Baan body products.

The winners of the AsiaSpa Awards 2009 are:

Destination Spa of the Year: Six Senses Destination Spa, Phuket, Thailand

Urban Spa of the Year: Bliss Spa, W Hotel, Hong Kong

Day Spa of the Year: Green T. House, Beijing

New Spa of the Year: The Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Sanya

Spa for Men of the Year: Chuan Spa at Langham Place Mongkok, Hong Kong

Spa Retreat of the Year: COMO Shambhala Retreat, Uma Ubud, Bali

Eco-Spas of the Year: Spa by Mandara, Alila Villas Hadahaa, Maldives

Socially Responsible Spa of the Year: The Shinta Mani Spa, Cambodia

Medi-Spa of the Year: S Medical Spa, Bangkok

Asian Spa Capital of the Year: Thailand

Spa Association of the Year: APSWC – Asia-Pacific Spa & Wellness Coalition

Spa Event of the Year: Global Spa Summit

Spa Personality of the Year: Karina Stewart, Co-founder, Brand & Concept Director, Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary

In-Spa Training of the Year: CHI, The Spa at Shangri-La

Spa Academy of the Year: Banyan Tree Spa Academy

Spa Design of the Year: Green T. House, Beijing

Best Children’s Spa Menu of the Year: Ice Cream Spa, Conrad Maldives Rangali Island

Spa Treatment of the Year: “Hilot Trilogy”, Mandala Spa & Villas, Boracay

Holistic Treatment of the Year: “Sound and Stone”, Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat, Australia

Men’s Spa Treatment of the Year: “Man Space Healing Balance Massage”, i.sawan Residential Spa & Club, Grand Hyatt, Erawan Bangkok

Spa’s Therapist Team of the Year: Mandarin Oriental

Spa Product of the Year: Algotherm

Anti-Ageing Product of the Year: Aromatherapy Associates, ’Fine Line Face Oil’

Natural Product of the Year: ilã, ’ilã Face Oil for Glowing Radiance’

Men’s Product of the Year: Pevonia, ’Easy-Glide Shaving Emulsion’

Spa Cuisine of the Year: The Farm, Philippines

Spa Marketing of the Year: CHI, The Spa at Shangri-La

Source of article: http://www.asiaspa.com