Life

Escaping the winter chills at city spa

By Shannon Aitken (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-12-07 08:09

Some stones are placed on the spine as part of the Winter Essentials spa treatment package. [Photo/China Daily]

As the mercury bobs around the zero mark, our bodies are all starting to feel the toll of the cold Beijing weather - dry, itchy skin from time spent with indoor heating, plus aches and pains from going out into the cold.

For anyone who likes a little pampering, however, this is the perfect time to cast an eye over the city's many spas to see what remedies are on the table.

Without too much searching, spa lovers will quickly find a number of places offering new treatments for trimmed-down prices.

One option is The Spa, a luxurious hideaway right in the middle of the city, set on the sixth floor of the Hilton Wangfujing.

One of the first things that strikes visitors about The Spa is its simplicity and its solidness. Free of ornate or kitsch decorations, it is modern and minimalist.

Far from austere, however, it uses soft lighting and subdued, earthy colors to create warmth and a solid, cocoon-like environment.

With only gentle meditative music to be heard in the background, it's hard to believe that just outside the walls of this sanctum is one of Beijing's busiest shopping streets.

The ambience is what defines The Spa. There is a total obliviousness to the outside world and it's not from piped ocean sounds or a cathedral quantity of candles. It's from simplicity.

The Spa has an unpretentious feel about it that immediately gives visitors a sense of comfort and security. There is also a feeling of balance and space that so many cramped spas seem to miss the point of.

A popular treatment is the Winter Essentials spa treatment package, a 100-minute, all-round massage and facial treatment.

Using the sensuous Comfort Zone spa products together with heated basalt stones, the treatment starts with a hot stone body massage, which aims to detoxify, relax and drain, relieve muscle pain and increase the metabolism.

Sadly, not quite as many stones were used as expected. They were applied just briefly on the back at the start of the massage, but then the rest of the body was treated to a typical remedial-style massage.

Lack of stones aside, the massage did redeem itself greatly with the "Holistic Touch Massage Oil" that was used. This was a fragrant combination of mint, lavender and grapefruit seed, which wafted around in uplifting and refreshing waves of perfume.

Next came the Nourishing Facial. Using a barrage of Comfort Zone products, the treatment cleaned and deeply moisturized the skin, releasing a delightful new fragrance with each new product used.

Making use of such ingredients as trehalose, evening primrose oil, silicones, hyaluronic acid and betaglucan, the facial claimed to help reduce wrinkles, firm skin, rehydrate and prevent water loss, smooth skin and increase its luminosity. At the end, my skin did indeed feel wonderfully soft and fresh.

There are not too many extra accoutrements, such as food, that customers get outside the massage. They are, however, treated to one of the most delicious fruit teas before and after lying down.

Set in the Hilton, The Spa is likely to attract a wealthier clientele than the average street-side massage parlor. Its price point will also mark it off for many as a special-occasion-only destination rather than a drop-in spot for a weekly tune-up.

The environment is calm and soothing, with candles providing a cozy ambience to relax in.

A soft color scheme is used throughout the spa, as can be seen in the main reception.