Raise your hand if you were totally caught off-guard by the coming long weekend. (Unless you’re Muslim, in which case, happy Eid al-Fitr!)
We’re guessing that the majority of you haven’t made any plans to go out of town, and that’s fine. Let other people duke it out in the perpetual traffic up to Tagaytay while you stay in the city and book a spa-cation at these three hotels.
CHI, THE SPA AT EDSA SHANGRI-LA
Okay, almost everybody’s guilty pleasure is heading to CHI Spa for two hours. While some of you may know the spa menu by heart, they now have a new service courtesy of French cult skincare brand Biologique Recherche—the Hérmes of skincare brands. You know, the stuff that the likes of Jenna Lyons, Emily Weiss, and Julia Restoin Roitfeld absolutely swear by.
On top of your usual CHI Signature Massage—we recommend the Yin Yang Harmonising Massage (P5,800/90 mins)—try a facial treatment by Biologique Recherche, which is exclusive to CHI. Every treatment is customized at every appointment because it is natural for skin to be in flux. It takes roughly 30 minutes to measure your skin’s hydration, skin elasticity, pigmentation, and sebum levels. After, a treatment is prescribed.
For those concerned with aging, The Hydréclat Moisturizing and Brightening Treatment (P7,500/60 mins) improves elasticity and reduces small wrinkles and furrows, while the Lift C.V.C. Treatment (P8,500/60 mins) is a non-invasive facelift that redefines the contours of the face. If you have a problem with acne and blemishes, the Anti-Aging Facial Treatment (P8,500/60 mins) treats pigmentation, blackheads, and scars while countering visible signs of aging, and the Biologique Recherche Purifying Treatment (P7,500/60 mins) restores clarity to congested skin.
There are no extractions or steaming or hot, itchy chemical peels for these facials. Instead, the focus is on facial massage, lymphatic drainage, their marine and botanical serums, and in certain cases, a micro-current machine called the Remodeling Face Machine. Every session is so relaxing, it’ll be hard to go back to your dermatologist after.
CHI, The Spa at EDSA Shangri-La. 1 Garden Way Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City. (02) 633-8888 and (02) 634-7303. For more information, visit their website.
THE CROWN SPA AT CITY OF DREAMS MANILA
Having just opened officially this week, the Crown Spa has six treatment rooms, including two spacious spa suites, a 24-hour Fitness Center, plus the Crown Pool and Pool Cabanas. If you’re really looking to indulge, this is the place.
It all depends on how much you feel you deserve. You can start with something basic like their Two-Fold “Hilot” Signature massage (P5,800/90 mins), which is performed by two hilot massage therapists, or the Clear Your Mind massage (P6,300/120 mins), which is perfect for stressed-out individuals and is finished with an Ayurvedic scalp and facial massage to help clear the mind. If you really want to go all out, you can try The Rejuventation package (P9,300/210 mins), which includes a 30-minute Bath Ritual, 30-minute Body Exfoliation, 60-minute Aroma Massage, and 90-minute Crown Personalized Facial.
You can also try the therapeutic facials created by Aromatherapy Associates, which is a 30-year-old award-winning line of therapeutic aromatherapy products from Britain. You can start with something basic like the Instant Eye Repair (P2,500/30 mins), work your way up to the Deep Cleanse Facial (P3,800/60 mins), which incorporates a freshwater mud mask, then finish off with the Essential Rose Facial (P4,800/90 mins), which incorporates luxurious rose oils to condition and deeply nourish skin.
Arrive 45 minutes before your treatment, so you can enjoy the hydro-facilities such as steam rooms, sauna, and vitality pools in the Relaxation Lounge and Aqua Retreat Areas.
Crown Spa at Crown Towers. City of Dreams Manila Aseana Avenue corner Entertainment City, Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City. For more information, visit their website.
LE SPA AT SOFITEL PHILIPPINE PLAZA
Located at the only five-star luxury resort hotel by Manila Bay, Le Spa offers exclusive signature treatments and body rituals that range from eastern to modern western techniques. Their facilities include a lounge, dry and wet sauna, nine treatment suites that include a duo suite with a very spacious bath tub, and a spa suite with a state-of-the-art Trautwein Crystal Bath and sundeck overlooking Manila Bay. Le Spa has also introduced Vinotherapie in line with their French beauty rituals.
Their therapists are professionally trained by French beauty experts and certified by the Philippine Department of Health. Yoga and pilates sessions at So Fit, a health and fitness center, are on offer to complete their wellness offerings.
Le Spa takes pride in blending French touch with the Filipino expertise such as such as the Hilot Secret (P3,500/90 mins), the local Filipino’s ancient art of healing. Their popular massage treatments include The Elixir (P4,500/90 mins), which combines Western, Asian and Polynesian massage techniques using gentle pressure on key massage points with warm marine massage stamps, and Hotstone Rolling (P3,500/90 mins), which uses smooth volcanic stones to dissolve muscle tension.
They also offer products and treatments by Thémaé, an exclusive range that harnesses the benefits of four tea extracts in their formulations: regenerating white tea, stimulating black tea, soothing red tea, and the antioxidant green tea. They offer facials like the Rejuvenating Facial (P3,800/90 mins), a lifting and firming treatment using traditional tools such as Ridokis and Nuat-Na, along with body wraps like the the Silhouette Firming Wrap (P3,500/90 mins), which encourages collagen production and breaks down fatty deposits and cellulite, as well as drains excess fluid.
Le Spa. Sofitel Philippine Plaza, Roxas Boulevard CCP Complex, Pasay City. For more information, visit their website.