AsiaLIFE

Occupying room 103 – an erstwhile suite at the Almond Hotel and two smaller treatment rooms – snug Spa Blossom is ensconced in the kind of privacy that is conducive to pampering. This offsets the otherwise modest décor. The hotel itself sits at the tip of a recently built concrete island on Sothearos Boulevard at the corner of the Russian Embassy. With its café and restaurant on the ground and mezzanine levels, the hotel provides a good segue for a post-spa meal and a place for people-watching.

The spa offers body massages with or without oil. The prices vary according to duration (US$15/$18 for 60 minutes, prices double for 120 minutes). One departure from the norm is the Hydro Spa Therapy (from US$15) which is similar to a jacuzzi with added health benefits. You’re sent to the private bathroom for the requisite strip down for the Hydro Spa. The experience is on par with sitting in a boiling cauldron except that the cauldron here is a standard hotel grade bathtub filled with warm water that cools down quickly due to the movement of high pressured jets. The treatment is purported to detoxify your system, increase blood circulation and assist in lymphatic drainage. For best results, follow the various poses outlined in the laminated user sheet next to the tub. The equivalent of a brisk walk, the treatment is a boon for those who like exercise but hate the effort. Watching your entire body jiggle though could be an acquired taste foe some.

The spa’s signature treatments are its facials – basic (US$22), general (US$26) and Blossom signature (US$36). You can also piece together an assortment of add-ons, such as extractions via vacuum suction, biological peelings, or a hydrating eye care compress. The friendly staff will provide any needed clarification of the spa menu. Make sure to book facials in advance with the skin care specialist from Singapore, who will tailor treatments to your particular problem areas and needs. With high-quality botanical products imported from Germany, the specialist demonstrates her thirty-five years of experience in the spa industry through her techniques and tips.

The Spa Blossom at the Almond Hotel, 128F Sothearos Blvd., Tel: 023 220 822, Open daily 11am to 9pm – Sylvia Nam