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Time away: oh joy. Oh bliss. Tokyo Shangri-la CHI spa

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“Spa? Right this way, sir.” Thus, began our journey up to CHI spa from the first floor of the Marounuchi trust building that houses the Tokyo Shangri-la.  But not before the doorman gave a 90 degree bow (and held it) as the elevator doors closed on us.  An already very fine Tokyo 5 star hotel, the Shangri-la Tokyo’s level of service stands out from the neighbouring Canadian chain hotel the way Cristiano Ronaldo would tower over a kids league lineup. We climb, the elevator powering us effortlessly up the 40 odd floors. 41 floors later, we emerge into the elegant Shangri-la lobby then taking a turn to another set of elevators for our spa destiny. Our friendly attendant hands us over to the CHI spa staff and bows out.  Some people might find it unnecessary but I like how Shangri-la staffers put respect and a lot of omotenashi into their work.  The doorman and escort bows and does it for everyone from hotel guests to spa goers like myself. I’ve blogged extensively about the dark …

Sunday battle of the brands: Kerstin Florian vs. Aromatherapy associates

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Prefer Kerstin Florian everytime. Aromatherapy Associates just doesn’t soak in very well and bad once you hit the humid air.  When it dissipates is when you have problems as the essential oil smell becomes an unpleasant one. Meanwhile,  KF soaks in and doesn’t lose its scent so easily.  You feel spa light and fresh even after exiting and entering outside.

Spa by JW – a new spaing concept

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http://news.marriott.com/2014/07/jw-marriott-hotels-resorts-launches-spa-by-jw.html “Our guests are incredibly passionate about well-being but they don’t always have the time to invest in cultivating it.  They are looking for an experience that delivers true impact and results that are tailored to their state of mind,” said Mitzi Gaskins, vice president and global brand manager for JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts.  “Spa by JW offers an environment where you can chose exactly what you want, when you want, without any of the intimidation or hassle.” Entering through an open and inviting lounge space, guests can browse the retail area where products are thoughtfully presented for interactive use and feature both traditional and non-traditional spa products, from eye masks and meditation books (Calm) to artisanal chocolates and wine (Indulge).  The lounge serves as a social space for guests to relax and enjoy regardless of whether they book a treatment.” It will be interesting to see how this will be applied to the new JW Marriott Dongdaemun and the soon-to-be refurbished JW Marriott Seoul.   Miss Spaist will be watching…

Home spaing: Philosophy comes through!

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Sweet orange by Philosophy (seasonal variety) http://m.philosophy.com/bath-and-body/bath-and-shower-gels/C311,default,sc.html There’s not a finer shower gel, bubble bath maker product out there.  It foams and lathers quite well and doesn’t have nasty chemical products in there either. I love their interesting scents and descriptive titles.  Just perfect for home spaing – baths and showering. Four Spaists out of four!

7 signs of a bad Korean 5* hotel spa

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An important article that I read, nodded along and chuckled with but got me thinking about Korea. 1.  Money now! They ask for payment upfront.  No chance to smell the roses or evaluate the treatment but pay first?! 2.  Bedding. Hard towels, no bedsheets and non foamy, soft head pillow is a bad sign.   The best spas will have towels and  linens that rival your own house. 3. Food breath and facial prom Facials are almost like dancing with someone at prom.  The therapists need to get upclose and personal (if they’re doing their job).  If you can smell their gimbap, kimchi or ddeokbokki breath then that’s not good.  I know, therapists are humans and need to eat now but at least use some mouthwash for 20 seconds. It’s that simple. 4.  English The greater the English level, the greater the spa.  English is a commodity here and tells me a lot about my therapist. Competent,  English speaking ones can be like striking gold.  Grand Hyatt owns the Klondike here. 5.  Sparse spaces.  Not every …