Kick Back and Enjoy the Summer at the Spa

Spending time at The Peninsula Spa by ESPA is always a very welcome and nurturing experience. The treatments and the facilities are fabulous, and the spa offers you a little sanctuary away from the hustle and bustle of city life in Central. The spa visit also breaks up the daily routine, and spa goers can indulge in an extensive array of treatments and products.

If you haven’t visited the spa this summer, then you should definitely try out “Summertime at the Peninsula” (until September 30). The unbeatable offer priced at $1,500 includes a facial (50 minutes) and an aromatherapy body massage (60 minutes), as well as a complimentary (25 minutes) Regenerating Eye Treatment or Full Body Exfoliation. It not only satisfies mind, body and spirit, but also your taste buds, as you can enjoy a poolside breakfast or delicious lunch from the Naturally Peninsula Detox Menu, which includes healthy dishes, such as lemon-poached shrimp on mango salsa, organic long grain brown rice risotto with wild mushrooms or grilled salmon fillet with endive and sweet potato in an orange-honey sauce. To finish it off you can enjoy granola, plum and apple crumble with honey-cinnamon-skim milk foam or granny smith apple mousse.

If you don’t have that much time on your hands, perhaps a regenerating Signature Peninsula Ceremony treatment will work wonders. Especially created by leading international spa consultancy ESPA, the exclusive treatments fuse Western and Eastern wellness philosophies. The range of face and body treatments includes Pre- and Post-natal treatment and Anti-Cellulite Hip and Thigh, as well as the Kapha Stimulator. Priced at $2,000 the 1 hour 50 minutes Kapha Stimulator treatment uses deep pressure massage to improve poor circulation. The detoxifying body oils are mixed with Ashwaganda, an Indian Herbal concentrate often referred to as Indian Ginseng, which contains anti-inflammatory, antiviral and anti-oxidant properties. The session starts with a tea ceremony and foot bath, followed by a body exfoliation to remove dead skin cells. The well-trained therapist will then pour warm oils on the body and continue with a hot stone massage. And once you are wrapped up in a detoxifying and water retention reducing cocoon of algae, jade stones will be placed on your forehead to cool the body and clear the mind. The treatment ends with an acupressure facial massage, leaving you relaxed, yet vitalized to continue your day at work.

Too many choices? The Peninsula makes it a priority to offer its guest the best service possible, which is also the reason for the newly introduced Simply Peninsula products and specially designed treatments that go with it. Launched last month, the products have been developed exclusively by ESPA for The Peninsula Hotels. The highly natural formula contains only the purest essential oils and botanical extracts, and are paraben-, SLES-, artificial colour- and fragrance-free. The environmentally friendly packaging is 99% recyclable. The range is split into two distinct categories; Refreshing (lemongrass, wild mint, rosemary) and Relaxing (ylang ylang, patchouli, cloves), whereas each range contains eight products.

At the beginning of the treatment the guest chooses between the two ranges, and the therapist will start with a foot bath and salt scrub, which surprisingly doesn’t leave your skin dry, due to its emulsifier. After the foot ritual, you will receive a full body scrub and body acupressure once the warming oil is applied. The therapist will then cover your hand and feet with a cooling algae mask, followed by hot paraffin wax wraps, which is definitely the highlight of the treatment. The hot/cold sensation will boost your blood circulation, making it the ideal treatment for people who constantly battle with the cold hand/feet syndrome. Furthermore, it’s a fun and extremely relaxing feeling to have your hands and feet dipped in hot wax.

For all treatments guests are encouraged to arrive at the spa one hour prior to the appointment to make use of the 12,000 sq ft spa (over two floors) with its wonderful facilities, such as the Asian Tea Lounge, Sauna and Thermal Suite with Crystal Steam Room. Chill out alone or with your friends and sip tea in Frette robes that are made with 100% Egyptian cotton, while taking in the sweeping Victoria Harbour view.

Vivienne Tang