Dayspa

SEP 2013

DAYSPA is the magazine of spa management. Spa owners and spa managers turn to DAYSPA for spa management trends, spa management tips and more.

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SPA HOPPING my feet into a warm soak of oxygenated water and soothing salts infused with a mélange of minerals. She lifts a Tibetan bell and rings it, releasing an echo into the room, and sending my mind's eye to the streets of Hong Kong, where monks sheathed in saffron-hued robes stand for hours at a time, methodically sounding their begging bowls. "The Tibetan chimes clear the space, bring energy to the room, and communicate to the body and mind that our experience together is about to begin," Jennifer says. Lifting a cup of jasmine to my lips, I sink deeper into the chaise. Seated on the Oriental rug before my soaking feet, Jennifer asks me gentle questions: "How have you been feeling this week?" "Are you anxious?" "Do you need more energy?" Throughout our soft conversation she takes careful notes, and then proffers two different aromatherapy oils, custom blended in England by Aromatherapy Associates, for me to sample. My body sheds its stress with a whiff of the second: a relaxing lavender concoction. My previous consultations at other spas had, until now, consisted of sitting in a lobby and filling out a form on a clipboard, as clients and therapists walked briskly past me. By contrast, this moment feels wholly civilized, as though I've ascended to the next level of care. "It's our way of giving attention to the guest, offering a special moment between the therapist and 26 DAYSPA | SEPTEMBER 2013 Simple and pristine client, and learning about her contreatment areas cerns without taking time away from invite clients to clear the services," explains Mandarin Oritheir minds. ental spa director Heather Hannig. "Having your feet cleaned and treated is a nourishing ritual, as is the ringing of the bell. Our therapist sitting on the rug in front of a guest makes our clients feel instantly comfortable—it's our humble approach to service." THE QUIET "WOW" Once in the treatment room, I melt into the massage table, beautifully dressed with white and golden linens, as my therapist pours a generous stream of my chosen aromatherapy oil into the pot positioned beneath the face cradle. She places a lavender-scented heating pad on my neck and I literally sink into the treatment: a deeply soothing and aromatic signature spa therapy that marries traditional meridian massage with the therapeutic benefits of my custom-blended oils. In this delicately appointed room where even the heating grates are crafted in a Chinese motif, I am receiving more than a massage—I am having a transporting, restorative experience. With 14,500 square feet to play with, the Mandarin Oriental Spa offers guests ample private space, but it's the facility's well-considered details—perfect sprays of

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