Hotel Spas Offer Urban Relaxation
By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter
Getting a massage is more than comforting one's body. Some call it a spa treatment because it is known to relax the body and soul, stimulate blood circulation and affect the whole inner body.
Especially after the hard house chores of the Chuseok holiday, getting some good massage therapy can diminish stress and fatigue.
Hotels are gearing up to provide the creme de la creme of spa experiences. The Korea Times looked into Park Hyatt Seoul's in-house "Park Club" spa programs.
At the front desk of the club, the club manager greets individual guests and tries to create a tailor-made environment. Guests can choose their favorite genre of music for the service, ranging from classical to Mediterranean, Indian and others. The guests can also inform the massage therapists of a particular need or areas to work on.
The massage starts with a cup of soothing chamomile tea, a pedicure pampering the feet with peppermint powder, cream and scrub. The staff create a meditative mood, but can be good chat mates as well.
One massage therapist, "Jane," said massage is more of a communication of energy between therapist and guest. "Some people think masseuses give away their energy. But I think it is more the giving and receiving of positive chi. That's why masseuse and receiver both feel energetic at the end of the day," she said.
The Park Club uses Italian organic spa brand "Comfort Zone" products for all programs. The masseuse works the whole body ― from torso to arms and legs. Their scalp massage, which uses blended aroma oils and several creams, is one of the spa's favorites, the spa spokesman said.
"We do not use any tools when doing the massage. We believe that the hands are the best way to deliver good energy and vitality," spa spokeswoman Lim Soo-yeon said.
Captivated by the aromas and subtle atmosphere, guests say they never want to go home after the more-than-90 minute programs.
All of the guest's preferences ― music, lighting, teas, areas to work on ― are saved in the spa's database so that during the next visit, one can feel at home right from the start.
Lim said that men are also beginning to indulge in the spa trend. "About 50 percent of our clients are men, mostly businessmen who work in Gangnam," she said. "There are only three rooms at the spa, but they love the luxury."
The hotel provides more than 30 massage programs for all skin and body types and for various ailments, priced from 80,000 won, exclusive of tax.
Other hotels are providing various spa treatments.
Grand Hyatt Seoul's THE SPA has 14 appointment rooms and provides both Korean traditional remedies and European therapies.
Each Suite features a private restroom and a grooming area. Additionally, the spa features four massage rooms, five treatment rooms, two customized Vichy treatment rooms with built-in, remote-controlled shower systems, a foot massage room, and two Couple's Suites that can be reserved for extended spa stays. All products used in the treatments combine natural botanical extracts.
"THE SPA solidifies the hotel's leadership among luxury hotels and enhances its standing as a multi-dimensional city-resort hotel," the hotel's publicist Hwang Yoon-jung said.
The Hilton Golf and Spa Resort in Namhae, South Gyeongsang Province, presents a "Happy Together Spa Package" where a couple can enjoy a foot bath, a sweet sugar foot and leg scrub, deep tissue muscle massage, "Moisture Dew" facial therapy, PureFiji Happy Basket, and a photography service for 440,000 won, exclusive of tax.
Guests can enjoy an ocean view right outside the room, said Soun Young-hee, a publicist at the hotel.