Spa Magazine
TABACON HOT SPRINGS RESORT & SPA, COSTA RICA
The Setting
In the Northern Costa Rican countryside--a green-on-green mosaic that's stunning in its own right-- stands the active and unusually prolific Arenal Volcano. Multiple daily eruptions yield a steady and seemingly slow-motion flow of neon-red lava that's particularly dramatic in the dark, if the clouds cooperate. And situated near the base of the volcano, on what's clearly a geothermic hot-spot, is Tabacón. The rainforest-enveloped resort is home to a web of naturally heated streams, falls, and pools where you can easily, and sometimes literally, lose yourself--the ever-present steam both relaxes and obscures.
The Spa
The omnipresence of nature's raw power lends Tabacón a strong, earthy sensuality that makes you want to have someone special along when you visit. Hours passed as I gave each of the streams and pools at least a test dip, if not a lengthy soak. This eco-friendly version of hot tubbing easily becomes addictive as you get to know the subtleties of the various temperatures and mineral contents, and sort out your favorites. Let the main waterfall blast every last bit of stress from your shoulders (and be sure to slip into the steam-filled little cavern behind the cascade), then head to the on-site Iskandria Spa, where you'll find simple, open-air bungalows (on request) and volcano-derived treatments, as well as reiki, Watsu, and Thai massage.
Satisfaction Guaranteed
The detoxifying Volcanic Body Wrap is a sensory-fest from start to finish: Go for one of the open-air bungalows, where the warm breezes alone are delicious, and the ambient noise of flowing water and an assortment of chirps trumps even the most relaxing spa music. After being copiously rubbed with the local, mineral-rich mud--and left to bask in it for a bit under a cozy blanket--you're led to a volcanically heated stream, where rinsing off is in reality a skinny-dipping session. Need I say more?
SHANGRI-LA HOTEL, BANGKOK, THAILAND
The Setting
Bangkok is endlessly seductive. Still capable of inducing a traveler's vertigo of sensory overload, the city exudes a sensuality that ranges from the sacred to the profane. Wandering the narrow lanes of the Bangrak district, enticing aromas waft from food stalls while cascades of sarongs, embroidered fabric, and carvings spill from small shops. Nearby, centuries-old temples and the neon of massage parlors beckon to seekers and sinners alike, stirring a delirious mélange of sights, sounds, and scents. It's also here on the banks of the ageless Chao Phraya River that the superluxe (and aptly named) Shangri-La Hotel vaults into the sky, serving as a hyper-modern retreat from the swirl of activity below.
The Spa
The controlled chaos of the streets dissolves immediately upon entering the incense-infused, silk-draped realm of the hotel's newly opened CHI Spa. Somehow, the spiritual and sensual aspects of Bangkok's boulevards are exquisitely entwined here, a retreat redolent of exotic essences such as jasmine, sandalwood, and cardamom. There is a palpable allure of beauty and anticipated experience. Playing off the legend of Shangri-La, CHI weaves Himalayan elements such as Tibetan singing bowls and traditional sculptures with a sleek aesthetic of latticed screens, stacked sandstone walls, and artfully diffused lighting--a stylistic harmony that sets a mood of total surrender.
Satisfaction Guaranteed
The ultimate indulgence is the Yin Yang Couples massage, a treatment that features Himalayan herbs and essential oils with names that translate to "She of 1,000 Husbands" and "He Who is Virile as a Horse." Get the idea? Halfway through the session, therapists switch the partner they are working on to transfer energies, while the focus throughout is to stir and awaken male and female forces and endocrine and hormonal systems, sending chi, or life force, to the reproductive areas. In sum, pretty hot stuff.
MASSERIA TORRE COCCARO, ITALY
The Setting
Southern Italy's Puglia region is home to a rustic retreat. The integrity of Masseria Torre Coccaro's 16th-century farmhouse architecture was retained during its restoration, and the antiques that fill its spacious stone-lined interiors give the feeling of having entered another era. Set among seemingly endless olive groves, the property is richly comfortable with room to wander, pools to swim in, and private nooks to discover, though excursions into nearby villages are easily arranged. Meals are organic, with seasonal ingredients leading the way--there are no menus here. Five minutes away by bike, the hotel's beach stretches along the rocky shores of the Mediterranean, where privacy reigns supreme.
The Spa
Masseria is such a retreat from the rush of the everyday that to spa might seem redundant; relaxing comes so naturally in a place like this. But while sunning poolside, taking long drives through the countryside, and finding your own private cave on the property have their rewards, the spa itself is stunning. Built into a cave, its stony interior is warmed by candlelight, scent and cozy blankets, its highlight a heated pool set in a quietly echoing grotto.
Satisfaction Guaranteed
To experience the mental and physical release of the Traditional Ayurvedic Massage requires settling into a large stone treatment room. Performed on a mat on the floor, the full-body treatment takes massage a step beyond as the therapist powerfully engages his own arms, legs, hands and feet to loosen tension, stress and undesirable muscle memory. But this is not a clothed, Thai-style massage. Instead, the unusual leverage that this off-the-table therapy offers is as physically liberating as it is requiring of the ultimate mental release--pure trust.
