Spatacular Success

Does a trip to the Ananda Spa in the Himalayas sound appealing? How about the Rajvilas in Jaipur with Balinese and Hawaiian massages to soothe your soul? Spa resorts and retreats are your ticket to feeling pampered. Express Business Traveller suggests healthy escapes where you can get fit, feel good, find yourself and get away from it all

Imagine yourself floating in body-temperature water, eyes closed, ears immersed and skin lapped in warmth. You are aware of a gently supportive presence that follows and facilitates your own body’s tendencies to movement or stillness. Noticing your breath moving with your body, you sink into deeper and deeper levels of awareness and begin to dream... The current revival of spa culture may, in part, reflect our longing for the soulful life. Water is to the body as dreams are to the soul: it has the power to transform us.

But isn’t a ‘spa’ a spa pool? - a hot tub that you sit and relax in with different kinds of water jets to massage your body? Well actually - NO. A spa pool may be used in what is called a Spa, but the spa itself is something different. The word and concept of Spa actually originates from the time of the Roman Empire when battle weary legionnaires tried to find a way to recover from their military wounds and ailments. They sought out hot wells and then built baths so that they could heal their aching bodies; calling these places ‘aquae’ and naming the bathing treatments undertaken there ‘Sanus Per Aquam’ (S P A) - meaning health by or through water.

The treatments offered at these places can range from wet treatments (wet table with Vichy shower and/or hydrotherapy) to dry treatments (massage, body wraps), to wellness therapies (such as oxygen inhalation and health assessments) and beauty treatments. There is also usually a sauna, steam room and spa pool available for use. Although hydrotherapy is still regarded as an important treatment (a spa is not really a spa without it), these new spas no longer need to use or be near mineral water, as they did in Roman times.

So now, with a modern twist, spas still bring about renewal and well-being.

Angsana Oasis Spa & Resort	Spa Treatments at Oberoi Spas

Spa Oasis, Grand Hyatt, New Delhi
E-mail: info@hyattdehi.com

Spa Oasis, located at Grand Hyatt, New Delhi’s only Day Spa and Fitness Centre, is a blend of traditional, Oriental rituals on a modern scientific basis, coupled with state-of-the-art high quality equipment. Herbs and products used for the treatments have been procured from traditional sources like the Himalayas and Kerala to give an authentic touch to your Spa experience. Professional consultants and instructors are present for individual counselling. Your options include holistic health, beauty programmes, lifestyle consultation, stress busting yogic sessions and workshops, aqua aerobics, cardiovascular conditioning, muscle building and toning, sauna, Turkish baths, herbal mud baths and a large variety of massages. Packages like Oasis of Peace and Oasis of Harmony have been designed to suit the needs of various clientele with special emphasis on their health requirements and leisure hours. So, if stress has dried up your vital energies, Oasis is the spot for you... and that too without an overnight stay.

Rates: A 2 night/ 3 day Grand Executive Revival Plan is priced at Rs 9,990 inclusive of room stay in single occupancy. Full and half day packages are also available.

Oberoi Spas by Banyan Tree

Ananda In The Himalayas
Tel: (1378) 27500, E-mail: administrator@anandaspa.com

For the health conscious executive, Narendra Nagar in the Himalayan foothills, 250 km north of Delhi, in the state of Uttaranchal, might not immediately strike a chord. Add the name ‘Ananda’ (which means contentment in Sanskrit) and the bell rings. The 21,000 square foot spa offers an extensive menu of over 79 body and beauty treatments, integrating the traditional Indian systems of ayurveda with the more contemporary western spa approach. The personalised therapy and activities programs is designed to meet individual needs and health goals - de-stressing, detoxification and cleansing, deep relaxation, anti-aging, weight and inch loss, while also offering guidance in the areas of nutrition and exercise. Ananda Spa also houses the only ‘Aveda’ Beauty Institute in India, an international beauty line now part of Estee Lauder.

With state-of-the-art therapy quarters, relaxation rooms and artistically designed architecture, Ananda has a touch of mysticism to it. The aromatherapy massage is recommended for a fragrant makeover. Ananda Sanjeevani, the signature Ananda package, is an amalgam of all that the spa has to offer - yoga, ayurvedic relaxation therapies and full body massage, Aveda beauty treatment and sessions in self-care techniques.

The spa rests on the multiple pillars of physical, mental and emotional well being.

Oberoi Spas by Banyan Tree

Somatheeram Ayurvedic Beach Resort
Trivandrum, Tel: (0471) 481601, E-mail: somatheeram@vsnl.com

Situated just 21 km away from Trivandrum city, Somatheeram Ayurvedic Beach Resort is an ethnic seaside resort-cum-ayurvedic centre. You can experience the lifestyle of a Kerala village while undergoing ayurvedic treatment under the supervision of an expert team of doctors. Somatheeram has 59 accommodation units constructed in the traditional architectural style. The treatments offered includes Pizhichil, Njavarakkizhi, Dhara, Sirovasti, Udvathanam, Abhyangan, Nasyam, Snehapanam, Kizhi, Ksheeradhoomam, Thalam, and Lepanamc. Besides which there are the special therapies like Rasayana Chikilsa (rejuvenation therapy), Shodhana Chikilsa (body purification therapy), and Kayakalpa Chikilsa (immunisation/ longevity therapy). The resort has also designed a stress management programme.

Rate: A deluxe suite is priced at USD 115, room only in double occupancy.

Spa Therapies at Ananda in the Himalayas, Oberoi Spas and Somatheeram Ayurvedic Beach Resort

Angsana Oasis Spa & Resort, Bangalore
Tel: (080) 8468898, Fax: (080) 8468897

Managed by Angsana Resorts and Spa, a sister brand of Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts, Singapore, Angsana Oasis Spa & Resort spa has 12 to 14 professional Thai masseurs and an entire range of holistic spa treatments such as Thai herbal wrap, tangerine body wrap, sunburn soother, natural and mud body wrap and a host of other therapeutic remedies. With its spa pool, Roman pool, signature spa pavilions and a host of great leisure activities, the resort offers a unique experience. The ayurvedic treatment centre provides a wide range of treatments including Abhyangam, Sarvanga Sweda, sauna with herbal powder, Dinacharya, Nasyam etc. It also has a tie-up with the Kerala-based Tejas Ayurvedic trust to incorporate ancient ayurvedic treatments.

Rate: Aroma Salt Scrub & Sensual Massage, Blended Brush Scrub & Body Soothing Massage or Honey and Sesame Scrub & Maui Massage - Taste of Heaven (1 hour 30 minutes) package is priced at Rs 2,400

Spa treatments at Somatheeram Ayurvedic Beach Resort

Oberoi Spas By Banyan Tree
Tel: (022) 2325757 E-mail: irs@oberoi-mumbai.com

The spas of Oberoi Group of Hotels and Resorts combine state-of-the-art techniques with time-tested, ancient ayurvedic medicinal principles. Managed by Banyan Tree, an acknowledged international leader in spa management, Oberoi Spas are located in naturally spectacular surroundings. These include hotels and resorts in Bali, Lombok and Mauritius, Sahl Hasheesh in Egypt, Rajvilas in Jaipur, Amarvilas in Agra, Vanyavilas in Ranthambore, Udaivilas in Udaipur, Cecil in Shimla and Wildflower Hall in Mashobra. Hotels in Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata will soon also feature the spas too. The spas offer holistic, natural therapies and massages from the best available worldwide. These include Chinese reflexology and tuina massage, Shiatsu from Japan, showers from Vichy, in addition to Arizona Desert’s hot stones and Hawaii’s lomi lomi and lulurs from Indonesia and India. To ensure natural synchronisation, the spa treatments try to incorporate some local ingredients.

Spa Aguada, Goa
Tel: (022) 2022626, E-mail: trn@tajhotels.com

Providing an integrated and holistic approach to physical health, the Taj Group have recently launched ‘Spa Aguada’, a luxurious spa that overlooks the soft sands and clear water of the magnificent Fort Aguada Beach Resort and the Taj Holiday Village, Goa. Housed in three tranquil, Goan-inspired cottages, it enjoys a panoramic view of the Arabian Sea. The first cottage is an integrated spa-cum-salon offering aromatherapy, massages, special skin and hair care treatments. The second cottage offers an ayurvedic room and a couple’s suite with massage beds, flower baths and a private steam and shower facility.

The third cottage is a state-of-the-art gym with a panoramic view of the sea. The Spa Aguada draws its inspiration from the tropical environment around it, the sea, spices, fruits and the like. A wide range of therapeutic treatments is offered from aromatherapy and bio marine therapy, reflexology, body wraps and scrubs to more comprehensive experiences like the ‘Spa Aguada Potpourri’, all add up to create a truly tranquil experience.
Rate: Bio-Energy (50 minutes) package costs Rs 1,000