Step into The Spa and you’ll be transported to a sanctuary of calm. Here, you’ll find expert therapists who will provide relaxing experiences tailored to your needs. Locally-inspired treatments combine ancient healing techniques with the latest innovations. Its spa professionals are also able to curate and advise on your experience, personalising it to your body and needs. While here, don’t forget to take advantage of its other facilities, including saunas, steam rooms, plunge pools and indoor vitality pool.

The experience

For my visit to the spa, I tried the Edition Signature Massage, a session that uses Swedish massage techniques. The session used a fragrant and nourishing blend of oils that feature the Edition brand’s signature Black tea scent by Le Labo. My masseuse was very attentive to my needs, focusing on areas of my body that were particularly tight and sore. The 90-minute session allowed us to leave feeling much calmer and more relaxed than when we started.

The new Raffles Spa located within the Raffles Arcade offers a sanctuary that can help you escape and recover from any mental or physical stress in true luxury. It features separate lounge areas for both men and women as well as unique restorative treatments. What’s also special about Raffles Spa is that guests can enjoy the thermal facilities for 60 minutes before their treatment begins.

The experience

My treatment of choice was the Absolute Relaxation Massage (90 min) and of course, a Raffles Spa journey is incomplete without indulging in its hydrotherapy wellness experiences. I was advised to use each facility—sauna, steam room, ice fountain and vitality pool—for 10 to 15 minutes each, and repeat this for about four to five times in the same order. If I had to pick, I’d say the ice fountain was the most interesting and rejuvenating among all as it provided a gentle and cooling alternative after the use of all the heat facilities. It’s also supposed to strengthen your body’s immune system.

My masseuse was a sweet and helpful Thai lady who made me feel like I had been transported to a luxurious wellness spa in Thailand thanks to her warm demeanour. She used long, fluid strokes as well as gentle techniques for me to succumb to complete relaxation as well as help me achieve a restful state of mind. The service and experience were absolutely top-notch and exactly what you’d expect at a luxury spa. The massage treatment was an excellent way to relieve the stress and bodily tension that I had initially felt. All that dissipated by the end of my treatment, leaving me to feel thoroughly energised.

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A visit to Conrad Spa at Conrad Centennial Singapore is the perfect way to soothe the body, mind and soul—and that is exactly what the spa aims to do for guests. The spa offers a variety of treatments, including facials and body scrubs, using only natural and organic products from various top-of-the-range spa brands.

The experience

For my visit, I was recommended the Customised Massage (90 min), which includes the use of Argan oil. The massage is meant to enhance circulation, relieve tension in muscles and joints while healing and nourishing the skin. Before the session began, I filled in a questionnaire on my key concerns and informed my therapist that I wanted an energising massage that will also relax tense muscles.

Within minutes, fatigue faded away and I found myself very much at ease. It normally takes a while for me to ease into massages but this time around, I was able to quickly relax as my therapist ironed out the tension in my neck and shoulders. You’ll definitely feel an energy boost after a massage here, as long as you specify the areas that need a little extra attention so that your therapist can advise and perform the right type of treatment you need. 

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Super Vibrator is homegrown beauty provider Spa Esprit’s version of a new-age wellness treatment that can help recentre and rebalance your energy using a combination of a customised essential oil and a sound bath that involves Tingsha cymbals and a Tibetan singing bowl. 

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The experience

There are two parts to the treatment, and it begins with a bio-energy reading using Spa Esprit’s unique Emotional Positioning System (EPS), a bio-feedback machine that maps out your “energy blueprint” through your fingerprints. Right before my session, I was given a selection of essential oils to choose from. My scent of choice was 'Amber', which consists of orange, cypress, grapefruit and patchouli notes. To signify the start of the massage, the therapist set the mood by creating a sound bath using the Tibetan singing bowl. Its vibrations send deep hums that are absorbed by the body; the sensation is unique and you will feel the vibrations ripple through the length of your body.

The second part of the treatment is a Lomi Lomi massage whereby your therapist will use long rhythmic, fluid strokes from the traditional Hawaiian technique to coax your body into a relaxing trance to relieve tension. Once again, the Tibetan singing bowl will be filled with warm water and your prescribed essential oil blend and placed on your abdomen and back. As the therapist rims the bowl with gentle taps and circling, note that the longer the sound vibrates and resonates through the body and room, the more attuned you are. A shorter vibration means that your body is lacking in harmony, thus absorbing the vibrations quicker as it attempts to rebalance itself.

At the end of the massage, the therapist performs another sound bath with the Tibetan singing bowl before finally concluding the experience with a resounding note from the Tingsha cymbals. 

Damai Spa is one location where you’ll immediately feel relaxed and all set for a good pampering session once you walk in. It’s peaceful and serene with an almost futuristic walkway that leads you to the individual treatment suites.  

There is a huge ensuite bathroom fitted with a shower area as well as a plush armchair near the massage bed which you will sit on to receive a foot soak before the massage begins. However, the most breathtaking feature of the suite is the large windows that allow guests to look out towards its nature-inspired water feature outside.

The experience

I went for Damai Spa’s Personalised Massage (90 min) and filled out a form to specify which areas I wanted to focus on. My therapist helpfully suggested that she pay extra attention to my entire back since I had mentioned that I was experiencing discomfort in the shoulders and lower back due to long hours working at my desk—and not maintaining good posture! By the end of the session, I felt that my muscles were less stiff and my shoulders felt much more relaxed. Your therapist will also be able to determine the most suitable Damai signature blend and tailor a massage that suits your body.

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Feel like you need a good body scrub right in the middle of the night? You may find what you’re looking for at G.Spa, a unique 24-hour spa popular amongst wellness enthusiasts in Singapore thanks to its wide range of treatment services and facilities for both men and women. 

The spa’s facilities are designed to enhance guests’ experiences after they’re done with their spa treatments which include body massages, facials, body scrubs, foot reflexology and even traditional Chinese therapies such as cupping and gua sha.

The experience

Keen on trying out something new, I tried the Hot Stone Spa (60 min) along with a girlfriend of mine. I was excited to try it out with a friend since we both didn’t know what to expect and were curious about the treatment’s effects.

We were told to weigh ourselves before and after the treatment to note the change in weight as well as body fat percentage indicated on the scale that we used. The hot stone spa bed that we laid on was made from patented Fir-Tech material that helps to promote blood circulation. The treatment is aimed at allowing you to “sweat out toxins” while you lay within the warm chamber for 45 minutes. In fact, we were told that the length of time spent in relaxation was equal to an hour at the gym. I wouldn't say it was particularly uncomfortable but a therapist will come in every 10 minutes to check on you so you can always request to adjust the temperature if the cabin becomes too hot to handle. At the end of the session, we were advised to rise from the bed slowly as it’s normal to feel a little giddy after the treatment due to the heat. We also weighed ourselves again to compare the differences in our weight and noted a slight decrease in our body fat percentage. But we decided to consider the results with a pinch of salt taken! Overall, it was a rather eye-opening experience that’s worth trying if you’re looking for new and alternative wellness options in Singapore.

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