Early this year, I went through several life changes, most of them not good. I lost a good friend who was younger than me, and then my job of 10 years.
On the upside, I found another job that was less stressful and gave me the time to write about things I really love, like beauty.
I finally found the time to go to a spa, not on assignment but because I really wanted to. I had been meaning to visit Quan Spa at Marriott Hotel Manila but the day-to-day requirements of my job and my location (I live in Fairview) always got in the way.
Quan means “a source of pure water” and according to Marriott Hotel, the word also refers to “all things good and pure—an auspicious word to represent a spa that seeks to provide a path to wholeness and well-being.”
I went to Quan on Easter Sunday following a “staycation” at the hotel. I had the Tropical Renewal Scrub, which provides full-body exfoliation and a massage to deliver an aroma-sensory experience.
The service makes use of Pevonia products, including a tropical salt mousse enriched with mango and passion fruit extracts.
The experience was very relaxing. My mom has a masseuse who comes to the house regularly and she pays P300 for a one-hour session. She always tells me I am wasting my money going to spas. But I believe massages are not just beneficial to the body but they also rejuvenate your mind, and so going to a spa is part of the whole experience. And while I would not (and cannot afford) to go to a spa every week or even every month, a visit once in a while is a well-deserved treat.
Part of the spa experience is shutting off the rest of the world once you’ve entered the door. You put your mobile phone and other gadgets in a locker and forget your worries. You are treated like a princess while someone tends to you. It’s temporary but it’s great.
I loved the scrub because of the scent of the products used. The scrub and the lotion used after I rinsed from the shower were so fragrant without being overwhelming.
I promised my teenager that she could get a massage as a reward for a difficult school year, so she enjoyed the 90-minute Deep Renewal Massage. This, according to Quan Spa, is a “deeper massage which is personalized to your specific needs and loosens tense muscles after a long day of activities, sports or travels.”
Quan Spa has adapted to its location and embraces the time-honored healing practices of our local culture, infusing these into Quan’s basic philosophy that water is at the core of the ultimate health-enhancing experience. All treatments use a combination of organic and marine-based products. The bathing suite and the private rooms provide total relaxation. Occupying most of the hotel’s second level, the Quan Spa’s layout has Asian influences—from the bamboo walls and luxurious beds dressed in Thai silk, to the aromatherapy products.
The spa is affiliated with Marriott Hotel’s Health Club. They offer an annual fee of P60,000 inclusive of unlimited use of the gym, swimming pool and the wet facilities. Other privileges include a complimentary overnight stay and two massages.
- E-mail the author at luckydinna@gmail.com.