Rubs that tug ... at the heart and soul (AsiaSpa Awards 2012)

Take a second to just think of the collective aromatic whiff of a whole [insert collective noun here]* of 350 spa operators and health and wellness resorts gathering in one hotel ballroom for AsiaSpa magazine's 8^th annual AsiaSpa Awards for 2012. What would dominate? Lemongrass. Ylang Ylang. Lavendar. No, you're right ... fine French bubbly.

With a record number of entries this year, the competition for the coveted trophies was fierce, but being the shiny-skin-scrubbed, colon-irrigated, positive-kharmic, chakra-aligned crowd that they are, of course it's all smiles and pleasantry and bon homie. Not like the Oscars with their supercilious 'congratulations, you bitch' plasticity.

But one table that smiled the most. And increasingly as the night went on. That was the Thailand table. Why not - after all, it is THE land of smiles, isn't it?

As the awards were dished out, one to the Maldives, one to Thailand, one to some other place, another one to Thailand, some other place, Thailand ...

In all, Thai spa and wellness operators ended up the most awarded overall, with four specific product wins:

• Day Spa of the Year: The Oasis Spa Lanna, Chiang Mai, Thailand 
• Spa Retreat of the Year: Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary and Holistic Spa, Ko Samui, Thailand
• Medi-Spa of the Year: S Medical Spa, Bangkok, Thailand
• In-Spa Training of the Year: Banyan Tree Spa Academy, Phuket, Thailand

I've got a question: is there a certain closing time required to qualify as a Day Spa? Are the owners afraid to go out at night, or just too stingy to pay the electricity bill? Or is it an eco-friendly thing whereby everything runs on solar power so is no good after sunset? (Ok, that's 3 questions ...)

The Grand Prix award of the night, Asian Spa Capital of the Year, then also went to Amazing Thailand. The only real surprise to me is that Pattaya came up empty-handed ... 

Some gratuitous Titiporn ...

Titiporn (gotta love that name!) Manenate, Director of TAT's Hong Kong office, positively gushed: “When the Chiva-Som Health Resort opened in Hua Hin in 1995, it broke new ground in the annals of Asia-Pacific health and wellness tourism. Ever since then, Thailand has continued to raise the bar in the quality and diversity of its spa offerings.”

All I'm going to say is I am glad there is a double 'N' in 'annals' and I'm not even going to touch 'raise the bar' ...

Titiporn added: "Thai spas blend traditional well-being therapies with relaxing massage, holistic treatments and numerous other ways to relieve and detox an overworked physical and mental system. Thai spas are becoming as popular as Thai cuisine.” I'll eat to that ...

At the end of the evening, groaning under the weight of their trophies, the triumphant Thailand contingent went off into the Hong Kong night ... in search of a good massage for their aching face muscles, the result of waaaaaay too much smelling, er, I mean, smiling.


* What would be a good collective noun for Spa, Health and Wellness operators?

I'm going to kick off with some suggestions: a SIGH of spa operators, a RUB of massage therapists, a MERIT of meditation councilors ...  What can YOU suggest here? Leave your comments below.

Quan Spa, Bangkok Thailand: spa treatments wet dreams are made of.

While the Renaissance Bangkok Ratchaprasong is not a spa resort nor a spa hotel as such, it has calmly and quietly notched up a number of awards for the spa treatments at its Quan Spa including 'Urban Spa of the Year 2010' from Asia Spa magazine.

(Dear Editor: Do you think I used the word Spa enough in the above sentence?)

An oasis 25 floors above the concrete jungle.

Quan is all about aqua spa, the name meaning 'spring water' in Chinese. Little known fact: Sanya in Hainan is where the Quan concept originated.

Funky jazz bubbles from the speakers on this high-rise floor, affording a commanding view over the Royal Bangkok Sports Club, imparting an airy feeling. Water-related videos also play on any number of plasma screens dotted throughout this slightly quirky spa in Bangkok. I half expect JAWS! to be showing, but that might detract from the relaxation factor. Waves crash gently, and seagulls sing (if that is indeed what they do ... perhaps it's more of a whistle?)

"You are in the big city, but can still relax," coos Khun Pichamon. The focus here is on urban, not tropical or nature themes which are ubiquitous elsewhere.

Scents of lemon grass, orange and jasmine waft and wake me as she guides me through the seven torture chambers, I mean treatment rooms, one dedicated to a kinky-sounding Vichy Shower. The water is heated to a warm 40 degrees Celsius.

One looks like a set for Saturday Night Fever, with flashing disco lights running in serried rows above the bed, jing jing. "Just for entertainment, sir," she explains.  

The signature treatment is called Tropical Rainshower, a 45-minute session in which 6 water nozzles blast and spray and splash and massage you from every angle for 20 minutes, followed by point finger massage. It's very reasonable at just 2100 baht.

So if you're looking for a luxury spa escape in the big smoke, or just a day spa getaway in Bangkok, you water try out Quan.

And now for something completely indulgent ... a Chiang Mai Spa Tour

I've heard of kidney stones but this is ridiculous ...

Thailand has often been touted as the world’s Spa capital. After all, Thailand nearly invented the whole multi-billion dollar industry as we know it around the world today, and you can barely walk five metres without coming across a spa treatment centre of some sort, especially in Chiang Mai.

Some of the finest spas and wellness retreats are to be found in Chiang Mai, a laid back northern Thai city, and Greg Morling, Spa Indulgence Tours Co-ordinator, has the envious job of seeking them out and taking people to them. 

"Visitors to Thailand can experience a plethora of unique wellness treatments derived from ancient Thai traditions," says Greg, arguing that "the best of the best can be found in Chiang Mai, the pearl of Thailand."

And he should know. 

Greg has had a lengthy involvement with Spa and Wellness 

as a consultant, Salon and Spa owner, practitioner and writer.

"For the Spa and Wellness devotee there are just so many choices in Chiang Mai," he enthuses. "I first came here over 15 years ago and was really taken by the kindness and humility of the Thai people and their healthy, calm approach to life; mai pen rai, which means, don’t get mad, get glad! This attitude permeates everything in Chiang Mai. The serene ambience and spoiling Spa services are really just an extension of the Lanna (Northern Thailand) tradition. I have been here so many times now that Chiang Mai feels like my second home... and I love to come here to Spa!"

This guy is totally passionate, jing jing. 

And now you have the chance to join him on an eight-day Spa Indulgence tour, taking in four of his top selected spas. Talk about indulgence! It's just one spa after another ... there's barely a moment to relax. 

Visit www.spaindulgencetours.com