Luxury Travel Advisor - January 2008 - (Page 45) SHANGRI-LA RASA SAYANG RESORT & SPA in Malaysia opened its 11-room CHI, The Spa recently (spa room shown, above). The spa’s swimming pool (left) is flanked by thatched umbrellas and thick vegetation. spa-within-a-spa villas range in size from 445 to 690 square feet and feature private changing rooms and gardens. Despite the spa’s grand spaces, Spa Director Vanicha Phaphoom (vanicha. phaphoom@shangri-la.com) strongly suggests booking ahead, especially if you’re requesting therapist Mariana Binti Ibrahim. We suggest signing clients up for the house specialty, the Rasa Asmaradana; inspired by traditional techniques used by Malaysian healers, the treatment starts off with a warm linen pouch that’s steamed with a concoction of local herbs, lemongrass and padan leaves and is then applied with gentle pressure to soothe the neck and shoulders. The service ends with an aromatic nutmegand-sandalwood-oil massage. Tip: CHI’s treatment oils (based on the Five Elements Theory, in which metal, water, wood, fire and earth are balanced to harmonize with the positive Yang and negative Yin energy within the body) can be purchased at the Spa Boutique. The resort is made up of two distinct wings. We loved the Rasa Wing, which has its own driveway, lobby, lounge and swimming pool; all of its guest rooms come with round-theclock butler service. The wing’s Premier Suites boast very discreet on-balcony bathtubs and provide the best views of the sea. Without question, the twobedroom, 2,000-plus-square-foot Presidential Suite is the best to book. The living room is large, as are the balconies, and there’s a fully equipped kitchen and a dining table for 12. For families, we suggest booking Rasa Wing Deluxe rooms. At ground level, they have private gardens and verandas, as well as direct access to the resort’s swimming pools. Everything can be booked over the GDS. For your VIPs, contact General Manager Arbind K. Shrestha (arbindk.shrestha@ shangri-la.com). The concierge staff will arrange luxury pick-ups (and welcoming dance troupes) for your VIPs—or, with a day’s notice, a helicopter landing on the resort’s beach—should your clients wish to take the one-hour flight from Kuala Lumpur or Singapore. Private jets can land at Penang International Airport, 45 minutes away. Contact Chief Concierge Angeline Hoong (angeline.hoong@shangri-la.com). The Spa at Banyan Tree Phuket (www.banyantree.com) is nothing short of paradise. It’s made up of 12 Thai-style pavilions, seven of which feature side-by-side treatment beds. Five are for clients seeking private pampering. The resort’s signature Rain-mist experiences come highly recommended. We’re partial to the Tranquility Hydro Mists—delectable mixes of herbal body scrubs, fresh-milk body masks and hair washings with cascading rain showers in between each treatment—the stress-reducing steady stream of warm oil drizzled over the forehead is mind-blowing. Harmony Banyan is yet another pleasurable package; a two-therapist massage brings about a harmonious sense of wellbeing as balanced pressure www.luxuryta.com January 2008 | LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR 45 http://www.banyantree.com http://www.luxuryta.com
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