Touched by Love

love is a verb. love heals. and who deserves more love than ourselves? and well, our loved ones. como shambhala estate and tea tree spa let you love yourself and others not only from the outside, but also from within

como shambhala estate

the look
Designed by Cheong Yew Kuan, the estate is a vast wellness compound swathed in all of nature’s elements. Located on hilly and grassy terrain, surrounded by the holy Ayung River, the energy of the property really resonates the moment you step foot on the grounds of the estate.

The spa is aptly named Ojas, a Sanskrit word meaning “essence of life”, alias a life-giving force. Sunken in a valley-esque location on the estate, the descending steps leading to the spa are straddled by two infinity pools.

A huge circular fountain centrepiece greets you as soon as you make your way down. Water (in all its sensory qualities) plays a major role at this place;
it is, after all, the most healing element Mother Nature has to offer.
the touch

COMO Shambhala promotes a holistic approach to wellbeing, meaning that you don’t come in for “merely” a spa treatment, but a complete systematic therapy programme, modified according to every individual’s needs. I came in for a relaxation programme, which started out with a morning dip in the estate’s Vitality Pool guided by a trained aqua-therapist. This pool is equipped with water-jets that have been constructed to provide exacting treatments, which means it is also beneficial for pain and fatigue relief, including jet lag and hangovers (yes, there IS a cure!).

A 90-minute signature massage (and inevitable ten-minute power nap) followed after the hour-long aqua therapy. The massage therapist, Chandra, used the power of her fingers, knuckles, wrists, elbows and forearms; quite a fulfilling touch for a massage. Also, it was a full-body approach, meaning everything from my scalp to my pinkie-toe was pampered, coddled and kneaded.

The touch was that akin to an iron, and as if my body were rumpled sheets that needed sprucing up from all the wrinkles, muscle wrinkles, that is.

the ingredients
As my treatment was one meant for relaxation, COMO Shambhala used ylang-ylang essential oils to smoothen out my knots.

the exceptional
COMO Shambhala Estate is the epitome of the term self-improvement. It’s the place to truly fall in love all over again with oneself, not only through pampered indulgence, but also through a proactive self-enhancement approach. For example, COMO Shambhala has a psychiatrist, nutritionist, Ayurvedic doctor and trained yogis and pilates coaches on duty, available on-call according to your treatment programme.

COMO Shambhala Estate,
PO Box 54, Ubud, T: 0361 978 888,
cse.comoshambhala.bz

tea tree spa

the look
Nestled in a quiet corner of the Kuta shoreline, Tea Tree Spa is home to a sprawl of cosy floating pavilions, all facing the ocean and interconnected by wooden bridges set among a beautiful garden, each housing a treatment room.

The couple’s treatment room contained two massage beds and a lofty bathtub, filled with red swirls of floating hibiscus flowers. There is an outdoor wooden patio facing the beach where cushy lounge sofas are arranged for the preparatory foot scrub and relaxation session prior to the four-course couples treatment.

the touch
Starting off with a de-stressing foot scrub on the outdoor patio, the therapists were very warm people and the aura was truly that of a romantic couples retreat. This foot-friendly interlude gave time for him and I to talk and connect in a relaxed environment.

A full body scrub followed inside the treatment room, where soothing background music filled the space and aromatic candles intensified the aura of ardour.

After the body scrub, we were granted a private session of quality time alone in the room, where a warm flower bath was prepared, complete with massage oils. The therapists told us to call them back in the room when we were ready for the next treatment, which was a full body massage.

Aside from the intimate connection inevitably felt by him and I, this part of the treatment is objectively the perfect ending to an intimate journey.

The bodyworkers were very thorough with tending to each tension-prone area of the body, focusing on the upper back, shoulder blades, lower back, shins and feet.
Their method of caress was somewhat shiatsu-like, with the therapist climbing up on the beds and using their standing force to further deliver a firmer – yet still gentle – massage.

the ingredients
I chose the rose milk body scrub, meant to tone, smooth and give the body a fragrant allure, and peppermint and lemongrass massage oil, meant to relax and balance the mind and body, whereas my partner chose the ground coffee body scrub, beneficial for getting rid of dead skin cells and cleansing that extra bit of grime from the body.

the exceptional
Known for its economical alternative for holiday accommodation, this Holiday Inn Resort is no different, and the Tea Tree Spa is definitely good value for your money. The location of the Spa and warm service of the staff are worth mentioning. Their selection of body scrubs is also remarkable, so you can customise and mix and match products according to the specific needs of your mind and body.

Tea Tree Spa Holiday Inn Resort Baruna Bali, Jl. Wana Segara, no. 33, Tuban, T: 0361 755 577