6 Days of Xmas: Win a Session at This Fitness Spa
I rarely opt for massages as a way to relax the muscles after a
workout. Instead, I go the much less glamorous route of stretching
before and after, with the occasional yoga session to loosen up followed
by meditation to soothe the mind.
As such, I was skeptical when
offered the chance to get a massage at Spa Chill-Recovery, especially
considering it’s all the way out in Haidian District. Nevertheless, even
after making the trip out there, I was pleasantly surprised as the
treatment left me refreshed and ready to tackle the day ahead.
This
brand new spa is located in KALCITY, a new mall under a
soon-to-be-opened hotel that’s geared almost exclusively towards
fitness. Take an escalator inside and after passing by a Lawson you’ll
see rows and rows of boxing gyms, fitness centers, and the like.
As
soon as I entered the venue, I was greeted by a receptionist who
offered me a glass of tea and sat with me while going over the
treatments they offer.
I was asked to pick what kind of oil I
preferred for my massage, with options such as jasmine and orange
flower. I went for the orange flower, as I’m told it’s meant to
invigorate the muscles and mind – something I desperately need without
having had my first cup of coffee for the day.
The Himalayan pink salt treatment room, aka Dune room
Besides
their regular massage option, which features a heated water bed with
changing lights and the option for an additional special light treatment
after, there's a bed covered with Himalayan salt pieces – to relax the
muscles, so I'm told – and another room with a bed covered by a
tent-like contraption, in which they offer a therapy using hot water to
relax the muscles before you even get to the massage part.
So
there are massages, an array of facial treatments, and one more option: a
Himalayan salt room, or what I'd like to call the Dune room. Replete
with three chairs and two walls of solid Himalayan pink salt bricks,
it's a sort of an after massage treatment. A fan is turned on, which heats
the room and allows the scent of the salt to waft through the air,
awakening the sinuses – good if you're trying to get over a cold, I'm
told by the receptionist.
Expert masseuses will help you relax with a variety of treatment options
Following
the tour, my massage begins. I head into the room with the light up
water bed and, after changing, lay down. The heat is turned on and, with
the addition of a towel over my body, I begin to unwind.
Then
comes the oil. It's relaxing when applied to the skin, as the masseuse
works her magic, asking if anywhere hurts or if it's too tight or
painful. It's as if I've been put under a trance as the time goes by, my
muscles slackening further and further as her hands move about my body,
loosening tension in areas I never thought were tense before, like
nooks of the back, my calves, shoulders and spine.
And just like
that, the treatment is over. I rest on my back a bit, letting the heat
of the bed continue to course through my muscles. Then it's back into
the real world, completely rejuvenated and ready for the day ahead.
Now
you're probably thinking to yourself, "I really want to try this, but
Haidian is so far away." I hear you on that. If you happen to live out
there, it's the perfect place to hit up post-workout. If not, you can
make a day of it.
The spa's state-of-the-art heated water bed is something to be experienced
The
venue may be a bit far from the city center, but it's also close to
Fragrant Hills (香山 xiāngshān), the Summer Palace, and surrounding parks. So let's say you go
for a Xiangshan hike or a run around the Summer Palace – what better
way to retune and recuperate than with a trip to Spa Chill-Recovery?
Better
yet, to add to the day, there's a bunch of other places worth
exploring. You could get a massage followed by a mind bending look at
the latest exhibit at Tsinghua Art Museum, or grab a Spritz and some old
school Italian bites at the Wudaokou branch of Annie's.
Plus,
considering the spa's proximity to Chedaogou Station on Line 10, it's
entirely possible to get out to the area without having to deal with
Ring Road traffic.
So, this editor's advice: make a day of it if
you're not living in Haidian. In fact, for some added incentive, the
Beijinger is giving away vouchers with the choice of two treatment
options!
Option one is a 70-minute full-body oil massage that
works to relax the muscles post-workout (if you've not worked out
beforehand, don't fret, as it can also simulate passive exercise) plus a
30-minute facial treatment OR 15-minute Himalayan salt room treatment.
Meanwhile, option two is a 60-minute beauty conditioning treatment
designed to specially treat your skin based on the seasons – as we're in
winter this means deep nourishing – plus a facial or salt room
treatment.
Both of these packages, valued at over RMB 1,076 each, can be yours to try for FREE!
To win, do the following:
1.
At the bottom of this post, comment with an answer to the question:
"What tricks do you use to help your body recover after a strenuous
workout?"
2. Get as many of your friends to like your comment as possible.
3.
We will choose the most creative and interesting comment from the top
10 most-liked posts 24 hours from the time this post is published.
To make a reservation at Spa Chill-Recover, call them at 13641069805.
Images courtesy of Spa Chill-Recovery