Hotel spas for a better winter

It always feels good to go to a hotel spa, but I was extra happy when I walked into the lobby of the Conrad Seoul’s spa. Sitting in a sofa next to the curtains, I first filled out a questionnaire and then was guided to the spa room. I liked the room's huge, sunny window (they closed the window during the massage for extra coziness) and their aromatherapy products by WAS were especially attractive as I felt like I was being healed just by the scent of their oils. I didn't pick the oils myself, but three different kinds were used for a foot bath, body massage and a treatment. Swedish massage was the main focus and the therapist gently rubbed my skin using the palm of her hands. I hoped that she would press a bit harder on the knots in my muscles, but it was satisfying enough. I love to fall asleep in the middle of a massage and that’s exactly what happened. The aroma of the oil followed me around until the next day—not to mention how soft my skin felt!

The JW Spa in the JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul was where I could really have the knots in my muscles worked out. The therapist who took care of me was so professional. I chose the treatment where the masseuse uses their palms and fingers, as they usually apply delicate pressure on one's muscles. What I realized once again was that a massage really depends a lot on the ability of the therapist. The pressure applied on my muscles was rather intense, but I happily endured it to get better results. The therapist’s hands pressed exactly where they were supposed to, making me think, “Oh, right there, right there!” I asked her to focus on my back and shoulders, so this took up the biggest part of my massage. At the JW Marriott Hotel Seoul in Banpo, I tried their spa package, which includes a night's stay in a Superior room, a spa pass for two, breakfast at The Café for two and a late check out at 2pm. The spa room itself was rather old and there wasn't anything special about it, but I was glad to see that they were using oil products by Yonka, which I use at home as well. They also use products by luxurious cosmetic brands such as Comfort Zone and Leisuretime. During their deep tissue treatments, the therapist uses her fingers, elbows and arms. My hands and face often swell up after a treatment like this, but because I went to the spa's oxygen room and put on an oxygen mask for 10 minutes right after the massage, the swelling went down. Breathing in oxygen after a spa treatment was an unusual, yet refreshing experience.

Other then these, the facial program at The Belle Spa of The Plaza Hotel Seoul and the Sulwhasoo program by Lotte Hotel Seoul are worth checking out. The facial spa program at the Sheraton Seoul D Cube Hotel starts at 150,000 won, making it one of the more reasonable hotel spa programs.