After a day of adventure, soothe your aching limbs with a rub down at the Sofitel’s Le Spa (8 Duke St.; 64-3/450-0048), where one can self-apply body muds inside a steamy hammant or soak away muscle tension in the wooden tub. The Mirimiri treatment should not be missed. Performed by therapist Moctahi Wa1ker, the traditional Maori massage has an almost spiritual appeal.
The Yeohwa Resort (86-599/523-8999; yeohwahotels.com; doubles from US$91) in Wuyishan is a good place to base yourself when exploring the area. The 204-room hotel has a spa and a couple of decent restaurants and can organize tours to nearby sites.
Not all eco-properties are purpose built. This resort on Koh Lanta was already tip and running before the Langham group purchased it and transformed it into a green hotel. Guests are now encouraged to eschew motorized transportation and instead cycle around the island, hike through the forest, or use hotel canoes to spot eagles and macaques among the mangroves. Resort vans are available for longer excursions, but they run on biodegradable fuel from used cooking oil. Social programs raise money for a neighborhood orphanage, and the resort recently “adopted” a somewhat larger charge -a baby elephant from a nearby wildlife sanctuary (139 Moo 8, Koh Lanta, Krabi;66-0/2664-3490; krabi.langhamplacehotels.com, doubles from US$170).
Relax at the Plateau, Grand Hyatt Hong Kong (852/2584-7688; hongkong.grand.hyatt.com) this festive season with the Hotel’s Spa Winter package. Priced from US$567, double, the deal entitles guests to accommodation in a terrace room, an herbal bath, daily breakfast, evening cocktails, and spa treatment for two. Also included is a 20-percent discount on any additional spa services.
From its “great style” to its “fun atmosphere,” the W Seoul effort-lessly keeps competitors at bay. You favored this ultra modern mountainside sanctuary for its “functional” interior designs and the fact that everything from its spa to its restaurants were clearly “up to the mark” (82-2/465-2222; www.whotels.com). Continue reading »
An “oasis, paradise, heaven, refuge, and tropical fantasy” rolled into one, this resort has the pristine Mai Khao Beach as its setting. Among the amenities that enthralled guests were spacious rooms and suites as well as a variety of activities, from Thai cooking classes and full a range of water sports to full-body pampering at the onsite Mandara Spa (66-76/338-000; marriot.com). Continue reading »
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