by joanna on August 15, 2010
A luxurious spa experience in Shanghai
It may seem that I do little else but spa when I am in Shanghai. This is not entirely true… but I tend to spend a great deal of time there for business, which can be stressful, so I like to make unwinding a regular part of my Shanghai routine. When I am in Shanghai I usually stay at the Westin on the Bund or the Ritz Carlton Portman, which lucky for me, both have access to great places for massage. When at the Ritz I pop over to Green Massage. And then when at the Westin, I take the elevator up to the 3rd floor to the on-site Banyan Tree Spa. [keep reading…]
by joanna on July 11, 2010
My favourite places to go for massage when in Shanghai
Massage has been a part of my self care ritual for years now. And as much as I travel and sit on planes, it’s not infrequently that I am suffering from some sort of neck pain or other such traveler’s ailment. When I am in Shanghai, I prefer to go to Green Massage or Dragonfly Massage to work this out with a traditional Chinese acupressure massage. [keep reading…]
by joanna on February 2, 2010
A minimalist urban sanctuary on the Bund
I had read about the Evian Spa several times over the last couple of years, but somehow never found the time to visit. I often go to Shanghai for work, but it is all rushing around to meetings and work dinners…so while I have often had the opportunity to dine luxuriously, it was always harder to find time to relax. But one of my New Year’s resolutions this year is to create balance in my life. Yes, I work hard…a lot of us do…but I made a commitment to carve out time for self care in 2010 and so on my most recent trip to Shanghai I made a point to visit the Evian Spa in Shanghai. [keep reading…]
by joanna on January 14, 2010
An endless array of holistic therapies at this tranquil island spa
I generally have a rule of not visiting the same place twice. I prefer to expand my horizons and challenge myself to see and do new things. However, I recently returned to Kamalaya in Koh Samui. Our more dedicated readers may remember I went to Kamalaya last year to do a detox program. Well, this year when the time came to take a break after a seriously demanding year, I could think of no better place to do it than Kamalaya Koh Samui. In fact, Kamalaya wellness retreat is of such a high standard of excellence that I can foresee returning again and again. [keep reading…]
by joanna on August 25, 2009
A bit of rejuvenation after a hard week for Paul and me :)
It was a banner week for Paul and me – from flying back from Sri Lanka on Tues and landing at 6am (and with me going straight to the office and facilitating an all-day workshop) to then putting on our first event the very next day….by the time Saturday arrived, we were in all honesty, shells of our usual selves. Tired, achy with that unmistakeable pale pallor of sheer exhaustion…we landed on the doorstep of Divine MedSpa in hopes of some rejuvenation. [keep reading…]
by joanna on June 11, 2009
Is investing in regular massage really worth it?
For me, massage has been part of my anti-stress and wellness routine for several years now. Rather than an indulgence, I treat it as another tool to take care of myself. After having some shoulder and neck problems for the last 15 years and seeing Chiropractors, Osteopaths, Physical Therapists and even being told I should have back surgery by a very well-known orthopedic surgeon in New York, I stumbled upon massage as a solution. [keep reading…]
by joanna on March 15, 2009
A sea-side pampering spa experience (main photo by Joanna, others from Anantara Web Site).
I am typically a little suspect about high end spas in Thailand simply because you can go anywhere and get a quality massage for $8USD. However, being a spa junkie I am always open to try both high-end and low-end experiences, as you never know what you will discover. And sometimes, as Anantara Hua Hin has proven, it is completely worth paying more for. [keep reading…]
