Prana Spa, The Tongsai Bay, Koh Samui - January 2006 by Spa Fresh Magazine Writer, Dave Lau
My wife and I recently returned from 6 days at the Tongsai Bay resort in Koh Samui, Thailand. On every single one of those days we visited the resident Prana Spa (and tried quite a few different treatments between us). We think even the spa staff thought us a little over the top.
The Spa is located on the hillside to one side of the sprawling resort, nestled in the beautifully managed tropical landscape that surrounds the entire resort. The setting of the entrance of the spa serves to bring you immediately into another world. When you stand before the narrow, traditional Thai wooden entrance, the trail leading you into the spa is in the form of a line of circular paving stones which appear to be floating on water. Above you, there are scattered strands of air roots, gently swaying in the sea breeze, which you lightly brush aside as you walk through. The floating stones lead you to take a left turn, where you will find the spa reception in front of you.
A. First Impression/Reception (20/25 points)
The girl behind the old wooden desk at the reception always seemed to have the cheerful yet serene smile which so typically adorns the Thai face. Your nose is immediately aware of the relaxing scent of Ylang Ylang oil. There are no man made noises, only the soft sounds of nature. The lighting is also soft, further mellowing the muted colours of the room¡¦s furnishings. You see two therapists waiting quietly to the side. Everything is set. You know you are waiting to be pampered.
You are offered a cold towel (infused with the scent of fresh lemongrass) and a cup of cold tea. The attendant discreetly checks her record, and confirms your reservations with you. If you are having a massage with oil, she will hand you a list of some 20 different oils for you to choose from. The list has brief descriptions of the ingredients that make up each of the oils, as well as their effects. Depending on how you wanted to feel (or wanted to see if you could feel), you can choose the oil that seems to be the most suitable. You can also have a smell of the various oils that you are interested in, before making your decision. You will be asked your preferred level of pressure (which they remember for the rest of the week). You are then given a bill to check and sign, before being led by your therapists to one of the treatment suites that has been reserved for you.
We found the entire pre-treatment experience to be very effective in preparing us mentally for the relaxation to come. The only minor comments we had were that, for our tastes, the reception room was a little cramped and the whole process appeared to be a little bit rushed. Personally, we would have liked to have been able to relax a little bit longer in a plush sofa, enjoying the very refreshing tea that was offered to us. As it was, we felt as if they were eager not to lose any time to have the treatment started, and barely had time to taste our tea.
B. Atmosphere/Environment (22/25 points)
The treatment suites are set into the hillside behind the spa reception. All the treatment suites appeared to be joined by a little path of smoked wooden planks that meandered through the lush tropical landscape. As we were walking along the path, all we could hear were the songs of the insects and birds that are lucky enough to make their homes in the vicinity, and occasionally, in between those songs, the sound of the surf hitting the beach just a few steps down from the spa. The surroundings were so serene that we immediately felt a shroud of dreamy calmness fall over us, and wondered along the path so slowly that we had some trouble following our therapists.
The suite we were assigned for most of our treatments had split levels: the lower level had two treatment beds which were set almost at the ground level; these were used for massages. The upper level, reached by a short set of wooden steps, also had two treatment beds, raised at waist height, which were for less vigorous treatments such as facials. The changing area is also on the upper level. This was spacious (there was plenty of space for two people to change at the same time) and had an adjoining restroom, in which there was also a safe. For treatments such as facials or massages which did not involve oil, we were handed very soft comfortable cotton robes and shorts to change into.
The treatment suite was thoughtfully and meticulously prepared: the temperature was perfect - we found ourselves neither too hot nor too cold. The lighting was mainly the natural light coming from the outside, filtering through the thin linen curtains. However, there were also a few highlights here and there, in the form of softly flickering candles and an oil burner in the corner, which filled the room with a calming scent. The well chosen background music was also at a perfect level - we heard enough of its winding, relaxing melody for it to become an integral part of this very serene setting, but it was also soft enough not to be distracting.
Our main criticism here is something that seems so obvious that one cannot help but wonder whether it was a deliberate omission rather than an oversight. Although the massage beds were firm and comfortable, they did not have any face rests. As a result, when the massage was applied to our backs and the back of our legs, we had to rest our heads on one side of the face (albeit on a very soft folded towel infused with the scent of sweet lemongrass). This started hurting after a while, and, although only a small discomfort, we found it did distract us from the otherwise excellent treatment and environment.
C. Treatment (23/25 points)
As mentioned above, we visited the spa on every day of our stay, and tried quite a few treatments between us (most of which were massages on this occasion). I will describe here three of the more memorable treatments that we had.
Head and Neck Massage
Before the head and neck massage proper started, the therapist applied a brief back massage. This was absolutely wonderful (and just what we needed as we had only just arrived from Hong Kong that evening) - the pressure was perfect, firm and consistent, and she reached all the right places. I would have been content to have that back massage for the entire session. However, the momentary disappointment I felt when the short back massage finished disappeared rapidly when she started on my neck and head. Her grasp of the various pressure points was almost perfect (apart from a small number of points on the neck), her pressure was perfect, and the alternation between different techniques, in particular, the localized pressure on pressure points and firm and fluid circular strokes, was also very well judged. As may be obvious, I really like head and neck massages, of which I have had a fair few, and this was one of the best I have ever had. The only problem was that it was too short.
Herbal Steam Followed by Aromatherapy Massage
The herbal steam was in a spectacular setting, in the little garden just outside the treatment suite. There was an outdoor shower just outside the state-of-the-art steam room. We were asked to take a quick shower under the outdoor shower both before and after the steam. The outdoor shower was in the form of a wide water spout which delivered a warm waterfall from just above head height. While you were luxuriating under the warm water, you are acutely aware that you are standing in the fresh forest air, hearing the sounds of the birds that are perching on trees not a few meters from you.
The steam room was well prepared - the room was already at the desired temperature and filled with steam and a very relaxing herbal scent when we finished our shower. The room was very spacious (it could have accommodated 4 people without feeling cramped) and but was not so large as to feel ¡§cold¡¨. The steam room also maintained the steam and temperature well. The only problem appears to be with the water-sealing of its door and its proximity to the outdoor shower ¡V when my wife left the steam room before me and took a shower, water from the shower started seeping into the steam room, which noticeably lowered the temperature within the room.
The aromatherapy massage was generally excellent. In particular, the long interchanging strokes which make up much of the massage were of a consistently firm pressure and very fluid; the coordination between the therapist¡¦s hands was so perfect that one had difficulty detecting the frequent hand changes. However, the slight snag with my massage (which my wife assured me her massage did not have) was that, on the few occasions when the massage incorporated localized pressure to pressure points, I found my therapist¡¦s grasp of my pressure points was a little off (perhaps my pressure points are in strange places¡K)
Prana Thai Massage
Being of a rather squeamish disposition, we were fairly alarmed by our previous experiences of the traditional Thai massage, particularly during the rather direct manipulation of our spines. As a result, this is usually something which we generally made a point to avoid. However, when we read in the spa menu that the Prana Spa¡¦s version of the Thai massage, although based on the traditional techniques, do not emphasize on over-bending, over-stretching or twisting techniques, we thought we would give it a try.
True enough, though the massage did have some stretching and bending techniques, these were in moderation and our therapists were very sensitive to our inflexibility. Further, the massage also had a strong focus on pressure points, which was executed expertly. In fact, the massage was so good that, although eager to try as many different treatments as possible, in the end I could not help myself but have this treatment again.
D. Post-Treatment (points: NA)
It seemed that Prana Spa made a deliberate decision in not incorporating any substantial post-treatment element in its experience. Instead, we were simply asked to make our way (even more dreamily than when we had walked the other way an hour or so ago) back to the spa reception, where the reception attendant would be waiting for us to ask how we had enjoyed our treatment.
I suppose it all comes down to a matter of personal taste; it so happens that my wife and I are strongly of the view that a thoughtful post-treatment element (which can be as brief as a few minutes, and can consist of a pot of hot ginger tea or some fruit being enjoyed in a tranquil surrounding) can truly complete a spa experience. This choice of Prana Spa was therefore a little disappointing for us, but it could not detract from the otherwise wonderful experiences that we have had there.
For the avoidance of doubt, the views expressed in the above passage are purely the personal opinions of my wife and myself, subject to our personal preferences and limited to our particular experience on this occasion.
My wife and I recently returned from 6 days at the Tongsai Bay resort in Koh Samui, Thailand. On every single one of those days we visited the resident Prana Spa (and tried quite a few different treatments between us). We think even the spa staff thought us a little over the top.
Being of a rather squeamish disposition, we were fairly alarmed by our previous experiences of the traditional Thai massage, particularly during the rather direct manipulation of our spines. As a result, this is usually something which we generally made a point to avoid. However, when we read in the spa menu that the Prana Spa¡¦s version of the Thai massage, although based on the traditional techniques, do not emphasize on over-bending, over-stretching or twisting techniques, we thought we would give it a try.
