The Magic Touch: Unwind and Warm Up this Winter with the Waldorf Astoria’s Hot Stone Oil Massage Treatment
The pair of stones are gleaming and steaming, exuding warmth in every sense of the word, as the masseuse removes them from the nearly boiling water and places those smooth soothing rocks in my palms. She then collects eight smaller stones from a pot of water, and gently wedges those hot pebbles between my toes. Their heat spreads from my hands and feet throughout my body, while the masseuse retrieves yet another pair of those stones and, with gentle firmness, begins drawing them across my shoulders and upper back. The pressure, temperature and texture of those stones seeps deeply into my aching muscles, providing a heavenly degree of relief.
“These lava rocks are good because they hold the heat well,” Rungravee “Vicky” Ruksaksakul, director of the Waldorf Astoria hotel’s spa, says of the hot stones after my massage is finished. She adds: “The stones are quite good for your body. We use water in an electric pot to warm them, and then we combine with the oil before applying them on your body with deep pressure to release the pain from you muscles.”
Ruksaksakul (who hails from Bangkok and studied in massage therapy in Australia) says the stones’ warmth stimulates blood circulation, which helps the body remove toxins, improve heart health and even cure insomnia. She adds that the relief from such sleep deprivation is not only physical, explaining: “This massage also helps mental stress. Sometimes you have something stuck in head. You think you’re relaxed but no, your problems are still there in your mind. In this way massage is like meditation, except you get to lie down. It helps you calm down, stop thinking about anything, and realize that it’s time to relax.”
That soothing quality not only comes from the gentle pressure of the masseuse’s palms and fingertips, or the warmth of the stones, but also the delicate scent of the oil used during the session. Before the masseuse spreads the oil on my skin and on the hot stones (to make those rocks even smoother before massaging you with them), she places a few drops in her palm and slowly waves her hand near the head of the massage table, letting the invigorating aroma drift into my nostrils.
Ruksaksakul says this aromatherapy technique subtly stimulates the nerves of anyone who inhales those sweet scents, prompting the body and mind to relax. She goes on to describe how those oils are a signature feature of the Waldorf Astoria spa: “Many local spas will have three oils: lavender jasmine and maybe rose. We have twelve,” she says of the Waldorf Astoria’s selection of oils, which are imported from England’s renowned Aromatherapy Associates (AA).
Each of those bottles bears such titles as “Equilibrium” or “De-Stress Mind,” which describes the oil’s aromatherapy benefits. At the beginning of each session, Ruksaksakul or one of her colleagues will dip slim strips of sample paper in the oil bottles, in order to introduce the client to those enticing fragrances. The spa director likes to employ one technique in which she waits to tell the client the names or benefits of each oil, instead asking that customer about their work and their age, in order to select one of the Aromatherapy Associates’ bottles for them. “I’ll ask about whether you work at an office, and consider your age and gender, then infer that you might have shoulder pains from sitting at a computer all day,” she explains. “From there I will select oils for you to smell, allow you to briefly try the aroma therapy and see if it feels right, and then tell you the names and benefits of the oils I chose, to see if my guess was right. And guests are usually amazed to see how good my guesses are.”
The practitioner will then massage the client’s entire body three times, one for each of the oils selected from the 12 AA varieties. Ruksaksakul says keeping the oils separate, so that the client can feel each of their aromatherapy benefits, is crucial. She says this is another feature that sets the Waldorf Astoria’s spa apart from generic massage parlors, where oils are haphazardly mixed together and slathered on customers, or where oils are even watered down to help save on costs.
She adds that most local, run-of-the-mill spas are similarly diluted when it comes to their customer service, explaining: “At a hotel luxury spa you will have clients with very high standards, sometimes even doctors, coming in and describing the pain and discomfort they have in very specific muscle groups. So our staff has been trained by the AA to understand and meet those high standards.”
Ruksaksakul adds that her highly trained staff not only employs effective techniques, but also passes on knowledge to clients, explaining: “Some customers like to come to the spa and sit in the sauna for as long as possible, to try and lose weight. We explain to them that the sauna should be used in short intervals, and we give them plenty of water, so they don’t become dehydrated.”
“Or, some clients will arrive at the spa and say they only came to relax. But we explain to them that the true point of a massage is to release the tension and pain from your body, and better you health, and that relaxation is just secondary benefit from that.”
This approach is more fulfilling for Ruksaksakul. Her aim is to help clients adopt a deeply beneficial spa lifestyle, rather than a superficial, typical massage parlor treatment. Or, as she puts it: “We want you to feel healthier and relaxed. We want to sell you a dream.”
The Waldorf Astoria Spa, Beijing is open daily from 9am-10pm and features seven luxurious treatment rooms, as well as beauty treatments, facial care, aromatherapy and healthy body treatments for men and women. Call 8520 8989 for reservations and more information or visit waldorfastoria.com/beijing.
This post is sponsored by the Waldorf Astoria Beijing.
Photos courtesy of the Waldorf Astoria Beijing, Uni You
