Tian-Di: Oasis in the city
Every journey has a story. One of my favorite wanderlusts is finding Tian-Di (Heaven and Earth), an oasis of a spa in the city.
This is a place I have hied off to of late when overwhelmed by too much noise and clutter, when all around me seems to crash down and I seek a place of sacred space, of inner calm and peace, where my soul is pampered and my mind refreshed. Sample this slice of paradise, imbibe this exhilarating elixir and realize that the good life only gets better.
Nestled in the heart of San Juan, this charming and expansive 1920s home converted into a posh Shanghai-inspired opus is a bespoke yet down-to-earth urban haven. The Tian-Di experience starts the minute you enter the 3,200-square-meter compound, when you are transported into a world of nostalgia. As you ascend the flight of concrete steps in gray slabs towards the foyer and into the wooden lobby of the opulent mansion, you feel you are entering a time warp as Tian-Di purveys the nostalgia and opulence of old Shanghai: reminiscent of the vainglorious ‘20s and ‘30s, of sophisticated ladies sipping fine wine in jazz venues while demurely carrying ornate cigarette cases and businessmen in sartorially tailored cheong sams.
Here, one can indulge in luxurious spa treatments such as luscious caviar facials, resplendent signature massages utilizing only the best Pevonia products while being pampered at the spa’s Thai silk-adorned treatment suites. One can also savor rainshower heads in the bathroom; program one’s own chillout music; relax and unwind in Tian-Di’s resto/bar music-themed lounge auspiciously called 8; sink one’s weary body in the hot tub of whirling Jacuzzi with aromatheraphy scents, and cap the night with a hearty meal and champagne cocktails.
“I walked into this place on a moonlit night as a customer for a massage treatment and never left,” said vivacious Cathy Santamaria, who is now Tian-Di’s efficient marketing director. This oasis in the city is like a black hole that magically pulls you in. I love everything about the spa facility that has morphed into this unique dining and bar concept. The dynamic group behind it treats everyone like one big and happy family. It is simply exhilarating and inspiring. I can easily understand why Cathy is so enamored of Tian-Di; I had just stepped in this paradisiacal place and found myself passionately embracing this new urban lifestyle destination where one can enjoy royal indulgence like no other.
Tian-Di, meaning heaven and earth, revels in what is authentic and real, with nothing structured, nothing rushed. Here, your lifestyle hosts cater to your essential needs and care about who you are, what you’re going through.
Walking into this sanctuary reminds me of the Shanghai that surprises and arrests the senses with all the gorgeous tapestry of the orient and the west. Tian-Di makes a bold statement by carefully preserving and combining the architectural styles of Shanghai’s art deco concept with an audacious and different concept to arouse the senses and imagination. It is sensuous, provocative to a certain degree, with a touch of class; it lures guests into an adventure of relaxation and seduction. Its interiors pulsate with drama, style, sensuality. It challenges you to be who you are, without pretensions. This vibrant, ever-evolving out-of-the-box concept is a dichotomy of harmony and contrast where the drab and dull have been banished. Instead, adventure, sophistication, even cinematic drama reign supreme.
Tian-Di’s affable F&B consultant Noel Flores, who hails from W Hotel and Peninsula Hotel in Chicago, says: “This is one place where you remember your dreams when you were five years old. Somewhere along the road, you forget these dreams but here, you rekindle them as you realize you want to stand firm by them. This is the only way you want to live.”
Spa proprietor Steve Uy, a multi-talented dynamo yuppie who graduated from New York University and Ate-neo de Manila with creative business savvy, shared that he was on his way to his animation studio when he chanced upon this old home almost about to be torn down, where Tian-Di is located right now. He jumped over the fence, knew in his heart this was what he wanted to convert into a place of his dreams and contacted the owner. Steve, just like Cathy, never left the property until he had rented it from the owner for a long-term lease.
Completing the Tian-Di team are Inaki Matute, Chesa Zimmer (also an F&B consultant) and Gina Choy, operations manager.
Experiencing Tian-Di is like a journey to the heart of heaven from earth. Cathy shared their lifestyle packages starting with Birthday Blessings which includes a Tian-Di signature massage: a complimentary 20-minute soak in the suds with Pevonia’s aromatic seaweed bath, a 15-minute head, neck, shoulder massage while you enjoy a glass of fine red or white wine. The package also has a cocktail brew served with appetizers like caviar or olive tepanade and saltine crackers. The spa’s Tian-Di sampler features signature massages with a sumptuous dinner and 30-minute Pevonia aromatherapy facial. It also offers a treatment called the “I Love Me” package that allows one to truly pamper oneself. For kids, it also has specially designed treats. For the corporate reward, treat your colleagues of 10 to chi-gong, and drinks to unwind after a hard day’s work. Sparties and pre-wedding shebangs can also be arranged. To your personal genies at Tian-Di, no request is too big or small.
What is it about his lovely, hauntingly beautiful home that attracts so many?
Steve answered: “It is simply timeless poetry in motion, lyrical and graceful, magical and unforgettable. The unconventionality allows you to imbibe that spirit of freedom to be anything you want, to create as you luxuriate. You may choose to wander or simply get lost in this lovely setting that synergizes this nostalgic oriental sentimentality with the aspirational sartorial scene. When I first saw this old house, I fell in love with it and was inspired to create a haven where people could come home to, have fun and pamper themselves.”
Experiencing Tian-Di is like a journey to the heart of heaven from earth. Walk around the spa and your feet will lead you down to the well-appointed silong (basement) where you will be welcomed by a very intimate lounge called Circa 1929 with relaxing mood lights and cozy furnishings. Donning your most comfortable robe and comfy slippers, you are the king of the business center where high-speed communications and state-of-the-art facilities are at your fingertips. Even its boardroom is available to host professional meetings while you converge in style. The Rockstar room where you find a jet-propulsion hot tub, mirrored ceiling, plush padded walls and posh opium beds that are perfect for that anniversary celebration, a testament of your endless love in heaven as on earth.
Yes, to visit Tian-Di is a declaration of loving yourself because we all need to feel loving kindness and compassion. Exceptional amenities and furnishings by Firma add to the indulgence of the welcoming environment.
Tian-Di also has a stylish signature restaurant called 8 Resto that serves hearty comfort food like taba ng ta-langka mussels; slow-cooked beef brisket braised in red wine, and olives; poached egg served with coconut milk turmeric rice. There’s also a heavenly leche flan. The sake mojitos with mint leaves is a refreshing cocktail that complements the meal. Steve, Cathy and Noel can create anything you want, whether or not it’s on the menu; customer satisfaction is key.
After sundown, Tian Di, the 1920s Shanghai-like home in all its glory, is transformed into a goddess of the night offering a destination within a destination. Innovative, vibrant nocturnal activities such as bar parties, private dinners and soon, outdoor movies with champagne buckets and caviar hors d’ oeuvres will perk up the evening. Noel Flores can create international and local dishes to your preference and you can just watch the stars or the full moon from the wooden balcony deck and chill.
Tian-Di revolutionizes the spa concept as it ascends to another level of indulgence, entertainment, music, relaxation and nocturnal pizzazz. Despite this elements, peace is still an invisible fixture at the spa. After all, peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise or hard work; it means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.
For those whose wisdom moves mountains, after a hard day’s work, it’s only fitting that heaven comes down to earth for you. You deserve every bit of it: a place where the art of the urban lifestyle has been perfected to a tee.
See you at Tian-Di, an inspiring haven of happiness.
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Tian-Di is located at 387 P. Guevarra St., Brgy. Addition Hills, San Juan. For bookings and reservations, call 722-9869 or 0922-8912704.
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E-mail the author at miladay.jewels@gmail.com.
