Quan Spa: The spring of wellness
MANILA, Philippines - These days, the concerns of daily living, whether at home or at work, can take its toll on even the most adaptive individual. No matter how used to the daily grind a person is, there will always be the need to escape, rediscover, and reinvigorate oneself.
When Marriott Hotel Manila opened its Quan Spa last February, the tired and the occupied were given another place to fill this need. It is no coincidence that Quan means “spring water.” After all, that really is the intention: for Quan Spa to become a sanctuary of inner calm and relaxation, of health and wellness.
Quan Spa is at the second floor of Marriott Hotel Manila. Its layout is very much Asian, with bamboo walls and luxurious bed in Thai silk bathed in discreet lighting. Further inside, the spa has six spacious, first-class treatment rooms, which include changing facilities, toilet, and showers.
True to its spa philosophy of “health through water,” the Quan Spa offers a luxe bathing suite and a reflexology lounge. The bathing suite includes a relaxation lounge, an LCD TV screen, and a personal mini-bar.
The spa offers a wide variety of treatments to soothe body, mind and spirit. Two of its signature massages are of Filipino origin. There is the hilot, an indigenous massage technique that, in true Quan fashion, makes use of virgin coconut oil, sampaguita, ylang-ylang, and herbal elements like banana leaf. These materials are used to identify and reduce energy blockages, which make the body tense.
Another Filipino offering is the Dagdagay Foot Massage, a 90-minute tribal foot and leg massage. It is a combination of a foot soak that uses fresh guava leaves, natural clay, and a deep massage and promises to revitalize tired feet.
The spa presents an impressive menu of massage therapy: Aroma Fusion Massage, which combines aromatherapy and Swedish massage; Deep Renewal Massage, the Spa Foot Ritual, and the Thai Foot Massage.
Highly recommended is the Earth Stone Massage, an hour and a half of what is probably the ultimate full body massage. Instead of just hands to massage one’s body, this treatment uses two micronized minerals, malachite and zincite, as well as massage oils that restore overworked limbs.
Also on the menu are polishes, scrubs, wraps, and masks that aim to detoxify and rejuvenate the skin: Fresh Coconut Polish; Fresh Coffee Scrub, which uses kapeng barako to scrub one’s body; and the fruit-laden Tropical Renewal.
For wraps, the Quan Spa has treatments that utilize fresh banana leaves and papaya. The Seaweed Detoxifier, dubbed as the “facial for the body,” uses marine and botanical elixirs from France. The Water Lily Hydrator applies the Asiatic Water Lily, known for its healing, anti-aging, and hydrating properties. It is said to be perfect for travelers who just came off a long-haul flight.
For its face therapy offerings, the spa features another signature treatment called the Arizona Desert Mud Spinal Pack, a rich mud pack applied to the spinal area prior to all facials and promises to relieve aches, pains, and tension. One notable treatment is the Luxury Caviar Facial, which, you guessed it, makes use of ingredients of caviar, pearl, and a natural plant derivative to Botox called Es-Cotox.
Guests who want to truly embrace the Quan Spa experience can always upgrade their packages to include a poolside lunch where the Marriott Manila’s executive chef has created special spa-inspired lunch menus.
The Quan Spa is a good 15-minute drive from Makati, so getting away from it all should never really pose a problem. This is a spa experience made accessible, a getaway in the city.
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The Quan Spa is located at the second level of the Marriott Hotel Manila, #10 Newport Boulevard, Newport City Complex, Pasay City. For more information, call 988-9999 or log on to www.marriott.com/mnlap.
