Distinctly Anantara at the Golden Triangle
29/11/2007
Carving its place in the world of luxurious and niche spas is the relatively new and still-growing, boutique Anantara Spa brand.
Shrouded in legacies and folktales of times past, each Anantara Spa can be found nestled in settings that weave nature with tradition and were designed to quiver the human emotion. The Sanskrit word ‘Anantara' reflects the flow of water without borders; the ‘flow of water' defining a sense of peace and ‘without borders' symbolizing the unimpeded freedom in which this peace is protected, savored and nurtured.
The Anantara Spa at the Anantara Resort & Spa Golden Triangle (a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World) is a serene and superlatively sensual spa retreat. With views over three countries, air laden with the scent of spices, the sound of birdsong wafting through open windows and the warm tingle of Thai spice aromatic oil, the property is set on a hilltop ridge, deep in the heart of hill-tribe country. Boasting a three-storey volume reception room with two huge muslin-draped swings, the spa offers guests the chance to relax with a cup of warm ginger tea while overlooking Thai and Burmese jungle canopy, the Mekong valley and the misty, green hills of Laos - an area that defines the Golden Triangle - once famous as the center of the world's opium trade.
Set on a hilltop ridge, deep in the heart of hill tribe country with views over three countries, Anantara Spa in northern Thailand is superlatively sensual. On arrival, one enters a three-storey reception room with two huge muslin-draped swings offering guests the chance to chill out with a cup of warm ginger tea while overlooking Thai and Burmese jungle canopy, the Mekong Valley and the misty, green hills of Laos.
After choosing a treatment, guests float through to one of the spa's five terrazzo and teakwood suites, each of which is designed for couples and have their own shower and herbal steam room. Those wanting to shun air-conditioning, often unnecessary in the cooler climate of northern Thailand, can open the balcony doors and listen to the forest's bird chorus and inhale the warm smell of lemongrass wafting through the windows. Each suite balcony features either an alfresco sunken soaking tub or a Thai massage platform, both of which can accommodate two people and be enclosed within muslin drapes for extra privacy.
The spa's treatments are all deliciously indulgent. The elixirs and oils all use the finest and freshest indigenous ingredients and are nutrient rich and luxuriously aromatic. Using traditional beauty essences such as sandalwood, ylang ylang, patchouli, mandarin, lavender, lemongrass, ginger, cinnamon, bergamot and natural ingredients such as Thai coffee beans, natural volcanic pumice, sweet woods, powdered spices, yoghurt, carrots and cucumbers, all the treatments are designed to deliver radiance, relaxation and a sense of well-being.
The Anantara Spa Golden Triangle's signature Culture of Anantara is an absolute lusciously exotic blend treatment full of the essential goodness of wild honey, brown sugar with ripe bananas and fresh pumpkin to moisturize and nourish the skin. For guests with stiff or sore muscles, the 90-minute Traditional Thai Massage is an ancient aromatic treatment dating back to the Ayutthaya period that was especially designed for war weary soldiers to soothe their aching muscles.
If balance, energy and a sense of peace are being sought, then the Anantara therapists might recommend the Elemis Aroma Stone Therapy, a luxurious 60-minute aromatic massage combined with deep heat therapy that uses soothing, smooth basalt stones lifted from heated water and applied with specially blended warm oils in long flowing strokes over the body. It's the perfect treatment for loosening stiff and sore muscles resulting from over-exercise and stress.
In addition to their captivating designs and locations, all Anantara Spas' treatments draw on the richness of their surrounding cultures. As such, signature treatments are called ‘The Culture of the Spa'. There are body treatments to exfoliate, soften and invigorate using salt, Javanese spices, exotic fruits, aromatic functions and fragrant oils. Each experience at an Anantara Spa begins gently and ends leaving you with memories to last a lifetime. Spa rituals range from 2-hour spa treats of two complementary treatments to five and a half hour full-day indulgencies which include a spa cuisine lunch. Longer spa ‘journeys' for authentic enthusiasts include 3, 5 and 7-day spa packages, which are tailored by spa consultants to suit each guest.
Traditional beauty essences such as sandalwood, ylang ylang, patchouli, lavender, lemongrass, ginger, cinnamon, bergamot and natural ingredients such as Thai coffee beans, natural volcanic pumice, sweet woods, powdered spices, yoghurt, carrots and cucumbers, are used in all treatments which are designed to deliver radiance, relaxation and a sense of well-being.
To complement the synergy of the spa's natural and indigenous ingredients, Anantara Spas feature the award-winning Elemis products, created in Britain in 1990. As one of the most innovative market leaders in advanced aromatherapy skincare and professional spa therapy treatments for the face and body, the products are aimed at treating each person holistically by appealing to the emotions and through delivering high therapeutic value.
Come discover the intimate hideaways of Anantara Spas and let the beauty of Anantara tempt you, typify you and touch you.