Back in action

Shiatzen Spa is now back in action after moving from Kiulap. It is now temporarily based in Taman Metutia, Jalan Jerudong, Simpang 265-20 Jerudong.

For those of you living around the area, theres little reason for you to drive all the way to Kiulap or Gadong for a massage treatment or facial, just head to Shiatzen Spa Jerudong instead.

Promotions include Body Mask + Body Scrub + Swedish & Shiatsu Massage for just $65!

Do call 8980628 for bookings and further enquiries.

Related posts:

Body Scrub at Shiatzen Spa

Shiatzen Spa: Swedish & Shiatsu Combination Massage $30

Zen spa escapades

I know I have told myself that I will not be coming to Zen Spa after the horrid experience of the Touch of Zen massage, their signature treatment but I felt that my review was not an accurate representation of the spa. On my return to the spa, they were very apologetic about my experience and they have noted that the therapist was transferred to another branch.

What I like about Zen Spa is the design of their interiors and the shower and steam room facilities available to the customers. This shows that Zen Spa is serious and after all they are the pioneers that paved the way towards the explosion of spas we see today.

 

Foot Scrub and Masque treatment $25

This was my first treatment after the Touch of Zen massage I tried last year, I kept telling myself perhaps if I choose a different therapist the experience would be different. I often hear rave reviews from my friends who tried Zen Spa, maybe I was just unlucky on that day.

I was offered a selection of fruit juices and herbal teas prior to the treatment, I chose the juice option. I was shocked to find that there were ants on my juice! Not good – I was not impressed even before the treatment starts! I mean in spa like Zen Spa, this little things cannot be overlooked. Anyway, the Foot Scrub and Masque treatment starts off with getting my feet soaked in soapy water to get rid of the germs and dirt and also to soften the soles of the feet. Then the therapist applied the clay masque liberally to my feet and was left on for 15 minutes, during this time the therapist gave a complimentary head, shoulder and back massage. I am beginning to relax and forget the fruit juice fiasco earlier.

Then the foot scrub: where my foot was filed and I start to see the hard skin shed off by the vigorous filing and scrubbing leaving my both of feet soft and smooth. Not bad, although you could actually do this on your own at home. Body Shop offers DIY foot filer, pumice and nail buffer at a fraction of the cost of the above treatment.

Verdict: 6/10

 

Aromatherapy Swedish Massage $35

I haven’t try the Swedish Massage in Zen Spa before, with a different therapist this time – I expected it to be better this time around. Swedish Massage involves long, continuous strokes of the whole body and was invented with lymphatic drainage in mind. The toxins accumulated in body are swept along the lymphatic nodes thus creating flow and balance.

At the end of the massage treatment, the muscles are relaxed and your well being improved. The question is whether the Swedish Massage is better than the Swedish offerings in other spas. With the $35 price, it is more expensive than Shiatzen Spa which offered the Swedish massage and the Swedish/Shiatsu combination massage.

The masseuse starts working on light strokes on my back and shoulders to reduce the tension of the muscles. And then the legs and arms. The music ambience was relaxing but it tend to be repetitive, the music played at the time of the treatment until just a day ago. It was still the same one played several months ago!

As usual, I felt relaxed as ever. The massage was way, way better than before, the therapist knew what he was doing. I guess, to answer the question whether this one is better its down to your personal preference. The room is no doubt bigger and the interiors was well spent, there is a shower in each treatment room. It changed my original prejudice of the spa, but it is not yet in the same level as Thann Sanctuary Spa due to the inconsistencies and little mistakes.

Verdict: 7/10

 

 

Herbal Foot Soak Reflexology, Standard Bucket $20

Firstly, was the healing herbal foot soak to soften heels and invigorate my tired feet. I love the vintage, traditional look of the bucket. This plus a complimentary head, back and shoulder massage! I’m not even sure if I would call it as complimentary! It was another massage on it own right. Soft towels infused with aromatic oils served to cover the head and eye area for total relaxation. I swear with the addition of the eye cover – I was pretty much asleep afterwards! The spa certainly have gone further to make sure their customers were happy and relaxed that they might come back for more.

Then the foot reflexology – one word Nirvana.

I highly recommend this as your first treatment in Zen Spa, do ask for Kaye. I personally request Kaye every time I’m at Zen Spa.

Verdict: 10/10

See also:

Thann Sanctuary Spa review - avant garde boutique style spa in Brunei

 

Haniesah Spa Kiulap 60 min Foot Reflexology $15

May – I have dreaded this month and cannot wait for this month to be over. I tell you why: after countless of procrastination and constantly delaying the promised revisions, spas that have yet to be reviewed – finally May comes and tells me, the time is now to act and spend the limited time left to revise for my law examinations.

Winston Churchill once said:

“The era of procrastination, of half measures, of soothing, and baffling expedience of delay is coming to its close. In its place we are entering a period of consequences.”

This is “the” month for me, the month that determines I sink or I swim towards the bright future that I have dreamt about. I know it will be tough, and the finishing point is still far off but the measure of success comes down to this, hard work. 

Anyway – I have the chance to visit a recently opened spa in Kiulap called Haniesah Spa Kiulap. Poor choice in the spa name, could use a name that exudes a sense of sanctuary. With that name alone, in my opinion it wouldn’t attract a lot of people compared to a spa called Zen or Mandara nearby.

With the spa explosion especially in the Gadong area is welcoming and exciting for spa-goers like me. Offering a whole lot more variety on the many spa treatments available – I’m afraid the market for spas is getting saturated. There are those who will be very successful and those who don’t. So – prices for the spa treatments hopefully will become increasingly competitive and people will become more demanding and choosy with the many options available.

Now that I have experienced the spas in this country, I like to know that what I paid is worth when experiencing the treatment. So when it comes to trying out new spas, I tend to choose the cheapest offering before forking out for other more expensive treatments. The foot reflexology offered here is the cheapest so far in Brunei at a price of $15.

The foot reflexology treatment begins with the foot soak in warm, soapy water. Other spas normally offer a herbal foot soak with nicer, bigger buckets. I have to constantly remind myself that the treatment is the cheaper compared to the others. The massage was technical and robotic, it was not very fluid to say the least. Unfortunately, the foot reflexology treatment just didn’t work for me. I was very annoyed with the fact that the therapist was also the receptionist – there were three occasions where my session was interrupted because she had to answer the phone from the customers. She didn’t seem to be apologetic with the situation.

I get the feeling that she kept looking on the time and waiting for the session to end. Being that most therapist in the spas here in Brunei are paid by commission, the more people they serve the more they get. At the end of the day, I felt that it was more of a chore and a job for her then actually enjoying giving the massage to customers.

 

This spa is at best mediocre. There are plenty of better spas around in Kiulap.

Verdict: 3/10

Yoga at heart

A couple of days ago, I did my destressing monthly routine at Shiatzen Spa for the Swedish/Shiatsu combination massage, felt very relaxed afterwards as usual. I always felt calm in Shiatzen Spa, I felt the good energies in the waiting area and in the massage room. The crystals all around the waiting area and the plants carefully placed around strategic areas to bring good energies and Feng Shui in the spa. The spa offers a Chakra Balancing and Cleansing Crystals therapy treatment to cleanse and re-harmonise your body, mind and spirit which I have yet to try.

The spa is moving out into another place, near Dunes cafe and Zen Spa. I’m very much ecstatic about this, the treatments will still be the same but the interiors would all be new and fresh, I’m hoping that the interiors would rival Zen Spa especially now that it is situated near Zen Spa in Kiulap. I am told that in the mean time, the spa will be based at some house in Jerudong before the renovations in the new site are completed. I do not have the address yet, but will let you know as soon as it is made available to me.

Anyway, the masseuse Bing gave me a yoga leaflet for yoga lessons conducted by Jac of Seraphina Yoga:

Feeling out of shape? Tired? Stressed? Would you like to look fit and healthy? Why wait? Hurry and join us for some wholesome fun at D’Music Motion & Fitness Studio.

Yoga will help improve suppleness and help tone body muscles. It’s the best form of exercise to feel relax and rejuvenated. Delve into this ancient practice and find the peaceful oasis within you.

See you soon.

Yoga Schedule

Monday

8.30 am Beginners Yoga

5.30 pm Beginners Yoga

Tuesday

8.30 am Hatha 2

5.30 pm Hatha 2

Wednesday

10 am Gentle Aqua

5.30 pm Hatha 1

Thursday

8.30 am Hatha 2

5.30 pm Hatha 2

Saturday

10 am Restorative Yoga

4 pm Hatha 1

5.30 pm Hatha 2

Prices

8 LESSONS $60

12 LESSONS $80

WALK IN $10

For more information, please check the website http://www.seraphinayoga.blogspot.com