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

 

Balinese Massage at Intan D’Zaress Spa

Intan D’Zaress Spa, Gadong: Balinese 90 min Massage $35

Peace and loving relaxation. Traditional Balinese massage technique passed down through generations in the Javanese and Bali traditions. A restoring and calming experience heightened with Swedish massage, acupressure, skin rolling and relaxing strokes.

Welcome to Intan D’Zaress Spa, a spa which markets itself with traditional Indonesian spa treatments and Balinese massage. I found the spa while blog hopping, and have read promising reviews about the 3 month old spa in Gadong. At the time, that was the only information provided – no address or phone number provided especially when Gadong covers quite a wide area. It was quite difficult for me to find the spa and since there’s no website to check for the addresses or even signs leading to the spa. But eventually I managed to track down the location.

The spa shares the same block with Cosmopolitan College and Processta in Gadong. Its at the building right by the Gadong river, if you know Booker bookstore in Gadong, there is a small road leading to this building. Now that, trying out different spa treatments have become somewhat a leisurely activity of mine – I thought I have tried out all spas in this country. But spas or health centres specialising in foot reflexology and massages are shrooming and expanding here.

Intan D’Zaress spa opened recently in December 2008, its unfortunate that no one really knew about it partly because of its obscure location but its mostly to do with the fact that the management didn’t really market the spa well. Anyway – this is one spa I will have to write about because I feel that it deserves the attention that it should get.

There’s not a lot of Balinese spas out there in Brunei especially for men, most of the spas like Martha Tilaar and Tunjung Sari Spa in Delima only cater for women. In the Kiulap area, most of the massage and spa therapists are Thais or Filipinos – the massage techniques are very different than a Bruneian traditional massage experience. From a Thai masseuse you will generally experience plenty of stretching and yoga movements while the Filipinos mostly learn Western massage techniques such as Swedish and Sports massage.

A Balinese massage is probably what’s on offer here which closely resembles the traditional Malay experience. It would be great if someone could open a Brunei-based spa offering traditional massage and immerse the Brunei Malay culture in the spa treatments. I mean just look at how detailed and intricate the Bruneian wedding journey is with Mandi Bunga (floral bath), Berbedak (scrub and traditional camphor body mask treatment) and Berinai (Herbal nourishing mud and henna for the hair and skin for fertility). It would be nice to see this one day – our culture is as equally as rich and beautiful as the Balinese and the Thai cultures.

Anyway, the 90 minute treatment starts with a warm, soothing foot soak with basalt stones at the bottom of the bucket. The massage therapist then apply hot towels all over my back. The warmth was definitely welcome, it really makes your body and muscles more relaxed. Steam coming from the white towels felt really good, it reminded me of my childhood where my grandmother would apply hot towels on my forehead. Its very traditional indeed to start with this.

I also would like to point out that, I really like that the towels have the words Intan Spa embroidered. It really gives a personal touch to the spa, making it all exclusive and unique for the spa customers. Although I did not like the use of plastic flowers as shown at the picture above. It makes the setting cheap and tacky in my honest opinion.

I have experienced Swedish, Thai and Shiatsu massage before, I thought there wouldn’t be any more massage techniques besides that. Generally, I could easily predict what the massage sequence is especially with Swedish massage normally given by Filipinos. This Balinese massage experience was unpredictable. This is a good thing, the massage sequence and the strokes were really good. Balinese massage is different than Swedish because it also deals with acupressure points and deep tissue. If you like your massage to be firm but hated Shiatsu, Balinese massage is for you.

If I have to say something negative about the spa, its the massage bed. The hole where you put your face into was ill-fitting and it was not so comfortable when compared to the ones in Thann Sanctuary Spa or Shiatzen Spa. It left a slight mark on my face, but this was compensated by the incredible Balinese massage.

One thing for sure, my busy thoughts in my mind and restlessness at night were all gone after the treatment. Like most massages I received, it makes me feel calm and relaxed. What I like about this treatment is that, the massage begins with the hot towel and it ends also with the hot water towel, wiping off the excess oil from the body. Tense muscles are a thing of the past with the steam treatment.

Intan D’Zaress Spa is definitely a serious contender in the league of spas available in Brunei. For a 90 minute massage costing only $35 and having to actually delivered. This one spa have exceeded my expectations! This spa puts down Zen Spa, Amanha Spa to shame. For a hot-stones massage, just add $10 to the price – bargain!

Verdict: 8/10

90 minutes of Balinese massage costs $35. Call in 2426160 for more details and reservations.

Intan D’Zarezz Spa, Unit 4, Ground Floor Kompleks Hj. Tahir II BE 3519 Gadong

The return to Amanha Spa, Orchid Garden Hotel

Amanha Spa, Orchid Garden Hotel: Foot & Leg Massage $25

 

Its been nearly six months since I have checked out the Amanha Spa at the Orchid Garden Hotel, Anggerek Desa. I know this because I had with me one gift certificate that I have received during the spa’s roadshow in Kiulap last year. The gift certificate issued have only a six month validity, and its a few more days from expiring. So I hurried to the Amanha Spa to try another treatment of theirs.

 

Orchid Garden Hotel, Anggerek Desa

To be honest, I was a bit hesitant of going back to Amanha Spa based on my previous experience with the foot reflexology which was just mediocre. There was nothing special about the foot massage and adding the fact that the ambience of the reflexology area felt like a bar or café. With the television on and glaring white fluorescent light from the bar counter, I get the feeling that the area was not intended to be a spa during the planning stages of the hotel’s establishment.

Anyway, I like to point out that Amanha Spa have different treatment times for men and women. For convenience, it is best to call in the spa before on the specific times which you can drop in. I had a bit of time to check out the facilities offered by the spa – I was brought to the massage area for the body massage treatments, it looks tranquil and the ambience was a mile better than the foot massage area. The massage beds are laid down on the floor and each massage area was separated by light and airy curtains. It reminded me of Asianel Spa, Starhill Gallery which I have visited last December in Kuala Lumpur.

The facilities offered in the Spa are extensive: Steam Room, Infra-red Sauna Room, Rain showers, Jacuzzi and changing rooms with private guests’ lockers. White, thick bathrobes offered for the hotel guests and spa visitors. Spa visitors are welcome to use the facilities before starting their treatments. Other day spas in Brunei are lacking in this department including the infamous Zen Spa and Thann Sanctuary Spa. I had a look through the spas in Japan and England on the web, such facilities are the norm offering spa guests more time relaxing in the spa thus further enhancing their spa experience.

Amanha Spa Foot Reflexology area

 

The foot and leg massage didn’t feel like it was from an experienced masseuse. What I don’t understand is, the masseuse keeps on talking and yapping. He just could not shut up. Spa business 101: Spas is a place for peace and tranquillity, customers paid for that privilege. I was not relaxed during the course of the treatment and after. The masseuse basically talks about his years of experience in the spa industry in Brunei, having to previously worked in Health Express Kiulap under the old management. With him talking all the time, I felt that the only movement came from his mouth and not his hands working on my legs and feet. His massage techniques weren’t fluid and often disrupted, sometimes painful! It wasn’t really enjoyable at all and at the end of the day, I was more annoyed than I first came to Orchid Garden Hotel.

It raises the question of whether, this particular spa experience was worth calling a spa treatment?

 

Did I feel relaxed afterwards? No.

 

But have I paid for the treatment? Yes (Technically, I added $5 with the $20 gift certificate)

 

And all I get was a lecture and a life story of an inexperienced masseuse on how he claims to have experience in the Brunei spa industry? Hogwash I’d say!

 

What a shame, it really ruined my perception to Amanha Spa. I wouldn’t suggest the massuese although I couldn’t say much on other massage therapists – they might be better.

Verdict: 0/10

 

Body Scrub at Shiatzen Spa, Kiulap

Shiatzen Spa: Living Radiance promotion Body Scrub & Mask with Massage $65 (120 min)

February 2008 – Kiulap

“Restore your skin’s natural balance and radiance with a body scrub to exfoliate and smooth the skin, followed by a firming body mask and an hour’s massage. Emerge radiant, glowing and totally relaxed.”

Absolute Indulgence. That was the word to describe the Living Radiance spa package offered by the ever legendary Shiatzen Spa. After several weeks of contemplating on whether I should try out my first spa body scrub experience and having to compare the scrub treatments offered by different spas – it was not difficult to finally choose Shiatzen Spa.

Body scrub for glowing healthy skin

After a series of exceptional massages that have exceeded my expectations every time, I know I could rely on the spa to make me feel relaxed and revitalised at the end of the treatment. Obviously having to splurge that amount of money, definitely at the end of the day getting your money’s worth on what you have paid for.

I have never had a body scrub and mask spa treatment before, as most of my visits to the spa are mainly for the body massage or the foot reflexology. For two hours of ultimate indulgence, the experience was just bliss. I was given a choice of scrubs to choose from, sea salt scrub, tropical scrub, Javanese Lulur with an array of exotic spices, Japanese green tea infusion scrub were the ones I can remember. I finally chose the Javanese Lulur due to its detox and skin-brightening properties.

The scrub treatment took about 30 minutes where the spa therapist spread the variety spices over my skin. The exotic aroma from the Lulur and the mixed ingredients blends and shedding away the dull skin revealing a healthy skin glow underneath. The therapist really do work the scrub on my back leaving my skin soft like a baby.

Just like the scrub, there were plenty of body masks to choose from: Italian White Mud Masque, Tropical Mango and Avacado, Green Tea and Camphor. I chose the tropical mango and avocado body mask for its skin brightening and replenishing properties. The body mask treatment after the scrub treatment definitely fitting, the skin will continue to absorb the nutrients and vitamins during the course of the body masque treatment. This is definitely a serious attempt towards healthy and glowing skin.

Body masque compliments the body scrub

Next, the Swedish and Shiatsu combination massage. Well, what can I say, I was deeply relaxed and it was exactly what I have described in my previous review. Consistency is what sets Shiatzen Spa apart from the others. Shiatzen Spa still remains one of the top spas here in Brunei – with its pricing and exceptional spa experience.

Verdict – 9/10

Reservation is a must. Call in 8980628 for more details.