Sometimes “BestOfs” are doubly good. I have not only not seen “herbal compression” treatments at a spa, but I have certainly not seen a workshop that teaches you who to make your own. But Cora Cora has put these together is a distinctively creative wellness experience. The herbal compresses are heated in a special steamer and then the warm herb compress is then applied (either directly to skin or through thin pyjamas) during a massage. The compress itself is made of a collectin of herbs wrapped tightly in a thin muslin or cotton cloth.
We have marveled at the expansive range of bed decorating in the Maldives, but our treatments at Sun Siyam Iru Veli was the first time we were treated to a floral welcome in our spa room.
I appreciate when resorts focus on a certain market, style or ambience instead of being all things to all people. Well, Joali Being is 100% focused on well-being:
· “Maldives’ first luxury bespoke wellbeing resort…Here guests are guided on the path to self-discovery and renewal.”
I still remember when many resorts didn’t have spas back in the 90s. Now an entire island is dedicated to being one big spa experience.
Many wellness products and spa “treatments” are couched in all sorts of medical lingo to make them sound more clinical, but Velaa is taking “wellness” quite seriously with a licensed medical doctor offering consultations for things such as:
While guests might come to the Maldives to check out the bioluminescence of the plankton in the Maldivian waters, they acan also check out their own bioresonance at Joali Being. The “Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond the Lobby” episode about the Maldives hopped over to Joali’s latest property to see the latest tech for diagnosis and informing wellbeing. The host Monica Galetti visits its Areka Wellbeing Center to try out its “bio-resonance device which reads the energy produced by the living cells in her body.”
Sun Siyam Iru Veli isn’t the first spa treatment with a view, but it is the one of the best I have come across. Both the glass floor portal and the head rest are open enough for easily opening your eyes and gazing at the aquatic life passing by. And the ocean underneath has several fish-attracting coral croppings to maximise the visual interest. [NOTE: I titled this post “Clear View” to distinguish it from another fine spa view at Coco Bodu Hithi, but which it obstructed a bit by the design on the glass and the flower arrangement on top]
A treatment room with a view.
While most visitors to the Maldives come for the solar-powered heat therapy, Joali Being also offers the counterpoint treatment of cryotherapy:
A spa treatment, especially in the Maldives, isn’t just about the targeted part of the body, but is also an immersive experience of relaxation and comfort. With massages, I do sort of appreciate a lovely location, but frankly when you are face down with your eyes closed, there is not much opportunity to enjoy them. So for massage treatments, the sensory luxury is all about touch – the feel of the plush table and of course the expert therapists.
Ritz Carlton Maldives’ spa simply exudes sensual softness in every details. You change into super silk soft robes. The face rest not only featured a spongy cushion, but also it was covered with an ultra soft chamois. The same chamois texture that covered the entire bed. And Dankaj, my masseur, provide a treatment that was fluid and tender while being firm enough to coax the tight muscles out of their tension (I find male masseurs to often be too mechanical and firm) with just the right pressure like the right amount of chili in a curry.
Some spas are on the island and some spas are overwater, but at Kuda Villingili the spas have their own very own island complete with overwater treatment rooms.
