Best of the Maldives: Mens Grooming – One & Only Reethi Rah

One and Only Reethi Rah shave

Holidays are when you often take a break from the hassle of personal grooming. Sometime you even go the whole time neglecting it returning with the ‘holiday beard’. But if you are in the need of a bit of holiday man-scaping, then One & Only Reethi Rah’sBarber and Blade” spa provides a classic grooming and shaving studio with treatments as soothing as the Maldives ocean breezes…

  • “Appointments take place within the private rooms dedicated to gentlemen’s grooming equipped with sleek leather barber chairs, specially designed for One&Only Reethi Rah by Anderson/Miller Ltd. The studio allows guests to feel comfortable and relaxed whilst a dedicated team of grooming experts are on hand to provide a bespoke grooming routine – ensuring that all gentlemen look and feel their best. Barber and Blade exclusively offers Gentlemen’s Tonic products…The treatment menu features basic shaves to beard designs, colouring services and four signature grooming experiences, including the 70-minute Ultimate One&Only Wet Shave.”

The barber shave is a bit of a dying art in with the advent of advanced razors, but they remain one of the few decadent “beauty” treatments men get to enjoy. No matter how many blades you have on your Mach X razor, you will never get as close as a trained professional who is not having to negotiate through a mirror. Furthermore, one of the keys to a close and comfortable shave is the preparation – steaming towel and creamy balm to soften the skin and whiskers. Something few men shaving take enough time to do. And having the hot towel on your face in a chair is as relaxing as it is soothing.

I treated all my groomsmen to a classic shave on my wedding day and we had as much fun (and looked as almost as smart) as the bridesmaids who enjoyed the beauty parlor. And on our recent trip sailing in the Greek isles, we came upon an old school barber offering shaves and it was one of the decadent high points of the holiday sitting in the chair being pampered while listening to the sounds of the bustling port town outside.

Shear luxury.

Best of the Maldives: Couples Scrub – Ayada

Ayada - couples scrub

After all that beach posing, every power couple will want to power wash in style before tonight’s big New Year’s Eve celebrations. Fortunately, Ayada offers a special couples scrub spa treatment. Couples massages are pretty commonplace, but a couples scrub I haven’t seen as elaborately done as at Ayada. Complete with Esta brand cleansers. 

Best of the Maldives: Value Treetop Spa – Dusit Thani

Dusit Thani - tree top spa 2

If you prefer relaxing on top of a palm tree – rather than under it or *on* it – then Dusit Thani’s treetop Devarana Spa is perched just right for you…

  • “The spa encompasses six deluxe treatment pods which sit elevated amongst the island’s palm trees and for those who prefer to keep their feet firmly on the ground; the spa has also developed two stunning ground level treatment rooms. Manicure and pedicure-dedicated area, private outdoor pool, steam and sauna are exclusively available for spa guests.”

Eight treatment rooms are found in the 6 treetop pods nettled atop of the tropical lushness. All treatments guaranteed to leave to feeling floating on air.

Dusit Thani - tree top spa 1

Best of the Maldives: Yoga Finish – Thudufushi

Thudufushi - yoga finish

I always have thought that the best part of yoga was “Savasana” (ie. “Corpse Pose”). Completely relaxing at the end of a hard session with the aroma of some essential oil. That was until I did a session at Thudufushi.

Lori and I did a session there (offered daily for free). Lori has gotten me into doing yoga in a private session each week. I’ve always preferred “lazy yoga”, aka Thai Massage, where the focus of the treatment is on muscle stretching (in a variety of contorted moves), but you just lie back and relax. My joints have always been a bit tight with all my weight training for sports and now getting older. But Lori insists I practice the yoga because she “doesn’t want to be putting my shoes and socks on for me in my old(er) age”.

Thudufushi holds their yoga sessions right outside their Serena Spa. And at the end of each session, the therapists come out and provide a final, soothing bit of stretching and massaging. Above, spa therapists Nantin and Narcy are working on Lori and Claudia Galeazzi , our yoga instructor.

Namazzzzzste!

Best of the Maldives: Hydrotherapy Pool – Cocoa Island

Cocoa Island - Hydrotherapy Pool 1

In the land of endless water spectacles, Cocoa Island’s hydrotherapy pool might just be the biggest indoor water feature in the Maldives. It certainly is the biggest hydrotherapy pool in the country, and in fact it claims to be the biggest in Asia. It’s the biggest I have seen and I am a connoisseur of spas around the world. Even Lori was impressed as she uses hydrotherapy pools professionally as a part of her therapy practice. It includes bubble loungers, drench fountain, back massager and a whole array of relaxing water jets. It is available to all guests on a complimentary basis and fresh ginger tea is on tap non-stop.

Cocoa Island - Hydrotherapy Pool 2

Cocoa Island - Hydrotherapy Pool 4

Cocoa Island - Hydrotherapy Pool 3

Cocoa Island - Hydrotherapy Pool 7

Cocoa Island - Hydrotherapy Pool 6

Best of the Maldives: Moonlight Massage – Velaa

Velaa - moonlight massage

Tonight is the “Flower Moon”. Also called Mother’s Moon, Milk Moon, and Corn Planting Moon. It marks a time of increasing fertility with temperatures warm enough for safely bearing young, a near end to late frosts, and plants in bloom.

The perfect time for one of Velaa’s “Moonlight Massages”. It is only offered once a month on nights with a full moon. And tonight’s would seem particular apt to stimulate your own personal blossoming.

With this post, I’ve added the new tag of “Moon” for all those lunar luxuries.

 

Best of the Maldives: Massage Head Support – Velaa

Velaa - massage head support

It’s hard to find any fault with even the worst massage. But if I do have pet peeve with spa treatments, it is the face hole in the massage bed. The worst ones are barely padded or use an awkwardly rolled up towel. At the end of the massage, you have a big, red, aching indentation mark across your forehead. But Velaa has figured out the ultimate head support at its spa…

1. Glass Floor View – Good. If you are going to stare straight down for an extended period, then have something pleasant to set your eyes on is a treat.

2. Coral View – Better. A couple of resorts do provide glass floor views for their over-water spa treatment rooms. In every case that I’ve seen the view is just a sandy bottom (not the good kind). The sandy deserts of the lagoon floor have very little marine life to gaze upon aside from the stray white fish. But Velaa has situated its view directly over some fine coral croppings for an enchanting spectacle of small tropical fish darting to and fro.

3. Gel Mask – Best. Wow. I’ve had all sorts of face pads on massage beds from the aforementioned hard board to plush cushiony affairs. But you don’t get any more soothingly soft than a gel mask. Perfect.

Best of the Maldives: Shower Experience – Velaa

Velaa - spa shower experience

สวัสดีปีใหม่

Happy Thai New Year! The Thai celebrations include a number of traditions typical in many cultures ringing in the calendar milestone – feasting, visiting families. One ritual distinctive to “Songkran” is cleansing. A bit reminiscent of the new beginnings and fresh starts embodied in New Year’s Resolutions. People go to Buddhist temples to wash away their sins and bad luck. The custom has grown quite lively with a now iconic water festival where people splash each other with water.

If you want to wash away your sins and bad luck, the best place in the Maldives is Velaa’s My Blend Spa by Clarins. This indulgent facility includes a number of innovative features from its snow room to its “cloud pod” to its steam room-with-a-view. But one of my favourites was the “Soaking 4 Ways” (my term). Quattro Fradicio.

In a single room, they offer 4 different soaks…

  1. Rain Shower
  2. Waterfall Shower
  3. Hand-held Shower
  4. Bucket (!) – see above

The “Bucket” seems to be the ultimate in drenching. Possibly the culmination of an ever intensifying trend. First there were “normal” showers. You turned them on…water came out. Then came the power showers and massage showers which pushed that spray a bit more firmly. Then, came the soaking “rain” showers. With twice as many and larger outlet holes, the water poured down on you sumptuously. The next obvious step was the “Waterfall” showers where the flow-impeding holes were done away with entirely. Now the “Bucket just drops the entire dose of water on you instantaneously.

Velaa - spa shower experience 2