The second day comes to an end and I must walked more than a million steps across the city and up and down a mountain. I was beat. So beat yet my mind was very much alive with flashing images of the exciting Taipei attractions I visited in the past two days.
Perhaps a dip in the hot tub in the stylish and sexy bathroom of my W Taipei Fabulous Room will be calming, like it was on the first night, but I needed something more relaxing. I knew I needed to break away from the excited tourist mode.
Breaking away from it all at the W means escaping to AWAY Spa. It’s a place where one can “wind down with feet up, and revitalize and rejuvenate while relaxing and renewing.”
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| AWAY SPA entrance |
Staying true to its hip, modern and electrifying theme, the entry to AWAY spa is a wall of white dotted with three-dimensional bubbles motifs that delivers a promise of freshness.
The calming white hue continues into the custom-designed spa and easing the senses further are the soothing scents, relaxing sounds and soft light.
This was my first step to a complete regeneration.
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| The look of the future. AWAY Spa reception |
AWAY’s menu offers an array of luxurious beauty treatments rejuvenating therapies to pamper guests from head to toe. Specific, packaged treatments or even customized bundles, the expert technicians can address one’s specific needs.
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| "Talents" is how W refers to their receptionists. Meet the talents- Mandy & Effy |
My journey started with a welcome drink of lemon, elderflower and cranberry juice while the spa expert log in the standard information.
Having a million on my Taipei step count can qualify me as an athlete, and the 60-minute Body Refuel was the perfect treatment for me. It’s “an integrative sports therapy that provides therapeutic support to improve health and increase capabilities,” meaning I can be ready for another million or two more steps around Taipei.
Men get the same opulence as the women, AWAY Spa uses “Vitaman” from Australia the spa’s marquee De-Stressing Facial, De-Stressing Back and Sportmen's Treatments.
After pinpointing the most suitable therapy, I was lead to the changing room, then to one of the three private comfortable and calming treatment rooms with rainforest showers. The two single rooms provide a view of the posh neighborhood and for the couple room with Jacuzzi, throw in the view of the Taipei 101.
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| Taipei now, heaven later. The double delight room with the view of Taipei 101 |
Needless to say, the hour of bliss on the signature glowing bed passed too quickly, but I emerged from my private cocoon with renewed energy, tired and sore muscles gone.
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| My escape pod |
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| Ready for transformation. In the "decompress" single room with the signature glowing bed |
The chill moment didn’t end at the massage bed though. There is a post-treatment at the male changing rooms with sauna and steam room, which the therapist suggested I use.
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| Post-treatment chilling at W change room. It's equipped with a lounging area, Jacuzzi & sauna |
Sipping on warm soothing with ginger, lemon juice and elderflower tea while lounging at was the best place to end the journey.
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| The therapy starts with a welcome drink of lemon juice, elderflower & cranberry juice & ends with an herbal drink of ginger, lemon juice & elderflower |
Just as AWAY promised, I found myself sporting a post-spa smile leaving the spa. Truly, it was the place to detox, refuel and shine. It was the boost I needed for more Taipei adventures.
AWAY Spa is at W Taipei on 10 Zhongxiao East Road Section 5, Xinyi District, Taipei, Taiwan. Visit their website: www.wtaipei.com
Email me at jinggoysalvador@yahoo.com. For more lifestyle & travel stories, visit ofapplesandlemons.com and jeepneyjinggoy.com.
Also published in the SunStar Davao newspaper.
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