Review – A de-stressing experience at the Spa Village, Ritz Carlton, Kuala Lumpur

Spa Village, a fitting name for the well-equipped relaxation hub at the Ritz Carlton, strategically positioned in the heart of the beautiful city of Kuala Lumpur. In a locale such as this, where business is in full swing, tensions are high and big deals are always on the table, a spot such as the Spa Village is a real getaway from the hustle and bustle of the fast-paced city.

Located on the 4th floor of the Ritz Carlton, KL the elevator opens up to the sound of falling water from the slightly more private pool also located here for the hotel’s Residence suite guests. A plunge pool and Jacuzzi are also available.

Kick things off with a cool towel and a refreshing glass of flavored water
Kick things off with a cool towel and a refreshing glass of flavored water

The smell of potpourri, sweet incense, low lighting, and soothing Asian music set the scene for the reception area and connected store for the spa. But you’re also greeted with a very impressive display of awards that this particular spa has received from local and global agencies for its unique and age-old customs that are employed.
Following the trend that permeates the very essence of the Ritz Carlton, dark brown and cream shades adorn the spa’s walls, floors, and ceilings. In the adjoining waiting room, decorated with simple, comfortable, and tasteful Asian motifs, you can rest your weary self and await your chosen pleasure as a very polite and soft-spoken therapist will offer to store your footwear in lieu of comfortable sandals. A cooling welcome drink which is usually cold water with a hint of fresh fruit flavoring, is presented to you along with cold towelettes to wipe off the day’s grime and ready yourself for your treatment. The therapist will then escort you down the vestibules of the well laid out spa area that takes you past wooden works of Asian art that adorn the walls of the corridors.
Having opted for separate treatments but wanting to share the experience, we utilized one of the six couple’s therapy (twin beds) rooms, of which there’s no shortage. But of course you can also choose to use the smaller rooms (two rooms) if you happen to be single. There’s even an outdoor cabana, which has three beds.

Park you feet into the comfy sandals; next step, relaxation central!
Park you feet into the comfy sandals; next step, relaxation central!

Each therapy practiced at the Spa Village in KL is based on a variety of customs and practices ranging from Nusantara to Royal Malay and Peranakan Chinese cultures and also includes Egg Undulation Facials and Rattan tapping for some treatments.

The simple elegance and novelty of the rooms are what encapsulate you as soon as you step out of the corridor and into the sprawling landscape of what we’ve dubbed the “Spa Hut”. Each of these rooms is self-contained, complete with a controlled sauna that comfortably seats two, a washroom and a splendid little garden with a shower and a bathing pool. The first step out of the corridor and into the room sets you up for a truly invigorating experience. The room is designed to put you at ease; it’s calm, serene and refreshingly like having a space that’s all your own and very private, which is exactly what one needs. The soft music and chirping or birds adds that outdoorsy touch to this arena of relaxation.

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The fresh earthy fragrances wafting in from the outdoor garden area, combined with the aroma of incense and the mixes prepared for your treatment, will engulf you and give you a sense of calm. Each room also has individual lockers to store your bags (should you have any), your clothes etc. The therapy beds are lavishly comfortable and designed to help you remain at ease.

The therapists were not just well-trained but very accommodating as well. After taking note of the areas where we required a little more focus, they went to work on our tired and quite stressed-out bodies. Both therapist were always careful about sore regions and frequently inquired if the pressure applied was adequate; but what truly made us understand that we were being treated by thorough professionals, was the fact that they monitored our bodily motions and reactions to various pressure points and stress areas and preemptively reacted by either reducing the pressure or circumventing the region if need be. We were also politely asked if that was ok and if the area required more or less attention. It’s a great feeling to know that you’re in such professional hands and that is, in essence, what makes a relaxing spa treatment, truly relaxing!

 You own personal milk bath with rose petals await...
You own personal milk bath with rose petals await…

We enjoyed the below treatments.
For men – Gandapura (3 hours)
To kick things off, the treatment starts with a body cleanse with cool water and a soothing massage in warm oils. This is followed up by a very rejuvenating hair treatment where the therapist massages your scalp and head with oils that create a warm and soothing effect that percolates into your brain. Next up was a rub down with a Papaya (Carica) body masque with hot water that helps exfoliate the skin; really getting into those pores. After a relaxing rubdown, it was then time to sweat away the toxins in the steam room for about 15-20 minutes if you can stand the heat; the steam allows the oils to be absorbed into the hair and body. After a grueling steam cleanse, you can finally hit the now highly anticipated cool running waters of the outdoor shower to rinse off the body masque scrub and then, for the grand finale, just sit back and relax in a wonderfully luxurious warm water royal bath in the garden amidst the foliage. This fabulous treatment for men is priced at RM 850; three hours of bliss, and it still got over too quickly.

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 An outdoor shower to clean up before hitting the milk bath
An outdoor shower to clean up before hitting the milk bath

For the ladies – Rose Therapy (3 hours)
As the name suggests, post the initial cool water cleanse, this treatment commences with a soft hair massage with a treatment of rose and lavender. A soothing body massage ensues, which is then followed up by a rose petal body masque and scrub that’s massaged onto the body and left to sit for a while. If you aren’t deep into a relaxed slumber by this time, something’s wrong. Then it’s off to the steam room to let the various elements seep in. After a 15-20 minute steam, it’s on to a cool shower in the garden followed by a warm milk bath with rose petals in the bathing pool. It’s that feeling of personal attention and the overall layout that makes you feel like you’re royalty when soaking in this hot tub surrounded by rose petals. There’s no pampering quite like this. The Rose Therapy treatment for ladies is also priced at RM 850 and is an experience that is well worth it.

 A hot cup of ginger tea and cookies await before facing the world outside
A hot cup of ginger tea and cookies await before facing the world outside

Post the treatment; once you’ve cleaned up and you’re feeling relaxed and refreshed, you’re returned to the waiting area, where a delicious pot of piping hot ginger tea and oatmeal cookies await. It’s the perfect cap off to a rejuvenating, ultra-relaxing experience that lets you walk away with a new lease on life, ready to take on the world and all its many hang-ups.

You can also stop by the Spa store on your way out. It caters to those who wish to take a little something home with them, aside from the fantastic experience. It offers a variety of goods from herbs, spices, dried fruit, and flowers to garments like robes etc., jewelry, herbal teas, lights, decorative vases, scented soaps and lotions, body oils, caps, shampoos and shower gels, eye pillows, sunscreen, hand cream, anti-aging cream, balms, body masks, rose water, Malaysian cloth table mats, purses and much much more.

The Spa Village’s opening hours are 10 am and up to 9 pm. Treatments can be selected from an array of services that include couple’s packages or individual options as well as a la carte services. Whatever you choose, be rest assured you’re in good, capable hands of a professional who understands the intricacies of relaxation and the methods by which they are delivered.

Address –
Spa Village, Ritz Carlton KL.
168, Jalan Imbi, Pudu, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia

The Luxe factor is

9 Ambience
9 Treatment
8 Products USed
8.7
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