Having visited Urban Oasis Spa in Bangkok, my husband and I were keen to check out their sister outlet, Tropical Retreat Spa, since we were in Phuket. These spas are part of The Oasis Spa brand, with a number of outlets across Chiang Mai and Pattaya as well.
I found that purchasing spa vouchers on Klook was cheaper than booking on the direct website. As I had discounted Klook gift cards from a prior AMEX offer, I managed to get the 120-minute Queen Of Oasis Massage at $20.02. For my husband’s 120-minute Ayurveda Package, we stacked a 10% promo code to bring it down to $141.28. If you’re also planning to get the Klook spa vouchers, do note that you’ll still need to make a reservation with the spa directly, which we did easily via their Facebook page.
- Inclusions:
- 120-minute King of Oasis Massage (changed from Queen Of Oasis Massage)
- 120-minute Ayurveda Package
- Spent: SGD$161.30
The best way to get here is probably by car as it is quite out of the way along a fairly deserted road. Once inside, it felt as if all the hustle and bustle had been left at the door and we were immersed in a hushed tropical sanctuary. A staff brought us simple welcome drinks (though I couldn’t really tell what I was drinking as it was very diluted).
Shortly after, we filled up a form on our preferred pressure and any areas we wanted our masseuses to focus on or avoid. The staff then went through our preferences with us one more time for confirmation. My initial booking was for the Queen Of Oasis Massage but after the staff explained what it entailed, I opted to change it to the King Of Oasis Massage instead as it was closer to what I wanted.
Despite us getting different treatment types, the staff still kindly assigned us to a couple treatment room instead of separate single rooms. Everything looked hygienic, though the bed and face pillow was a little too hard and I needed to keep readjusting to find a more comfortable position.
My masseuse began with a hot Thai herbal compress on my back, shoulders and neck for what felt like 30 minutes. I appreciated how she primed me for the heat by placing her warmed-up hand (from the herbal compress) on my skin before applying the herbal compress itself.
Then came the full-body hot aroma oil massage. The long, smooth strokes made it very relaxing, plus it was great that she followed the brief as indicated on my preference form. Alas, she did overlook a few tiny details. For instance, when she was massaging my leg, she flipped the towel too far up such that my hand was left uncovered and cold. Additionally, she intermittently hiked up the towel with force when it got in the way, which wasn’t very pleasant.
My husband’s Ayurveda Package entailed a full-body massage primarily using forearm and elbow techniques, plus the dripping of warm oil across the forehead and temples. He was raving about how good the massage was, saying that his masseuse managed to release muscle tension with those long, firm strokes.
Our treatment room also came with a large private outdoor shower and tub, as well as a steam room. However, as there were the inevitable lizards and insects, we didn’t utilize these facilities.
I was a little disappointed that our session ended with just a cup of hot tea as the sister outlet we visited in Bangkok offered us cute spheres of fresh fruit in addition to tea.
My overall rating of the experience: 4 out of 5 stars. The peaceful environment and cosy ambience were very aptly designed for a calming retreat, with abundant lush greenery outside and soothing earthy tones inside. There were no issues with cleanliness as well, although I would’ve personally preferred an indoor en suite bathroom to reduce the chances of surprise pest visits. Generally, my husband and I both had relaxing massages but my masseuse fell a tad short in the way she uncomfortably manoeuvred my towel. Halfway through the massage, I also noticed that our masseuses were gesturing and whispering to each other (my masseuse seemed to be telling my husband’s masseuse what to do). Other than that, they were mostly professional. All in all, it was a nice modern space to relish a quiet 2-hour getaway.
If this post helped you in some way and you’d like to buy me a coffee, I’d be incredibly grateful (:
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