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Healing Hands
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By: Diana Plater, Issue 30 - Autumn 2007
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(The Kirana Spa, Ubud, Bali)
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Kirana Spa would have to have one of the most incredible views in the world. It’s perched on a dramatic gorge, covered in deep green ferns, palms and tropical plants, overlooking the Ayung River valley at Batu Karung in Kedewatan just outside Ubud in Bali. Modern Japanese-influenced treatment villas with swimming pools surrounded by stylized gardens juxtapose with the grandeur of the Royal Pita Maha resort next door, which uses traditional Indonesian style architecture. Both the exterior and interior live up to its name – Kirana means ‘light and aura’ in Sanskrit and ‘beauty’ in Indonesian. The spa is owned and operated as a joint venture between the resort, itself owned by the royal family of Ubud, and Japan’s leading cosmetic company Shiseido. (It is also a member of Select Hotels). The area of Kedewatan – where the hotel and spa is situated – is revered by the Balinese, as it’s believed to be blessed by the gods. Pita Maha was named after the artists’ association started in 1934 by the Prince of Ubud and western artists. Shiseido felt this tradition gave an ideal background to creating a spa where people could be pampered – a place of healing, reflection, contemplation, meditation and serenity. It based its treatments on know-how cultivated over a century, and incorporated the ‘unique healing power of the human hand’. Therapists use their ‘sensitive palms’ and the Japanese arts of Shoku (touch) and Atsu (pressure) to relieve tension and stiffness. The rhythm of the treatment is synchronised to a person’s breathing, and aimed at circulating Qi, our internal reserve of energy. As well as eight treatment villas and six suite villas there is a presidential villa with a treatment room, shower room, private plunge pool, hot and cold jacuzzis, relaxation day bed, relaxation arbor, outdoor shower, sauna, herbal mist shower and dressing room. Kirana also has a meditative spa garden within its 18,000 square metre grounds. There are two types of programs – the private spa program which combines treatment time and spa time (using the jacuzzi and herbal mist sauna) held in either the presidential villa or the suite villas, or the spa treatment program, which is treatments only held in the treatment villas. Before my treatment one of the staff met me in a waiting area to discuss my choice. I chose the revitalising body massage and facial (all together a three-hour private spa program). My extremely attentive therapist first took me for a herbal mist sauna and a shower. Under the massage bed was a bowl of yellow chrysanthemums, which blended in with the decor. At the end I had around 40 minutes to laze in my private pool and jacuzzi overlooking the river, where I practiced some of the breathing techniques given to me in a Keys to Relaxation brochure. I didn’t really need to be told how to relax after all that. Kirana was recently named Day Spa of the Year at the Baccarat AsiaSpa Awards 2006 held in Hong Kong as well as Best Destination Spa by Conde Nast Traveller’s Reader’s Travel Award for 2006.
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