Paradise Found ~ Chi, The Spa at Shangri-La Vancouver
Shangri-La. The name conjures mystery, happiness, enchantment. The five-star luxury Shangri-La Hotel Vancouver serves up all these and more, providing an exotic, sophisticated refuge in an urban setting. A world apart, to be sure.
On the fifth floor of the slender, elegant high-rise housing the hotel, Chi, The Spa represents a sanctuary within a sanctuary. Stepping off the elevator, I am instantly mesmerized by a moving “wall of water.” So begins my journey into another world.
Rich earth tones, subdued lighting and dark-wood shoji sliding doors create an intimate ambience. In the comfortable lounge, brass artifacts and jewel-toned embroidery heighten my sense of having entered a “ritual space.”
Natural healing and the Five Elements
Chi (or qi) is the traditional Chinese term for the “universal life force” that governs health and vitality. Spa director Khanita Trinidad explains that Chi, The Spa also uses the theory of the Five Elements to restore balance and well-being.
According to this theory, the elements of wood, fire, earth, metal and water must be in balance to harmonize with the positive yang and negative yin energy within the body. After answering a few simple questions, I am told my “dominant” element is metal. I don’t begin to understand all the theory. It is enough for me to know that Chi treatments draw on authentic natural healing methods shared by many Asian cultures.
“Chi’s distinctive spa concept is based on ancient Tibetan treatments,” says Khanita, and the spa itself feels like a secluded mountain retreat. Our tour of the facility reveals the most spacious suites I have yet to encounter, each with its own fireplace and sitting area. The couple’s suite—more than 800 square feet!—features a floor mattress for Thai massage.
Getting the royal treatment
I meet Roya, my therapist for a 70-minute Element Vitality massage, to be followed by a lunch of spa cuisine and glass of champagne. In other words, the royal treatment! This promotion—Mom Time in Chi, The Spa—was perfectly timed for the month of October, after the rush of back-to-work and back-to-school.
Roya, originally from Iran, is quick to sense that my body may require more than a “relaxing” massage. Her warm, open-hearted manner nourishes both my body and soul, so that after an hour on the table all muscle and “mind” tension has vanished.
But the best is yet to come. Feeling light as a feather, I enjoy 10 minutes in my own private steam sauna, steps away from the massage table. I close my eyes and breathe in deeply the hot, moist air to clear my sinuses and banish the sniffles. Ahhhhhhh.
Tasty and filling spa cuisine
Adjacent to the spa is the Ginger Juice Bar, open daily. At a table for one with a city view, I linger over a late lunch of tender, crispy-skinned chicken breast served with Asian green vegetables and sweet soya glaze. Light yet filling, it is the perfect cap to my afternoon. A tall glass of Vanilla Yogurt Honey Berries Juice accompanies my meal.
Somehow I have chosen in advance the spa cuisine to match my element—Metal—for those of us who prefer “sour and spicy food.” Other offerings focus on seafood, from Alaskan steelhead to Qualicum Bay scallops to ahi tuna, each paired with fresh veggies and fresh-squeezed juice.
When lunch is over, I feel as if I’ve had a mini vacation in the middle of the week. Chi, The Spa at Shangri-La Vancouver brings the best of East to the West, providing “royal treatment” in luxurious surroundings. Such impeccable service is sure to win it a devoted clientele.
Worldwide, there are 36 Shangri-La hotels in the luxury chain. Shangri-La Toronto is scheduled to open late in 2012, and I, for one, can’t wait to experience its spa.
Chi Spa, Shangri-La Hotel Vancouver
Naomi Pauls, Editor, Spas of America
