Article by Tatler Malaysia

Read the FULL ARTICLE HERE

From Tatler Malaysia

If you’ve been missing the healing Onsen of Japan, you can now unwind in a warm, traditional bath right here in Kuala Lumpur.

At the World Luxury Spa Awards 2019 winner Urban Retreat Onsen Spa in Mont Kiara, it will be difficult to resist doing that. The room’s décor, which features muted tones and wood, serves as a genuine invitation to unwind and forget about the outside world.

It offers a variety of massages and relaxing rituals, but its onsen is most distinctive. The bathtub is made specifically from Hinoki wood, which is prized in Japan for its capacity to reduce tension. Even the bath salt, which is derived straight from Japanese hot springs, is used to recreate this popular Japanese pastime.

“Surprisingly, neighboring nations like Singapore and Thailand are big fans of onsen baths. We made the decision to introduce the onsen culture to Malaysia because there was no onsen spa there “says Brigitte Lu, the spa’s director. 

The first private onsen in the nation uses imported pines and high-quality local wood in its current contemporary design. The objective is to create a Japanese-style experience as authentic as possible. “The bathtubs, shower faucets, bucket, and stool in the onsen room were all imported from Japan. On the specifics, we extensively collaborated with our Japanese consultants “Observes Lu

Choosing your preferred bath mineral is the first step in the onsen experience. There are three choices: Kirei, which encourages smooth, supple skin; Iyashi, which reduces muscle tension and enhances blood circulation; and Zen, which promotes sounder sleep.

According to Lu, the minerals come from all throughout Japan. These minerals are created utilising a technique recognised as a significant intangible folk cultural property of Japan, which involves extracting and crystallizing the elements at the actual hot spring.

You must next select the water temperature level that you find most comfortable before you can enjoy an hour of complete bliss.

Onsen promotes general wellbeing. It reduces stress, increases blood circulation, and even boosts skin radiance.
— Brigitte Lu, spa director of Urban Retreat Onsen Spa

Add a body scrub and a massage to your onsen session for the ultimate in luxury. For instance, the Signature Scrub is intended to encourage better sleep.   “It also goes by the moniker Sleep Scrub. We spent more than six months developing a technique that massages the body, encourages natural lymphatic drainage, and speeds up the body’s cleansing cycle “Lu explains.   Simply put, it’s purification and relaxation wrapped up in a delightful package.   Choose the Timeless Urutan Malaysia massage, which is only available at our Urban Retreat Onsen Spa. Its combination of diverse regional techniques—traditional Malay massage, Chinese acupressure, Indian champissage (head massage), and other heritage techniques—makes it distinctive. The result is a massage that efficiently relieves deep pain and relaxes tense muscles.   “Only a senior therapist at Urban Retreat Onsen is qualified to give this massage, which is our distinctive service. It may eventually match the quality of Balinese or Thai massage, in our opinion “Lu explains.   After simply being in its therapist’s skilled hands, I couldn’t help but concur with this opinion.