In the blink of an eye, winter is over. Bangkok had a couple of cool evenings and the rain has stayed away, but these were just fleeting moments of reprise from the sweltering heat of the months before. Now, with summer firmly on the horizon, the city is getting ready for the hottest of seasons, doing what it can to keep cool as the mercury rises.
One such solution can be found at So Spa, the luxury wellness retreat tucked inside the five star SO Sofitel hotel on Sathorn Road. From March 1 until April 30, 2017, the facility is offering a promotional two-hour Beat the Heat package (B5,500, reduced from B7,300), designed to deeply cleanse the body as it sweats through the summer—moisturizing and hydrating from head to toe.
It’s also the perfect place in which to escape the suffocating heat for an afternoon, boasting a beautiful interior inspired by the mythological ‘Himmapan Forest’ from classic Thai literature (as well as seven unique treatment rooms). Though my experience here begins with a refreshing cup of hot ginger tea, and an in-depth consultation into my skin type and music preferences, it is upon entering Anodarth—a double treatment room equipped with a dressing area, large bathtub, shower/steam room, and spectacular views of Lumphini Park and the infinity pool below—that my visit goes from great to wow-worthy.
I take a moment to observe the lush, green vista laid out in front of me, fringed by a skyline of modern architecture in the distance, before beginning the treatment with an exfoliating foot ritual at the hands of my skilled masseuse. She’s attentive without being intrusive, checking in on me throughout the two hours to ensure I’m comfortable (and I am—these are the coziest massage tables I’ve ever experienced).
The Hom Mali Jasmine Body Scrub is up next, gently removing dead skin cells using ingredients known to purify and refine the skin, including Jasmine rice—which brightens and removes dullness—and Jojoba oil and Shea butter to provide deep nourishment. To moisturize and lock in the youthful glow that the scrub delivers, a 30-minute Skin Renewal Wrap is applied. This multi-faceted body wrap targets symptoms of a dull complexion, dehydration, and ageing skin all at once, using powerful black mulberry extract combined with essential oils to detox, rejuvenate and brighten the body.
But the focus of this package is on the face, which enjoys one whole hour of pampering with the SkinDrink Fluid Facial. As dewy as the name implies, my polluted pores are thoroughly cleansed using a soft foam wash and a gentle electronic brush, then scrubbed, moisturized, and firmed using a selection of light, fragrant lotions and potions—each containing powerful properties to combat the effects of ageing.
With a brief but blissful upper back massage, I’m eased back into the world, a little more relaxed and a whole lot cooler than when I entered. I take one last look at the spectacular view through the room’s full length windows before de-robing and stepping out to join the sizzling city once again.
By Annaliese Watkins
So Spa
11F, SO Sofitel Bangkok, 2 North Sathorn Rd.
Tel: 02 624 0000 | Open daily: 10am-10pm
www.so-sofitel-bangkok.com
