GUS GUIDE: SECOND-TIMER'S GUIDE TO BANGKOK (Part 1: Oasis Spa)

Bangkok, the City of Angels, ranks as my favorite Southeast Asian capital city; and i was glad to drop by for a weekend visit recently.

First-time visitors will definitely have tons of activities to choose from: Shopping (swanky malls such as Siam Paragon to the renown Chatuchak Weekend market);  eating (Somboon Seafood curry crab, haha), culture (Wat Pho, Grand Palace, my personal favorite Jim Thompson House, etc.), entertainment (Calypso Cabaret ;-D, Patpong); and of course, getting a Thai massage (check out the ubiquitous spas near most hotels, offering a limited menu of Oil Massage, Body Massage, Foot Massage and Thai Massage).

For a second-time visitor, i would recommend setting aside a couple of hours to go to a day spa for even more pampering. These are typically converted houses, and located in various sois (side streets) in the Sukhumvit area. My favorite one
is the Bangkok Oasis Spa Sukhumvit 31 branch, which i had visited previously and had such a great time at.

Thus, a return visit (yeah, i'm senti that way) was in order and i booked online in advance. 

As you enter the gate, you feel like you left the bustling, noisy madness of Bangkok behind and ventured into a tranquil place where time stands still. Check out the lovely exteriors below:

Pond and staircase to the treatment rooms

Closer view

 

 The staff is exceedingly polite and friendly, and makes one feel at home. 

Entrance to the reception area

Ah, here below is the entrance to my own private room/villa. I had availed of the "Oasis Pampering" package, which consists of a body scrub (i chose the Thai Coffee, Honey & Yogurt ;D),  an Aromatherapy hot oil massage and lastly, a Thai facial. 
 

 "DO NOT DISTURB" mode on for the next 2 1/2 hours!

Inside the room

The scrub and massage proved to be soothing, and i was in a hazy, dream-like state in no time. Totally relaxed, with my mind in shutdown mode. (Had you asked me to recite the alphabet then, i would probably have gone as far as "E" only).

And this next picture below was not some sort of vegetarian snack they served. Rather, these were the ingredients for my facial.

 I drifted to sleep at some point, and woke up feeling refreshed, with my face as smooth as _______ (hmm, how to describe? A baby's bottom? Porcelain? Silk? Ray Allen's jumper?)

 

As i sipped hot ginger tea in the reception area, and waited for them to bring my shoes around, i didn't feel like leaving yet and tarried way too long, which resulted in having to hurry a bit for my dinner appointment with my friend, winsome Jellybean. 

Oasis Spa Bangkok at Sukhumvit 31

64 Soi Swaddee, Sukhumvit 31, Wattana, Bangkok 

Open Daily 10.00am-10.00pm

Website : http://www.oasisspa.net/destination/bangkok/

BANGKOK OASIS SPA
(Part 2, Bangkok series)


There are literally a thousand and one day spas in Bangkok, one of the reasons i don't mind going back again and again to this city. The way i figured it, i need to go to BKK for the next 384 years to try every single one of these spas!!

I literally stumbled upon the website of Bangkok Oasis Spa, and made reservations pronto. So it was, on a hot and humid Friday late afternoon, a Toyota Avanza (painted to look like some giant flower) parked at the driveway of the hotel and fetched us. Stepping inside the vehicle, one gets hit with the pleasantly intoxicating smell of aromatherapy oils. That's their service vehicle for you.
We engaged in some chitchat with the reception staff while scanning their spa menu. Hmm....this pandan juice they served us is really cool and refreshing! Wonder if i could ask for a whole pitcher?! :-D
The Oasis Spas group was founded in August 2003, and after operating 4 branches in different parts of the northern province of Chiang Mai, they opened their first branch in Bangkok just around February this year.

They informed us that the owners really made a huge effort to scour around for an ideal location before pushing through with this Bangkok branch. And i must say it was quite an inspired choice. Located along one of the sois (alleys) off Sukhumvit Road, the neighborhood is accessible, yet peaceful and quiet.

I'll let the pics do the talking at this point:

Entrance gate to the spa



Isn't this white house and manicured garden just lovely?



A closer look at the exterior facilities



Steps leading to the treatment rooms. Be careful so as not to
fall into the pond!




The sofa inside the main reception area


We availed of their Lanna Style package, essentially a Thai Traditional Massage, followed by a Thai Herbal Hot Compress, then followed by an Aromatic full body oil massage.

Quite great! I was so relaxed that i fell asleep; and when i was shaken gently awake and heard the dreaded words, "The treatment is finished, sir", i inwardly groaned and thought, "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!! Can't i stay here forever?!"

Apparently not.

Darn.

(Bangkok Oasis Spa is located at 64 Soi Swaddee, Sukhumvit 31 Rd., Bangkok. Just go straight along the Soi, and you will see the Euro Grande Hotel on your left. Soon after, there is a HUGE sign [which you can't possibly miss] telling you to turn right to get to the spa.

The spa is open 10 AM to 10 PM everyday. Tel. no.: 662 262 2122. Reservations are recommended; check out www.bangkokoasis.com for full details on location/rates/packages)