Zeta Villa
What: High tech gadgets and traditional treatments
Why: Warm up your body and clean up your face
How Much: Basalt hot stone massages from RMB 480 (60 minutes). Four Seasons purifying facial RMB 580 per session (90 minutes per session, three sessions are recommended for optimum results)
Where: Block 1, No. 9, Lane 181 Taicang Lu, Xintiandi. Tel: 6320 2277
As winter approaches and Shanghai’s weather begins its descent into the creeping, bone-freezing cold, it’s easy to give up on ever feeling warm and cosy again. One solution to give your poor body a break is a hot stone massage.
Xintiandi’s Zeta Villa says the Basalt hot stone massages are their most popular therapy and it’s not hard to see why. As you lie in the womb-like comfort of their treatment rooms a therapist begins by stimulating your circulation with a gentle rub down. Then the hot stones are strategically placed on acupressure points around your body, releasing a pleasant radiating feeling of heat from your skin, right down into your core.
"It doesn’t hurt a bit and as the stones work their magic, you begin to feel the tension and tightness almost literally melt away from your body."
It doesn’t hurt a bit and as the stones work their magic, you begin to feel the tension and tightness almost literally melt away from your body. The increased blood flow to the muscles and their corresponding relaxation leads you pretty quickly into an equally relaxed mental state.
As well as doling out very relaxing hot stone massages, Zeta branches in Shanghai and Hong Kong are famous for pampering their movie star clientele of Xiong Dailin, Kathy Chow, Anya Ng and Ken Lok, with their state-of-the-art machinery.
From non-surgical liposuction alternatives, to the very best in high tech skin treatments, a lot of emphasis is placed on having the latest and greatest gadgets available in the spa world.
Try the Four Seasons purifying facial for a fast and invigorating pick-me-up for your skin. It’s a particularly good treatment for people looking to do away with blackheads and fine lines.
The procedure involves three basic stages. First, the therapist removes your make-up and applies a deep cleansing tonic. A hydrating serum is then applied before the whiz-bang ultrasound machine gently removes even the tiniest particles of dead, dry skin from your face.
Zeta's skin products are all from Jurlique, an organic Australian range that suits even sensitive skin types. Your freshly scraped skin is now in the perfect state to completely soak up the natural ingredients from a lifting serum, which is applied and then micro-massaged into your face. A mask and moisturiser finishes things off and your skin will feel as soft and pliant as the flesh on a baby’s bottom – which is, we’re told, the desired effect.
