Montmanee Tunnapai's keen interest in the spa industry began from accompanying her mother to luxurious spas, where she mischievously sniffed massage oils and wondered if they could be mixed to obtain a new scent.
A treatment room at Ryn Spa, Hotel Grand Mercure Phuket Patong.
Out of curiosity, she would ask her mum the reason for selecting a particular treatment. The young Montmanee, however, didn't try out any massage as her mum told her that she didn't need the body rub.
"Later, as a grown-up, I became an ardent spa-goer, with the experience driving me to establish my own business and product range," said the amiable hotel and spa operator, who now strives to serve the needs of clients escaping to Ryn Spa at Hotel Grand Mercure Phuket Patong.
The viscosity of the massage oil matters in delivering the therapy.
Her devotion has paid off as it was named 2016 World Luxury Spa Awards Continent Winner as Asia's best luxury emerging spa.
"When going through the menu, customers can be indecisive in choosing which treatment. The key thing is to ask: What do you get out of a session? This will help you pick what truly caters to your need," said Montmanee, who has been at the helm since the opening of the five-star hotel in 2014.
With an educational background in economics, she turned to hospitality management in order to run the family business and set up Ryn -- a Thai word referring to the tranquil trickling of water that enhances a relaxing ambience.
The holistic approach to offering treatments further helps bring about "a blissful mind and a joyful body" inscribed in the logo.
The award-winning spa's signature massage treatments include sleep, fatigue, strength and muscle therapies.
"Sleep deprivation, working and travelling fatigue, for instance have increasingly become a problem among those leading a busy lifestyle. Our massages have been specifically created to help alleviate these problems," she said. "The aromatherapy, the concentration and the viscosity of the oil, along with the massage techniques are co-ordinated to correspond to the aim of each therapy."
The relaxing Sleep Therapy emphasises the use of light and long strokes facilitated by the non-sticky Bali Lush massage oil scented with the sweet aroma of frangipani and bergamot essential oils.
Customers in need of post-exercise relaxation are recommended the Muscle Therapy of which the medium to heavy massage is partly performed with the therapist's forearm. The highly-concentrated Tropically Mae Ping oil allows proper resistance for massage precision while encouraging relaxation from the refreshing aroma of lemongrass and geranium essential oils.
Montmanee Tunnapai.
"Besides the pleasant scent, the blend of essential oils optimises each specific purpose of the aromatherapy," noted Montmanee.
Her intensive research on fragrant essential oils and herbs led to the development of Ryn bath and body collections used in the spa and now retailed at five locations in Bangkok, including The EmQuartier.
The Bali Lush bath and body formulas contain skin brighteners such as multi-fruit, brown algae and turmeric extracts while the Tropically Mae Ping range features purifying bamboo and aloe vera extracts, as well antioxidant-rich longan and ginseng extracts.
Taking their names from travel destinations and source of ingredients, the other three collections are hydrating Woodland of The Versailles; anti-cellulite Madrid Mercado; and anti-ageing The Wanderlust Garden.
"Having visited Mercado de San Miguel historic market in Madrid, I will always remember the colourful combination of fruits and vegetables including ginger and grapefruit, whose essential oils render the energising and spicy aroma to the Madrid Mercado range," Montmanee said as an example of a product inspiration.
The formulation excludes harmful chemicals such as sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS), sodium lauryl ether sulphate (SLES), and preservatives to serve health-concious consumers.
"People place importance in facial skincare, while overlooking the larger area of skin below the neck exposed to the daily use of bath and body products," she said. "Having a spa treatment is about pampering oneself, which can be an everyday thing by taking an unwinding bath or a shower and moisturising the body with Ryn's aromatic skin-friendly formulas."
Visit grandmercurephuketpatong.com or www.rynspaproducts.com.
Bali Lush skin-brightening collection.
