Southern Comfort | Bangkok Post: news

SPOTLIGHT

Nestled in the newly opened 79-room The Lit Bangkok located in the heart of the city is the hidden escape, Kiriya Spa. Striking a sharp contrast to the ultra modern hotel, the transitional passage prepares spa-goers to slow down the pace as if entering the Bangkok of a bygone era. As its name suggests, Kiriya embraces the traditionally graceful manner of Thai culture, while the interior design recalls local aesthetics in understated golden brown and decorative touches to good effect.

Creatively translating regional Thai performance arts into its services, the six-treatment-room spa offers an impressive range of treatments - The South, The North, The Dawn (north-east) and Central. All also apply fresh ingredients of Thai herbs in accordance with conventional remedies and local wisdom.

I opted for the Southern alternative of Hot Seashell Massage (B2,500) as this 70 minutes of pampering combines a deep tissue massage with hot seashell. As my therapist Khun Thip escorted me to the treatment room, her steps of a quintessentially ladylike manner were so elegant that I needed to remind myself to slow down. Surprisingly, once I walked slowly, I naturally found myself starting to relax and turn down the frantic pace of city-living. The dimly lit treatment room also helped calm my state of mind.