TRAVEL

New Spa Ceylon opens at Park Street Mews

Spa Ceylon - Sri Lanka's premier spa operator - has redefined their uniquely Ceylonese spa offering with the unveiling of an all-new spa experience at Colombo's fashionable Park Street Mews.

Set in what has now become trademark 'Spa Ceylon Style', luxuriously appointed private treatment rooms with en-suite rainforest showers, extended spa menus featuring luxurious Royal Kandyan Rituals and Kandyan themed spa accessories recreate the romance of old Ceylon, taking you on a total sensory journey par excellence.

A striking new feature is the newly designed Kandyan style spa pavilion with feature walls decorated with intricately hand crafted Royal insignia from the Kandyan courts of ancient Ceylon, black timber floors in aged wood and ceilings of hand woven water hyacinth. Inner walls detailed with black and grey traditional motifs complement the private treatment rooms laid out with luxurious massage beds, pure cotton linen and hand-made stoneware. Every detail in each room - from hand-made batik bed runners to sea shell candles to stoneware oil warmers, to hand crafted bamboo hangers - have been custom designed by Spa Ceylon to complement their unique spa experience.

Topping the list of new spa rituals are the Royal Body Rituals featuring the signature Royal Kandyan Massage technique developed exclusively by Spa Ceylon after extensive research.

The 90 minute Kandyan Relaxing Ritual is a luxuriously pampering, relaxing and rejuvenating spa experience designed to make you feel like royalty and combines Royal Kandyan Massage with soothing acupressure body therapy performed with precious mineral crystals - as in the olden days. The inclusion of soothing head and forehead movements ensures the total ritual and helps improve circulation, balance energy flows, soothe muscle tightness, relieve jet-lag and take away stress, tension and anxiety.

The new Shirodhara de-stress ritual is based on centuries old Ceylonese traditional Ayurveda 'Dhara' therapies focusing on the powerful 'third eye' of the mind - to effectively purify and rejuvenate the body, mind and soul.

The continuous oil stream cools, calms, balances and clarifies the mind, stimulating the nervous system and relieving migraine, headache and insomnia.

This spa ritual includes a traditional full body massage to soothe and comfort the entire body and is performed in special rooms laid out with wooden treatment beds adorned with Spa Ceylon insignia hand carved by third generation Moratuwa craftspeople specializing in creating Ayurveda treatment apparatus.

Another unique addition is the range of Dosha specific Spa Ceylon Crystal Facial Rituals - signature treatments to soothe, calm and de-stress the face and neck.

Inspired by traditional Ayurveda, this eight-step ritual incorporates meridian point facial massage with precious mineral crystals, deep cleansing, facial compress, exfoliating deep pore nourishing & clarifying, toning, hydrating, and revitalizing.

Also new is the Spa Ceylon After-sun Skin Rescue Ritual which is designed as a complete cooling and calming ritual for a perfect ending to a long day in the Sri Lankan sun.

This includes the application of a series of soothing body pacs enriched with freshly cut Organic Aloe Vera and precious Ayurveda herbs which helps to heal sun-burnt skin.

Continuing on their tradition of taking care of even the minute details, Spa Ceylon has also upgraded their existing Foot Rituals with the addition of high performance Jade massage sticks for more precision acupressure movements, warm herbal packs to soothe the back and shoulders and even a newly designed herbal tea service with hand-made stoneware by local artisans.

Encouraged by the popularity of its uniquely Sri Lankan spa products and spa rituals, Spa Ceylon is poised to grow both locally and internationally, with plans to open four more spas in Sri Lankan resort hotels in time for the summer season and also to launch its products in European markets later this year.

Spa Ceylon currently operates four spas in Sri Lanka at Park Street Mews, Casa Colombo, The paradise Road Villa in Bentota, plus their newest and largest spa at the Kani Resort and Spa in Kalutara; with dedicated Spa Boutiques at Crescat Boulevard, Club Dolphin Waikkal and Barefoot Galle Fort.

Vil Uyana to hold harvest festival

In keeping with tradition handed down through the ages, Jetwing Vil Uyana will host one of the most celebrated festivals in the Sri Lankan calendar, the Harvest Festival.

A member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World, Jetwing Vil Uyana will hold the Harvest Festival on Saturday March 12. The ceremony will begin with the National Anthem sung amongst the whispering of the paddy stalks, and offerings will be made to thank the Gods for a bountiful harvest by setting the Mal Pela lighting of the lamp.

The rhythmic beats of the raban will follow, as well as the traditional boiling of milk for prosperity.

The harvesting is done by means of sickles, and will continue until the entire crop has been cut. Once cut, the harvest will be collected and carried to the Kamatha (threshing field) where the grains will be separated in a method used in ancient times; using buffalo!

The uniqueness of this festival does not lie only in the rich history and methods used; Jetwing Vil Uyana seeks to create the perfect countryside holiday experience as guests are always welcome to join the local crew of farmers, sure to leave memories that will last a lifetime, as well as a culinary feast amongst the golden paddyfields.

Agriculture has long since been the foundation of civilization, particularly in Sri Lanka, leading to the development of such innovative methods of cultivation, such as the building of lakes to aid irrigation.

Rice has been the staple dish for centuries, and the importance of paddy cultivation continues to be a primary way of life for many in the island, particularly those in rural areas.

From a seed in the ground in the month of October to a plate of rice in March, the entire process is well planned and executed, beginning with the clearing, cleaning and ploughing of fields during the Vap Magula season, to the planting of the paddy saplings, the farmers undergo a rigorous four to five months ensuring that adequate water and nutrients are provided in order to gain the optimum harvest.

Situated next door to the famous Sigiriya Rock, Jetwing Vil Uyana is a marvel which boasts 25 lavish dwellings, set in paddy, marsh, forest and water.

A place where nature and man come together, amidst the many flora and fauna which have become inhabitants of the property, Jetwing Vil Uyana extends an invitation to come and witness this Harvest Festival come to life. In the spirit of the season, an offer stands where overnight stays are given a 50 percent discount on the 'Ambula' lunch!