Chocolate Fondue: A Healthy Addiction
If you have ever fantasised about taking your chocolate addiction to new heights, the Chocolate Fondue signature spa package at SPA at Sentosa promises to satisfy even the most discerning gourmand.
Blessed with an architecturally stunning interior design and an established core of expertly trained Balinese therapists, the SPA at Sentosa at the recently rebranded Peppers Sentosa Seminyak has transformed from an exclusive, Champagne bar-style spa into what many guests are already describing as Bali’s most multi-faceted spa, beauty and wellness destination.
Showcasing a ritzy yet down-to-earth spa menu that ranges from multi-day wellness escapes and an innovative juicing programme to cutting-edge medical spa treatments and pampering signature spa therapies, SPA at Sentosa is your go-to spot in the heart of Seminyak whether you’re in the mood for a half-day getaway or quickie pick-me-up before an important evening out.
From the moment you are dropped at the luxury resort’s porte-cochere, you enter a chic enclave that is at once sophisticated and indulgently relaxed. As you walk past the inviting swimming pool with streaming waterfall and celebrity Chef Luke Mangan’s irresistible Salt tapas & bar Bali, you must remind yourself that personal pampering is on the menu du jour and that a dip in the pool accompanied by a hand-blown glass of something sparkling will have to wait for later.
An oversized glass door leads into a cool and welcoming sphere of calm. Well-groomed attendants greet you with genuine smiles and invite you to decompress on one of the SPA’s stylish white leather sofas. A soothing beat plays in the background as a refreshing glass of water and chilled hand towel are delivered to your table. After filling in a brief questionnaire to ascertain your preferences, you are led into a double treatment suite appointed with rich plank wood panelling, ebony wood furnishings, and luminous amber draperies. While changing into a silvery grey kimono, you can literally feel yourself melt into a state of contentment.
Your chocolate fondue experience begins with a ritual foot-bath as the therapist places both feet in a hand-crafted wooden bowl filled with warm water and floating frangipani blossoms. After gently cleansing each lower leg with an antiseptic herbal salt scrub followed by an exfoliating peppermint scrub and peppermint gel to detoxify your skin, it is time for the magic of cacao to begin. Lying face down on the cool, crisp sheets, your one-hour Balinese massage begins. Combining several modalities including kneading, long strokes and light Thai massage techniques, your therapist begins with dry hands to loosen muscles before applying a rich, lavender infused massage oil.
Before turning you over for the second half of your massage, your therapist deftly applies a concentrated chocolate body scrub warmed to perfection. Internationally renowned for its high anti-oxidant properties, the benefits of chocolate body treatments include firming the skin, stimulating circulation, improving blood flow, invigorating skin cells, increasing collagen levels and everyone’s favourite; anti-aging benefits.
The first thing we noticed about the chocolate scrub is how scrumptious it smells. The entire room fills with the scent of a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie, instantly reducing any lingering tension or stress. Although the warm scrub is a little chunkier than most body scrubs, the feeling is never irritating or uncomfortable. Scrubbing each part of your body with circular motions, a tingling effect is instant and lasts long after the scrub has been gently wiped off with a heated towel.
After turning you over to complete the second half of your massage and scrub, the therapist cleverly removes the top sheet from your massage table to reveal a plastic layer underneath. She covers your entire body with a creamy chocolate body mask, once again filling the room with an intoxicating scent. After you are covered from neck to toe, she wraps the large plastic sheet around your body and tops it with an insulating blanket to create a delicious cocoon of chocolate bliss. A well known antidote for cellulite, chocolate contains theobromine, a fat burning and anti-cellulite property that works especially well when delivered to the skin via a chocolate-based lotion or oil. Chocolate also contains cocoa butter; a natural emollient that helps to keep skin moisturised long after the treatment is over.
Once your heated body mask is finished, you are carefully unwrapped and invited to soak in the suite’s deep tub. Filled with flower blossoms and a generous helping of chocolate cream, soaking in chocolate is the ideal way to reap the health benefits of the ancient elixir without any of the guilt associated with ingesting too much. Of course, if you just can’t get the idea of indulging in a lavish bite or two of the real deal, Luke Mangan’s legendary ‘Gooey Hot Chocolate Tart’ might just have your name written all over it.
(www.sentosaseminyak.com)
