Spa in the (Suntec) City: Calla Spa Review

PUBLISHED May 9th, 2016 06:00 am | UPDATED March 26th, 2019 05:51 pm

Three Jacuzzi pools filled with mineral water – one at 40 degree Celsius, one at 38 and another at 7 – just because you can. Touchscreen entertainment systems that extend from comfy couches, for your movie-watching pleasure while your foot reflexology is underway. Ambient music that changes as you move from one zone to another, so you feel utterly at ease whether you’re washing up, taking off or winding down.

Open since February 2016, Calla Spa is the latest venture from the same people that brought us the romantic g.Spa at Guillemard Village (see our review of g.Spa here). We cannot rave enough about Calla Spa – it’s really a hidden sanctuary at an obscure corner of Suntec City, so you feel like you’re away from the city, right in the city.

Once you slip into the changing room, you enter a space where the only command is relaxation. Perky attendants are on standby to help with your every need, from how to navigate the spacious labyrinth to how to use your digital wristband to unlock your personal safe. Gels, combs, cotton buds, cold towels, toothbrushes, hairdryers and other paraphernalia line the changing room alley, all arranged like the masterpiece of an OCD chambermaid.

All manners of scrubs, wraps, massages and facials throw up terms like “youth recall”, “bright eyes” and “skin resonance” in the spa menu, with descriptions that leave you scatter-brained as to what to choose. We tried the Calla Massage, their signature treatment, which combines traditional finger point pressure, Swedish massage techniques, and lymph node movement to enhance your qi and eradicate toxins. The male masseuse we had was just outstanding, every rub like an arrow on the bullseye – totally spot-on! He checks every now and then on whether the pressure applied was sufficient at various junctures of the 60-minute treatment. We walked out with a thousand body knots untied.

That’s also when we started feeling peckish – that’s where the free-flowing salads, pastas, soups and desserts come in Totally indulgent – the kind you tell yourself you absolutely deserve it after a hard week at work. You get to make a one-time order of a main and our tenderloin steak came out so well cooked that it was hard to believe it came from a spa kitchen. A lemongrass and ginger tea was just perfect to wash down the grease.

A few notes of caution worthy of mention. Beware of the many raised platforms that lurk before doors, as it is easy to trip over them in the dim light (which this writer did so a few times). When given a choice of aromatic oils to choose from before your treatment, insist on smelling and knowing what the oils are exactly – the replies of “anti-stress oil” or “relaxing oil” from the staff are quite lazy.

Otherwise, spending a weekend afternoon pampering yourself at Calla Spa is totally worth it. It’s not as affordable as g.Spa, but it’s undoubtedly a top-notch wellness experience.

Calla Spa is located at #01-500-504, North Wing, Suntec City Mall Tower 2, 3 Temasek Boulevard, Singapore 038983, p. 6336 2552.