Wondering exactly what we had in store for our planned visit to the Iridium Spa (the onsite spa for the St. Regis Maldives), Zoe and I jumped on a golf cart and headed through the lush forest to the opposite side of the island where the spa is located. From above, it has the appearance of a crustacean of some form and up close I loved the beachy color palate and amount of private space. Overall, I felt there was something dreamy about the concept of a spa set over the water (made even more real by the clear glass floors set throughout the space).
After a quick tour of the facilities (which include private bungalows for treatments, a small store with high-end products, also shower, sauna, and steam room facilities), we were escorted to the deck where the hydrotherapy pool was located.
Quickly receiving a glass of refreshing ginger iced tea, we settled in for the Iridium Blue Hole Experience. From the website:
Unwind yourself in our Blue Hole hydrotherapy pool, with a spectacular view of the Indian Ocean, that incorporates gentle and more powerful jets of water massages. This delivers exceptional therapeutic properties for the body with cleansing of the skin. The warm salt water helps relieve pain and induces muscle relaxation. It also increases buoyancy which in turn gives a greater range of movement.
In reality, this translates to a series of in water jets meant to relieve pressure points (not too dissimilar to the former Banyan Tree Al Wadi’s Rainforest experience in RAK). Guests can stand under or near these spots for as long as they prefer (or until they get the perfect photo). Set under beautiful clear skies and equally crystalline blue water, few locations in the world can rival the stunning scenery of this experience (the Blue Lagoon in Iceland is among the only I can think of).
While I loved the over the top aspect of it all (honestly, this treatment was more or less made for Instagram…and, of course, to soothe aching muscles), I couldn’t help but wonder if the costs ($USD60 for 120 minutes or $USD350 for a private 60-minute experience) are entirely appropriate. Given that there is no interaction with a masseuse or massage therapist of any kind, I would tend to wonder why this wouldn’t be an excellent (free) perk for any guest. Personally, I think the private plunge pool in our overwater villa was certainly nice enough to enjoy (and included in the cost of the room). However, if on a honeymoon, I could see this being a memorable romantic experience to share.
What’s the craziest spa treatment you’ve encountered on your holidays? Do you have any to recommend?
A to Za’atar was a guest of the St. Regis Maldives Vommuli resort. Opinions are my own, just ask my husband.
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