LF Says: ★★★★.5
In the past couple of years, most of the world has heard a lot of rhetoric on Mexico. This unassuming country, mostly known for tacos, was suddenly catapulted into spotlight due to the uninformed, biased opinion of Donald Trump.
And even though I hadn’t believed all that boloney, nothing had prepared me for what I actually saw and experienced in my recent trip to Cancun, Mexico.
Se Spa, Grand Velas Riviera Maya
Settled in the middle of a jungle, Se Spa is wonderfully sheltered with wild foliage, fauna and the hotel’s own personal cenote.
A country full of culture, history, nature and jovial people, Mexico’s many merits and beauties get hidden behind what just comes in the news cycle. A friend called Mexico ‘civilised India’, and I couldn’t agree more. It’s developed and refined, with just a touch of endearing chaos. Nothing appeals more to an Indian.
Cancun, especially, dazzled us. Its strip of luxurious hotel properties in Hotel Zone rivals and far exceeds that of Las Vegas. Its pure beaches leave you mesmerized. Historical landmarks around Cancun will put you in awe of the great Mayan culture. The plethora of cenotes (natural underground wells) will make sure you have enough cool water fun in the sweltering heat. The nearby islands of Isla Mujeres and Cozumel complete the vacation.
If a sightseeing vacation is not in your agenda, then the expansive, magnificent Grand Velas Riviera Maya in Playa del Carmen is the perfect destination resort to immerse yourself in. And an extremely important part of the resort which no one should miss is the Se Spa.
The Greens and the Blues
A forest near the Se Spa at Grand Velas Riviera Maya
Settled in the middle of a jungle, Se Spa is wonderfully sheltered with wild foliage, fauna and the hotel’s own personal cenote. Located in the Zen area of Grand Velas, a wooden bridge leads up to the main entrance which opens into a large lobby. I was offered a seat at the reception, a welcome drink and a wet towel that expands on contact with water to hydrate myself with – especially after the Mexican heat. A warm smile and some pleasant conversation leads to exploring the spa menu and filling out a descriptive health form. Each item in the spa menu sounds like an exploration into the exotic – from the Mayan Jade Facial to the Pixam Kan Massage (which helps in literal digital detox) to the Moon & Sun Stone Massage.
But the experience that comes after this is what takes your breath away. Its ingenuity, coupled with extreme detailing, makes the next step in your spa journey the highlight.
Anyone who has booked a minimum 50 minute massage at Se Spa gets a complementary ‘Water Ceremony’. Lasting almost an hour, this ceremony is what sets the mood and prepares the body for your upcoming spa treatment. A large hydrotherapy area in the spa has been earmarked for this water ceremony, and how generously it has been designed!
The blues of the water combine with the greens of the jungle to offer as much therapy for the eyes as for the mind.
I was assigned a spa butler, Mercedes, who guided me step by step during the water ceremony. First, I was told to walk on sensory pebble pathways. The first pathway had pebbles on the floor, which worked great as acupressure, and the water was warm, helping my feet relax. The next pebble pathway had cold water, which shocked the senses on your feet to wake up! It was extremely refreshing!
In fact, this theme of hot and cold runs throughout the water ceremony. As does colour therapy.
Hydrotherapy area at Se Spa, Grand Velas Riviera Maya
After the pebble walkway, you move into a pool area that has warm water, shoulder jets, waterfalls, bubble volcano and more. Just swim your way around and heal with the bubbles. Once you are done with this, you can go to the calmer section of the pool where a bubble bed awaits. Lie down on the soft bed, which has a cushiony headrest, and press a button to release bubbles. You feel cocooned, relaxed and quite like you have already had your treatment. But no, that’s not all.
After spending about 30 minutes here and doing two rounds of this routine, I was politely called by Mercedes to step out for the next rung in the journey. She led me to the steam room. After five minutes of that, she took me to the Sensation Showers, which was extremely welcome after the steam! Alternating warm jets and cold rain relaxed and invigorated my body. Next step was the sauna which lulled my body into calmness as I lied down with an eye pack and cucumbers.
If you think it would end here, no. I was then whisked to the Clay Room, where I was offered a house scrub (made from sea salt, honey, dehydrated orange peel and coconut oil) and shampoo to wash myself. The scrub led to soft skin as I sprayed myself with warm water. Next came the Ice Room. Yes, it was cold, but not unbearably so. It felt welcoming. An ice maker kept piling fresh ice over a basket of towels. You can use those to wipe yourself. A bottle of pure aloe vera gel was offered to use as a moisturizer. And trust me, it was exquisite. No store-bought bottle of aloe vera gel matches to that quality. It was smooth, soothing, without being sticky, and seamlessly blended into my body!
With this being the final step, I was handed over by the smiling, jovial Mercedes to Jazmine, my spa therapist.
As Jazmine led me to my spa suite, I appreciated my surroundings. The expansive Se Spa does well in terms of blending nature with architecture. Apart from small internal gardens, the spa has many windows and glass walls to be able to see the jungle from inside. The blues of the water combine with the greens of the jungle to offer as much therapy for the eyes as for the mind. Even my spa suite had a glass wall from which I could view the jungle with privacy guaranteed.
Therapy by Sound
Once ensconced in my very cozy spa suite, my Sounds of the Soul treatment started with an ancient Mayan ritual which aims to reintroduce the body to the four elements of nature. I sat down on an armchair with my feet dipped into a tub of millet seeds. As the millet seeds enveloped my feet, I felt their weight, helping my feet relax – much like a heavy throw would do! This was my introduction to earth.
As guided step by step by Jazmine, I first closed my eyes and inhaled and exhaled three times. She then got me two fragrant twigs of leaves to smell and choose from. I chose basil, which she then crushed near me, heightening my sense of smell. She sprayed me with lavender water, to reintroduce me to water. Placing seashells in my ear helped to listen to the wind, while a hot stone just at the beginning of my spine helped me feel fire. Jazmine then spoke some sacred Mayan words. The entire ritual not only calmed me down, but also introduced me to the ancient philosophies of the Mayan culture – much of which is still a mystery to many.
Once I was on the spa bed, Jazmine used a hypoallergenic, unscented oil to massage me. The strokes and movements were more powerful, deeper, and just different, as compared to anywhere else I had a massage. Truly ‘salt of the earth’. My aches and pains started diminishing. I started getting lost into my ambience.
The entire ritual not only calmed me down, but also introduced me to the ancient philosophies of the Mayan culture – much of which is still a mystery to many.
Sounds of the Soul massage at Se Spa, Grand Velas Riviera Maya
In the middle of the massage, Jazmine bought out the real equipment that makes this treatment the ‘Sounds of the Soul’ massage. She strategically placed singing bowls on my back and used tuning forks to create sound waves. The sound waves of the forks vibrate and travel deeply into the body, along energy pathways, affecting the human physiology and accessing our sense of balance, memory and healing. The singing bowls help in deep relaxation, muscle regeneration, relieving pain in the joints, muscles and shoulders, easing pain related to sciatica and digestive system, as well as headaches and migraine. Personally, while the oil massage helped soothe my skin and muscle pains, the vibrations made by the singing bowls and tuning forks helped reach to a deeper level, literally awakening my organs to feel more alive…
Small tingshas were also used near my ears. The purifying tone helps to open and clear the area and the auras and fill empty spaces with their sound.
In the end, a quantum drum was used to generate harmonic sounds at 432hz frequency. This frequency generates profound effects on consciousness and on our bodies. It transmutes and heals the soul, mind and body. It also improves heart rate, biohemispheric synchronization and maximizes brain function, while activating our pineal gland. The pineal gland, described as the “Seat of the Soul” by Renee Descartes, is in the center of the brain. Its main function is to receive information about the state of the light-dark cycle from the environment and convey this information to produce and secrete the hormone melatonin, thus helping with our sleep and wake cycle.
Jazmine then continued with the massage, and in the end, reperformed the procedure with the tuning forks, singing bowls, tingshas and the quantum drum. I was left feeling relaxed, yet energized to the core of my soul and body. Never had I experienced a treatment which not only addresses your more-usually-felt physical concerns, but also those that cannot be seen or felt.
The experience was rounded off with a jasmine green tea, which was specifically paired with my treatment.
Never had I experienced a treatment which not only addresses your more-usually-felt physical concerns, but also those that cannot be seen or felt.
Traditionally, the term ‘spa’ is associated with treatment of disease by bathing. The popular backronym of SPA is from the Latin phrase “Salus Per Aquam” or “Sanus Per Aquam” or “Sanitas Per Aquam”, meaning “health by or through water”. From the water ceremony to the last sip of the tea, Se Spa doesn’t just focus on pampering. It takes the definition of a ‘spa’ seriously and elevates it. Each movement or step at Se Spa has a deeper meaning than you would realise. And with the courteous, intelligent staff around, you’ll be left with needing nothing.
LF Says: ★★★★.5
Coordinates: Riviera Maya, Carretera Cancun Tulum Km 62 Playa Del Carmen, 77710 Riviera Maya, Q.R., Mexico
