I'm perched at the end of a long bar, cocktail in hand, celebrating my brother Dominic's champagne-soaked birthday bash in Shanghai. We're at the after-after party at M Bar. The silhouettes of dozens of people line the length of the bar in front of me, and a throbbing bass reverberates in my chest. I'm in the middle of a chic-clad throng, dancing full-moon-style with the best of them.

Too many martinis later, I make my James Bond-style getaway. Where? To a quieter reprieve at the Pudong Shangri-La's Chi Spa. If only I could leave every party in this way. As I wake from my three hours of sleep and head into the spa, my shoulders relax. The atmosphere has changed drastically, and in place of the craziness of urban Shanghai, a more peaceful scene comes into view. Here, among the candles and herbal tea, health and well-being is a laid-back, low-key affair. The antithesis of a clinical five-star spa, nobody's going to come at you with a white coat and a clipboard and, depending on your inclination, you can do as much or as little as you like.

The spa is furnished in a luxurious style, with lots of stark, black slate softened with exotic flowers, and wooden decks lit up by Chinese lanterns. It's spectacular and pristine. I am presented with a natural white robe and fluffy slippers - my pulse starts to slow. I am led into a spa suite that's enormous and open-plan, with soaring ceilings, dark wooden floors, sliding partition screens and beautiful aromatherapy candles. Each private room has its own steam room and shower, vast massage table and deep soaking tub. The lighting in the spa suite is completely perfect. Other spas should take note and emulate Chi Spa's lighting scheme.

There was a wooden bowl of rose water for me to soak my feet in first, and a tray of artisanal tea and cool aromatherapy towels - all so I could relax and chill a little before my treatment. Love it. Just as I finished my tea, I observed my lovely spa therapist: a five foot nothing woman who took my feet out of the rose petals and gently dried them. She smiled a lot while getting me to lie face down on the massage table. She had a quiet, confident aura about her that signaled that this was going to be good.

She may have weighed less than a bag of flour but she had hands of a longshoreman. She spent a few minutes pressing hard into my back and shoulders. Muscles stretched, knotty bits were attacked. The treatment is a sublime 2 hours; you'll never be satisfied with 50 minute treatments ever again.

I stood up, expecting my legs to buckle, but I felt great - calm, floating on air. Chi Spa at The Shangri-La is by far my favorite urban spa in China. I loved the entire ritual of arrival, welcome, bliss and transcendence. A holistic miracle. It's one of those moments when you know you'll have to come back someday. While in residence at the Shangri-la, I enjoyed the most incredible dining and spa-going. I also made the most of my in-room morning yoga, and after experiencing one of the best massages of my life, and leave feeling stronger, happier and more relaxed than I have in a long time.

The Pudong Shangri-La

33 Fu Cheng Road, Pudong
Shanghai 200120
China
T: (86 21) 6882 8888
F: (86 21) 6882 6688

By Si Si Penaloza, Editorial Director, WOMAN.ca

Si Si Penaloza
		About the author:
		Si Si has cultivated strong ties with editors, producers and publishers at all major Canadian media outlets. She is a seasoned print, radio and broadcast specialist. Graduating Magna Cum Laude from Bowdoin College in Maine, Si Si moved to Manhattan to study Film at New York University. Her strengths lie in contextualizing relevant content for a broad audience. She's driven to stay competitive and at the top of the market - commissioning exclusive features and launching bold initiatives.
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