DA NANG, VIETNAM – As far as I’m concerned, you can’t have too many spa treatments. And Fusion Maia agrees. The resort on a beautiful stretch of oceanfront linking Da Nang with the historic trading town of Hoi An, is offering an innovative concept designed for people addicted to exfoliations, wraps and kneading like me.
They’ve taken the all-inclusive model usually reserved for food and cheap booze and applied it to spa treatments.
You’re guaranteed two treatments a day and you can schedule as many as you like after that. Most people book two or three treatments daily, says Nathalie Devoy, Fusion Maia’s spa and wellness manager.
My relaxation odyssey begins as soon as I enter the resort, whose decor reflects cool sophistication and comfort with its clean lines, sleek furnishings and tranquil white and grey-tone walls offset by occasional splashes of colour.
Above: Vietnam has become one of the most desired golf destinations in all of Asia.
A friendly Fusionista (a fun, energetic concierge) escorts me along well-manicured paths past an enticing pond to the resort’s infinity pool and beach area, where beach chairs and beds are stationed for guests’ comfort and relaxation.
The pool villa room offers spacious and uncluttered serenity and the wow factor of a private plunge pool. Each villa is designed for privacy, so I can immerse myself au naturel in the pool without shocking any of the other guests.
Above: Spas in Vietnam spoil patrons with some of the finest treatments imaginable.
As inviting and luxurious as the villa might be, I’ve come here for one purpose, to surrender myself (as many times as possible) into the capable hands of the resort’s skilled therapists.
The journey begins with a two-hour Fusion Feeling, the resort’s signature treatment designed to put your body, mind and spirit at ease through light massage and synchronized breathing.
It’s a great start, but I crave a deeper tissue massage to break through the knots in my back. Fortunately, there’s a menu of almost 30 treatments: foot massages, Thai and Swedish treatments, body wraps, facials, manicures and pedicures, all designed to rejuvenate your body.
The all-inclusive concept makes it easy to try new treatments without fear of spending lots of money. Don’t like an experience? Just move on to something else ... think of it as a spa smorgasbord.
The resort’s team of 50 experts keep its 16 spa rooms buzzing all day. The therapists are shy, but personable, and don’t let their pencil-thin body shapes fool you. They now that strength is all in the technique and during my Thai massage, I was pulled and stretched into positions I haven’t been in since my high school wrestling days.
The spa’s vision, reflected in its uncluttered spaces and neutral colours, incorporates natural living into your daily life. Keep it simiple. There’s no heavy preaching like some spas ... just enjoy life, eat healthier, do a bit of exercise – and relax.
That said, even a committed spa enthusiast has to leave the treatment room sometime and Fusion Maia has the added advantage of being just 20 minutes away (via free shuttle) from Hoi An, with its abundance of restaurants, tailor shops and one-of-a-kind boutiques.
The resort itself offers many options from romantic to casual dining along with golf at the nearby Da Nang Golf Club, designed by pro legend Greg Norman and ranked the No. 1 course in Vietnam.
Fusion Maia represents a new direction for spa resorts, one that spa-goers hope becomes a trend. (By the way, when it was all over, I’d had 13 spa treatments).
Information
For more information, go to www.fusionmaiadanang.com