AnniversarieSpa at Ginhawa Spa and Dining

March 21, 2015 is our (my hubby and I) 8th Anniversary. So since it's me who's going to decide how and where we will celebrate it (as always! haha!) I searched for a good Spa that offers a really good massage in a reasonable price, and if possible a Spa that offers good food so our day will be complete and less hassle to look for a nearest restaurant after the massage.

I browse some group buying sites to see if I can find a promo that fits what am I looking for (I usually do this since I'm quite tight in budget and really wanted to spend my money wisely). Luckily, I found Ginhawa Spa and Dining promo in Metrodeal (550php for 45 minutes whole body massage in a private room with private CR, a personal sauna and a 4 course meal). But before buying any voucher, I usually read blogs and reviews about it, I find reviews about places very helpful, so you would know what to expect and if it is worth trying (one of the reason why I decided to make my own blog.. hehe). So after reading good reviews about this Spa, I bought 2 vouchers from Metrodeal. 3 days before my desired date, I called Ginhawa Spa and Dining for a reservation. The staff that answered the call was polite and even greeted me "Mucha's Gracias!", after giving the dates and time I desired, she asked for the voucher's code. On the day of our reservation, I received a text from them reminding me of my reservation and a confirmation if we will pursue the said reservation.

The Spa is Located in Makati along Pasong Tamo, Although we still use a Google Map to find the place as we ride our Motorcycle to go there, the place is indeed easy to find and has a wide parking lot. Its on the 2nd floor of High Pointe Building and you can see their big 'Tarpaulin' in front of the building.

We arrived there at our exact schedule, the place was in a Spanish theme and upon entering the Spa, a pleasant smell and relaxing music will prompt to you. The receptionist greeted us and ask for my name, reservation, voucher and gave us a form to fill up while she's checking the voucher. In less than 10 minutes after I gave her back the form, we were lead by their staff inside our room and ask us to take a shower.

Here are some of the pictures taken at the reception and inside our room. (Sorry for the pictures, I wasn't thinking of making a blog yet before this event so most of it are pictures taken from my phone for remembrance only.)

Inside the room was a single massage bed, a big mirror, a side table and a small shower room that can comfortably accommodate 1 person.Toiletries like soap, shampoo, towel, bath throb and a disposable underwear were provided. 

After the shower, we went to the Sauna area, just in front of our room. (By the way, our massage was done in a separate room but you can request for a couple room and pay additional 500php and since we're really tight in budget, I opted not to get a couple room. hehe) In the Sauna area, though you can choose to have your own private Sauna because that's what's included in the package, we chose to be in a single Sauna, and since it can comfortably accommodate 2 persons. They also gave us water to keep us hydrated. After 15 minutes of sweating, we went back inside our room and the staff ask us to take a quick shower and call them once were done. (They will assigned 1 of their staff to assist you on your whole visit (she's the one to do massage as well) which is okay with me but One thing I dislike is that the staff assigned to me keeps knocking on my door even if I am not yet done taking a shower, not sure if the staff assigned to my hubby was like that also. It gives me the feeling that I'm being rush though I can see that they only have few guest that time)

Anyways, the massage was good and she really got all my tiredness go away! All body parts was cover by the massage except for your private one, there is a little stretching as well. I like the smell of the oil and it is not really sticky, I also like the ambiance of the Spa and the relaxing music you can hear all over the place including in your room. Imagine falling a sleep through a relaxing music while you're having a good massage...

Well, as they say, "walang forever" so the massage has to end..! She let me rest for another 10 minutes and come back after, to give me a hot towel and a hot tea. I didn't drink the tea though, I use the hot towel to remove some oil on my face and hand. After that, I get dressed and retouch a bit, before leaving there massage area we took some pictures, a little hard to take selfies as you need a flash since the whole place was being light with dim lights only (Except for the CR).

We then headed to another side of the Spa which is their dining Area. We were the only guest in the dining area that time, and so the waiter serve us first the Ice tea and the Soup, if your not really into drinking Ice tea, they have an available brewed coffee just beside the room. After that, the appetizer was served to us followed by the main course. The waiter is telling us the name of the dish while he is serving it but I don't really remember the name of any dish he served as I was really excited to eat it.. hahaha!

Below are the pictures of the course meal served that day.. cooked by chef Xander (I really don't know him but as I've read in the other reviews, he was a chef in Unang Hirit a show in GMA channel 7) I even ask to take a picture with him just before eating the dessert.. he was polite and handsome though. :)

With Chef Xander!

After eating, we rest for 5 minutes and then decided to go home, since we will still have a small drinking session on our friend's house because it's their monthsary as well.. hehe

Tips:

*They always have a promo in Metrodeal for the same package, so if you want to spent money wisely, better to buy this voucher cause it let's you save for around 300 pesos.

*If you were going to commute to get there, from LRT Gil Puyat Station, ride a jeep with sign board "Ayala - Baclaran" then drop off at exactly in front of High Pointe Building.

Thank you so much for reading!

Watch Out for my next Post about Our Tagaytay Getaway!

Royal Lake Spa Experience

Well, this is my first time writing a blog for something that I've experienced, so I choose to make my first blog about my first spa experience as well.

So, I bought 2 vouchers for Royal Lake Spa (600 each) and used it last December 2013. All the while I thought that it was a sister company of Wensha Spa which is for me a well known Spa, but then, it turns out to be not, because when we went at their Timog branch, the receptionist told us that they are not connected with Royal Lake and that the voucher is not Valid there, but fortunately, they told us that Royal Lake Spa is just a walking distance from there and so we were able to use the voucher.

The Spa looks cozy from the outside, as well as entering the spa, but since this is my first Spa experience, I can't compare it to any other Spa. And so upon entering the Spa, I gave the voucher to the receptionist and not less than 5 minutes, we (my hubby and me) were given our own locker key which can be worn as bracelet and then we were ask to change our shoes with their provided slippers.

Sorry for the pictures, it's just a shot from my not so good phone that time since I did not manage to bring camera.

Anyways, from the reception, after changing slippers, we were then told to go to 2nd floor where their locker room, sauna, shower, and jacuzzi were located (separate for boys and girls). Before we enter our designated area, we were given our own bath throb and towel. And so, I enter the girls area, first to see is the locker room, then there is a CR with some toiletries and they even added a hair blower. I found myself funny as I don't know how to use the locker key to open the assigned locker number to me (I told you, it's my first time.. haha!). But luckily, I saw one guest opening her locker by simply tapping the bracelet in the 'door knob' of the locker, and so i did it and finally got to open the locker. :)

I put all my things in the locker and change my clothes into bath throb, I went directly to the shower and take a quick bath, I then headed to jacuzzi (they have 2 jacuzzi, heated and a cold one, I choose the heated jacuzzi), luckily, there are only a few guest using it, so I don't mind being pure naked (you have to take off your bath throb even undies when in jacuzzi, but there are few guest who are wearing their bath throb on jacuzzi and that's not so nice for me), after a few minutes in the jacuzzi, on the side is where 2 sauna can be seen, I'm not sure what's the difference between the two, I just entered to the one with less people, there's a bucket of ice in there where you can get some ice and use it on you face so you can breathe and keep yourself hydrated somehow. After that, I take a quick shower again, put my bath throb on, exit girls area and waited for my hubby in front of the boys area.

Sorry, there are no pictures available, as bringing phone in the jacuzzi, sauna and shower room is prohibited since there are people naked in there.

After a few minutes of waiting, he finally arrived, we first headed in the 4th floor where the massage room for girls are, you have to get a schedule/specific time for your massage since there's a list of guest line up, I was able to get a schedule by 9pm, my hubby got the same schedule as well, massage rooms for boys are located at the 5th floor. And so we still have a 1 hour to wait for our massage so we decided to have some food first, their dining area is located at the 3rd floor, upon entering their dining section, first to see is the shabu shabu area where you can create your own shabu shabu meal in a bowl. In front of that is a room, which wall is made of glass so you can completely see what's inside, the room has tables, chairs and videoke where you can sing while eating food and drinking their unlimited free vodka (Antonov). After the shabu shabu area, there's a juice dispenser and a buffet table, right after that is their dining section where guest can eat and chat. There food was okay, shabu shabu was okay as well, not really special, but for the price that you paid, I can say it's just right.

Sorry for the pictures again..

After eating and resting for a while, we then headed in the massage room for our scheduled massage, I told my hubby to meet in the dining section whoever of us finished first.

And so, I was headed in a room with 1 bed covered with blankets and a towel on the top, there's mirror on the side of the door as well. After a few minutes, the therapist arrive and ask me to take off my bath throb and my bra and then lay down the bed. Before we start, she ask me some question, like the massage pressure I want (I said moderate/normal), if I'm okay with some stretching (I said yes) and if I want my front part (including breast) to be massage as well. (I said no to this.. hehe)

The massage was so good that I really wanted to fell a sleep and did not want it to end. But sadly, it has to end, after the massage before she exit the room, she handed me a paper to sign and ask me to write the amount of tip I wanted to give.

For the massage for boys, my hubby told me that he was ask to pick if he wants a male or female therapist and that they were three in the massage room unlike to the girls because we have our massage room.

After the massage, we headed in the videoke room located in their dining area, (there's a small videoke rooms at the 6th floor if you and your friends want to a have private sing a long get together, but I'm not sure if it has an extra charge). We get some snack and a bottle of Antonov, there are only 1 group of guest (more or less 5 people) inside and so I was not that shy to hit one song. :)

After that, we went to each locker room to change clothes and get ready to go home. It's 11pm anyways. :)

Overall, my experience was good (Since I'm not really OC and didn't know what to expect actually) and since it's my first time, it sets an standard to me and it made me search for more spa to try.

Tips:
*Royal Lake/Wensha is much better if you come in a group probably with your friends, and so you won't be alone in the jacuzzi and sauna area. Me and my hubby can only join each other in the dining area.
*They always have a promo in metrodeal and ensogo, unless you want to pay for almost 1,000 for the whole body massage, buffet and use of their facilities. (Not really bad, but I still want to wait for the voucher. :)

*Royal Lake is open 24 hours. (We arrive there by 6pm and stayed until 11pm)

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