Zenyu: A spa-ctacular way to detox and de-stress

When you want to get away from it all, you get out of the city, right? Well, you really don’t have to. For right in the middle of the frenetic city is an oasis of calm called Zenyu Eco Spa located at the 3rd level of Hotel H2O, Manila Ocean Park Complex, Luneta.

Zenyu, in Japanese, means complete healing and that’s what some media people are hoping to get as they check into Hotel H2O, forgetting deadlines and leaving all the cares of the world outside the door.

“Nowadays, people are focused on their own personal happiness,” says spa manager Eric Tan. “It has something to do with social media. People are starting to think, ‘Hey, it’s not all about work. Suddenly, I’ll be old and I can’t do the things I can do now.’ Their awareness of enjoying and pampering themselves is there.”

Zenyu is spa-ctacular in its own charming way. “We have different components in the spa that give you something more than what you’d expect in other spas,” Eric points out. “Primarily, we have the negative ions, which are good, clean air molecules that abound in nature (forests, waterfalls, etc.) they’re the vitamins of the air. But urbanization has depleted the level found in major cities. This is the reason why there are more people who live longer and healthier in the rural areas.”

Scientifically, there are two kinds of air  positive and negative. The positive is light, it floats but attracts the bacteria and viruses. So, when you sneeze and cough, the virus connects to the positive ions. When you’re in the office and somebody sneezes, you will inhale the air droplets and get sick.

The positive effects of negative ions

Fact is, every part of Hotel H20 is painted with negative ions  the lounge, the hallways, the walkways, even the carpet. Certainly, H2O is not leaving any stone  or carpet  unturned. “If you’re diabetic or hypertensive, it can actually help you as it improves your blood circulation, detoxifying and cleansing your body.”

Entering the hotel, you’re at once energized. “It’s the same burst of energy you get when you stand in front of the Niagara Falls,” Eric gushes. “You feel so light, so good!”

So true!

We’re positive that Kris Aquino is a big fan of negative ions. She bought quite a number of negative ion plastics from Zenyu to protect her precious signature bags.

“The plastics are from Ecoparadise Japan and they’re supposed to last forever if you don’t expose them to sunlight,” says Eric. “The freshly squeezed calamansi that we put in the plastic bottle will stay fresh without refrigeration. The chicken salad will last for more than a month here with the negative ions.”

Ecoparadise is found in seven countries in Asia  it is quite big in China, Malaysia, and Singapore. 

Though you don’t need a spa-cial reason to go to H2O, you go there to get a spa treatment.

“There are a lot of benefits you can get from a spa treatment,” says Eric. “First and foremost is to de-stress and detox. It is really a place to heal the mind, body, and soul.”

Eric continues, “Zenyu Eco Spa raises the standard of detoxification by offering the negative ion healing room service. Guests are bombarded with hundreds of thousands of negative ions from Ecoparadise Japan, leaving them with a feeling of strength and rejuvenation.”

In the Philippines, Hotel H2O is lucky to have the blessings/go signal of its Japanese principals to offer full-body massage, full-body fish spa (fret not, Eric says in jest, the fish are well-trained they know where to nibble), medi-spa services, beauty/antiaging treatments, and even hotbed yoga sessions.

Happy testimonials

Listen to some testimonials from happy guests:

• Ma. Judey Corro Santamaria, 43, insurance advisor, Sun Life Financial: “In 2011, I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer (CA 125). I had been feeling pain on the right side of the pelvis although the tumor was on the left side. I was doing self-medication then until I got hold of Eco-Zenyu Spa vouchers. For three consecutive months that year, I kept coming here every day, availing of the hotbed therapy. I also bought some Eco Zenyu products. The products were expensive, but I knew their benefits so the cost did not matter to me. My approach to healing was holistic though, so I complemented it with a healthy diet. Likewise, I knew how important one’s attitude or mindset is so I always practiced positive thinking. Today, I feel very good and I attribute it largely to the wonders of Zenyu’s negative ions. Even if I am declared cancer-free, I will still be coming here.”

• Anthony Teh for mother Anita Teh, 80 years old: “For seven years, my mother had difficulty moving her bowel. In March 2012, she was diagnosed with colon cancer and had surgery the month after. This was followed by chemotherapy sessions starting in June up to November. In December 2012, I went to Ocean Park and came across Hotel H2O’s promo for hotbed and fish spa. The idea of availing of the hotbed therapy never occurred to us before and after my mother’s surgery. As a matter of fact, we were considering going to Pansol to soak in a hot spring but thought there might be a counterpart to the hot spring. My mother was on her second chemo session when we noticed her thinning hair and blackening nails. She needed eight chemo sessions because she was declared to be in Stage 3 cancer already. We all know how expensive a chemotherapy session is, not to mention the supplements that go with it. So, in June 2013, she started her hotbed therapy. She had it three times every cycle of 21 days plus she also did basic calisthenics. We feel very positive about the effect of the hotbed on her health and we are very thankful to Eco Zenyu Spa for this alternative therapy.”

• Ryoko Kawano, 31, general manager, Ecoparadise Singapore: “I was formerly a cancer patient, diagnosed with Stage 3 cervical cancer two years ago when I was 29 years old. Prior to this, I and my sister had regular, annual medical checkups because our mother had cancer. When I was diagnosed with cancer, however, I did not undergo chemo sessions and instead, I availed of the hotbed therapy. We learned about the benefits of the hotbed from Mr. Unno who was a good friend of our mother. Nowadays, I feel very fine and have an active body. The hotbed therapy worked well for me because during chemo sessions, one cannot sleep due to the low temperature whereas the hotbed will keep you warm. So, I had hotbed therapy every day, even up to three times a day at times. Now, I have it three times a week only. As general manager of Ecoparadise Singapore, I share the benefits of the hotbed as well as other negative ion products, considering that they worked for me.”

• Walter Co, president, Creative Bakers Company Inc. (makers of Walter Breads): “I come from a family of entrepreneurs. My company is 30 years old, but it was only two years ago when I used paints with negative ions for my plant. This kind of paint is more expensive than the ordinary paint, but as an entrepreneur, I believe that it pays to invest to ensure a highly sanitary physical environment in my plant in keeping with my objective to be recognized as a leader in healthy breads. Paints with negative ions prevent molds and mildews on the walls. This is one of the sanitary measures I have adopted in my plant. I have also invested in an x-ray machine, the first bread company to do so. Our company makes 20,000 to 30,000 breads every day and our products are brought to as far as Tarlac, Pampanga, and Quezon. We are very concerned about the safety of our products so we pull out our breads three days before expiration. We hope other bread makers will also invest in sanitary measures like using paints with negative ions for the benefit of consumers.”

Among Zenyu Eco Spa’s frequent customers are the pregnant women who want a safe and wonderful pregnancy massage, women who seek help for lactation/breastfeeding, senior customers seeking rejuvenation via the hotbed, hypertensives who seek improvement in the efficiency of their blood flow, those who simply want to have a restful sleep, and even those who seek some help in their fight against cancer.

How will a massage particularly help a pregnant woman?

“A pregnant woman faces a lot of changes during her nine months of pregnancy,” Eric notes with concern. “There are the weight gain and hormonal spikes. The weight takes its toll on the back and legs of a woman. Often, back pains and water retention are common complaints so a good massage helps alleviate the pains and improve blood circulation and lymphatic drainage so water retention is avoided. The massage also helps produce more feel good hormones that ease the overall condition of the pregnant guest.”

You can also expect Zenyu to go to the hospitals to give pregnant women its pampering massage.

There are party packages for team building, baby showers, product launches, bridal showers, and corporate events.

So, let’s sparty!

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For inquiries, call 238-6190 or e-mail zenyu.spa@hotelh2o.com.