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It’s like walking across a threshold into another world. As soon as you walk through the glass and wood doors into the reception nook you know you’re in a place tranquille. You automatically lower your voice, stop rushing and breathe more deeply, more deliberately. The lights are mellow, casting a lovely glow on the rich woods. Candles flicker with fragrances you can’t quite put your finger on. The music is barely audible, subtly hypnotic. This is going to be a wonderful experience.

Welcome to The Oriental Spa.

Located on the 18th floor of the Mandarin Oriental Manila hotel, The Oriental Spa is as far away from steel and concrete, from business and technology as you can get in the city. From the small reception area you climb a short flight of stairs up into, literally, another world.

An oriental-style garden, rich teak wood, black slate and Asian artifacts set the tone for one of the most relaxing couple of hours you will spend. The Oriental Spa is decidedly Thai–in decor, ambiance as well as treatments. It follows in the tradition of other spas in the Mandarin Oriental group, most notably at The Oriental Hotel in Bangkok, the Ananda in the Himalayas and six other locations worldwide. Each of the four treatment rooms–one of them is designed for couples–has its own bath and steam rooms and dressing area. A Thai silk scarf, laid diagonally across the pristine white bed when you get there, is hung outside the door as a "Do Not Disturb" sign.

Much attention has obviously been given to the physical surroundings of the spa because that is a great part of the whole spa experience, which is envisioned to be a therapeutic one, a refuge for mind and body. This is a place where "nobody shouts or talks too loud", where there is no pushing or shoving and–happily–no cellphones ringing and beeping. One really begins to "enjoy the silence".

"We want this to be a place where people can escape and relax," says spa consultant Fiona McAlister. "We take them out of their surroundings, out of the chaotic stresses of life, even for just one hour."

In contrast to the hotel area from which one comes, the temperature at the spa is com-fortably un-cold (not quite warm) because, Fiona explains, when the body isn’t concentrated on warming itself it relaxes more. "We want you to relax even before you start any treatment, in order to get the full benefits of the treatment."

Most of the spa’s signature treatments use Thai techniques and ingredients, such as the Thai facial, herbal body polish, foot spa and massage. All treatments are done by hand, without aid of any machine. "We want to eliminate the technology of the beauty salon," explains Fiona, "and go back to the traditional techniques. Touch has a magic all its own."

Nineteen licensed physical therapists are on staff, chosen from over 400 applicants. All of them are female, but Fiona points out that they are perfectly capable of giving a strong massage when required. But their hands can be as light and gentle as a feather when needed.

Ingredients are natural–sea salts, mud from the Dead Sea, seaweed and, for facials, things good enough to eat: honey, yoghurt, cucumber, egg. The Oriental Spa also used the Thalgo line of marine products from France, the "uncontested leader in the world of marine cosmetology". All spa staff undergo special training with Thalgo personnel.

The range of treatments currently available is wide. There are five types of facials (the traditional Thai facial using fruits and vegetables and white clay is a dream), four body treatments drawing from the benefits of salt, herbs, mud and algae (sounds yucky, but your body will love it), five types of massage and–easy favorites–Thai and Egyptian foot treatments.

The Oriental Spa is open every day from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., with the last treatment appointment at 9 p.m. (book ahead; late afternoon to evening hours are the busiest). While hotel guests are taking advantage of this oasis, many local residents are discovering the delights of this spa. And take note–about 70 percent of clients are men! But chances are that’s going to change, because in the chaos of living in Manila, everyone–men and women–needs the respite that The Oriental Spa so delightfully offers.