Organic Whitening Body Scrub & Massage at Mont Albo Massage Hut

I promised my bff Yana that I would treat her to a massage before she flies back to Dubai. Since both of us came from a beach trip and we're probably a shade darker than our natural skin color, we thought that it'd be nice if we treat ourselves to a body scrub and massage.

I looked for spas in Makati and found Mont Albo Massage Hut in Parksquare just in front of Dusit Thani Hotel. I browsed their website and immediately became interested with their spa menu. I called for reservation on the day of our planned spa bonding. 

Sorry, I didn't take any photos since I don't think it's appropriate plus the lighting was very poor. A spa is a private place where one can relax and enjoy the massage. I don't wanna bother myself to take pictures. Anyways, let me share our experience :D

Yana and I both availed their Organic Whitening Scrub with 1 hr massage for Php 750. The body scrub + massage lasted for 1 1/2 hours. The organic whitening scrub is composed of three natural substances, extracted from plant components, which have been proven to inhibit the production of melanin. Their organic whitening scrub is a better and healthier substitute than synthetic whitening chemicals. 

We bought some add ons like disposable underwear for Php 30 and additional massage oil at Php 50. 

Here are some things I want to rave about our body scrub  + massage.  There are some things I didn't like though.

Raves
1. The body scrub + massage was definitely value for money. You will be treated for 30 minutes of scrub and then a  1-hr relaxing massage for Php750. Not bad!
2. Their location is very strategic to malls, offices, and other commercial establishments. You can easily go to Mont Albo to treat yourself to a massage after shopping or a long day at work.
3. I fell asleep during the 1-hr massage. My therapist was good at kneading with the right pressure at the most stressed parts of my body. After the massage, I felt like I've just waken up from a long slumber.  It was that relaxing!
4. Free hot tea and hot towel were provided.
5. They have a website which helped me decide which massage I will get. Calling to reserve a slot is also easy breezy.


Rants
1. No privacy. Massage beds are only divided by curtains. You can hear other customers' or therapists' voices.
2. Massage therapists keep on gossiping with each other and can be heard while we were getting our massage. Their voices are even louder than the instrumental music being played. I hope they will act more professional. Our therapists had to tell them to keep their voices down because there are clients.
3. No comfort room and only one shower area where you can rinse after the body scrub. I had to wait for my turn to use the shower room.
4. Old towels.
5. I'm not sure if it's the scrub or the sheets but it felt itchy on my skin while I was being soaked in the scrub.
6. Small reception area. It really is massage and go.


My verdict
I will go back for if I want a massage that won't burn a hole in my pocket. Their massages range from Php 80 for the express Massage (15  minutes) to Php 350 for their one-hour massages. A decent body scrub costs around Php 750 +.

Mont Albo Massage Hut is one example that a good massage doesn't need to be expensive.


Mont Albo Massage Hut
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Hydrotherapy massage at Ace Water Spa

Last weekend, instead of joining the mad crowd trooping out of Manila we decided to spend it the long weekend at home. These past few weeks have been really scorching hot, well except for some days. One of the best ways to escape the heat is to spend in the water and combine it with a good massage.

I purchased two vouchers (Php299/each) from Ace Water Spa for a 4-hour hydrotherapy massage via CashCashPinoy. Regular rates are Php550/adult and Php250/kid. We called up Ace Water Spa's reservations a few days ahead and they confirmed that we can just come to the spa any day we want,there was no need to reserve slots. So last weekend, with the unbearable Saturday heat, we thought it was time to visit Ace Water Spa.

Ace Water Spa follows the European concept of therapeutic spa that utilizes ultrasonic jet system that massages specific areas of the body and when combined with heat, it removes oils,fats, and other non-essential materials from the skin. This results to slimming and good blood circulation. This type of massage is is also more commonly called as hydrotherapy massage.

We arrived in their Banawe branch around 4pm on a Saturday. At the reception, we were given stubs for our lockers. As I entered the locker room, the attendant requested for my slippers to be taken off and provided me my locker key.

The locker room consisted of shower cubicles, lockers, toilets, and changing rooms. It was clean and very well-maintained. I did not see any spot of untidyness but I just didn't like stepping on a wet rubber-matted floor. But other than that, the locker room was spotless. Two thumbs up for Ace Water Spa on cleanliness!

I immediately changed into swimming clothes and met Erick outside the waiting area. I must say that fitted swimwear must be worn during the hydrotherapy massage. It would be better if a one-piece swimsuit will be used. I am guilty of this. I brought my 2-piece string bikini thinking that it was just okay but I felt awkward. Good thing, I bought an extra tight-fitting swimwear. For males, fitted swimwear like swimming trunks or cycling shorts are required. Boardshorts are not allowed.

The water spa was big enough but since it was a long weekend, the spa was crowded. It seems that everyone was there to beat the summer heat that afternoon. I also like the fact that cameras of any kind are not allowed in this establishment because this is a spa and not a resort.

There are five main areas in the spa which you can use: kids area, lapping pool, hydrotherapy massage area, hot herbal pools, and sauna and steam rooms.

The kids area was a treat for both kids and those young at heart. There are a number of water activities to choose from. I especially loved the Lazy River where you can just enjoy floating in the current using a floating mat.And oh there was also the Bucket Splash where you can pull the bucket from above using a rope and cold water will be splashed to you.

The lapping pool was for spa-goers who would love to take a swim in the pool. The pool was divided into two: fun swimming area and non-stop area. As the name suggests, when you decide to swim in the non-stop area you should be aware that there are other people swimming behind you, thus you have to continue swimming until you reach the other end. The whole pool is just 4 feet deep so you wouldn’t worry about getting drowned.

On the other hand, the hydrotherapy massage area is one huge and spacious pool with more than 20 unique and automated ultrasonic massage system. It is equipped with therapeutic aquatic jets for you to relax and target those tired muscles.  The massages can be categorized into soft, moderate, and hard massages. I personally liked the bubble bed where you can lay down comfortably and feel the bubbles massage your back, buttocks, and feet. I also had a great massage time in the chest and waist jet chairs. In the waist massage, the water pressure vibrated and massaged my tummy and waist. I felt like losing a few inches after. What you can do is alternately use the aquatic jets to target specific parts of your body such as the tummy, chest, back, and leg areas. Although the place was packed, we were able to maximize the aquatic jets since the other spa-goers were all courteously taking turns in using the water equipments. Plus points for this! Also since this is spa and not a resort, the people are not so much rowdy..well except for the kids.

The hot herbal pools are my top favorite in the spa mainly because the pools are scented with natural herbs. In this area, there are separate sections for men and women which is just actually just adjacent to each other. There are three pools in each area: mint pool at 32 degrees, jasmine pool at 36 degrees and the hottest of them all- the lavender pool at 40 degrees. Persons with high blood pressure are not advised to soak in the hot pools for it may trigger their blood pressure to rise. There are steel neckrest/side handles in the pool where you can rest your neck and head to balance your body’s temperature.

To fully maximize the benefits of the aromatic herbal pool and prevent you from exhaustion, you can alternately dip in the hot pool and in the cold pool. I did this so I can endure staying in the hot pool. If you are the type who easily gets cold, dipping in the cold pool once or twice would cause your feet to freeze and feel numb. I can only bear plunging once on it and then I run to the hot herbal pool to defy the coldness. It’d also help if you hydrate especially when you already feel parched. After all, there’s a free flowing potable water in the area.

Lastly, there are also steam and sauna rooms separate for men and women. But when we were there, only one steam and one sauna rooms are open. That means sharing the rooms with the opposite gender which wasn’t bad at all if you want to spend it with your friends. We spent five minutes in the steam room since I am not really comfortable with the steam getting into my eyes. I was wearing contact lenses. And I find it really hard breathing in the steam room, the air was just so thick. But if you have colds, the steam would help clear your lungs and air passage. We stayed in the sauna room for 15 minutes and just waited for the hour glass to finish the time.
By this time, we spent a good three hours already. Believe it or not, we felt exhausted and sleepy from all the aquatic jet massages and dipping in the hot herbal pools. We decided to have a quick nap in their rest area. Feeling recharged, we went to the lapping pool and swam for a few minutes.

The Lazy River was really my favorite so we went back there once more and just laid on our backs in the floating mats as the current gently pushes us.

After that, we decided it was time to shower and change clothes. It took me around 40 minutes to shower and dress up. Ace Water Spa’s locker rooms also have free lotion, hair gel, and cotton buds. They even have free plastic bag for your wet clothes.

The hydrotherapy massage was good, relaxing, and fun. It really felt like getting a real massage from a therapist. My legs and tummy areas were firmer. My back and shoulder areas felt relieved. It’s really like stepping out from a spa! Plus having fun in the water!

Ace Water Spa is my new discovery. I know i know, they have been here for quite sometime with two branches already – Pasig and QC. I am definitely coming back! And just to let you know that I had a really good hydrotherapy massage at Ace. I had a nice sleep and woke up feeling refreshed and energized.



Hydrotherapy massage, you will keep me coming back at Ace.

Spa bonding session at Tocarre Spa, Antel Spa Suites

I promised my bestfriend Yana that I would treat her to a relaxing massage when she comes from Dubai for her 2-week vacation. I’ve been hearing good reviews of Tocarre Spa so I decided that we’d probably have our spa bonding there. But as luck was on my side, I spotted a deal for Tocarre Spa from Deal Dozen. 

The deal included a relaxing 60-min massage plus foot ritual and delicacies at Toccare Spa plus use of spa amenities like sauna, jacuzzi, and steam room  for only Php699. The original value of the spa package is Php1790. So I didn't think twice to buy two vouchers for me and my bff. 

Fast forward to our spa bonding…

My bestfriend and I decided to use it the day after we had our La Union and Baguio trip since knew that we were gonna be tired and need some relaxing after our 3-day trip. I called up a week ago for our preferred date and schedule which is at 10pm. 

Earlier that night, we met with first our high school friends and we had dinner at Greenbelt 3. After our dinner, we waited for a cab to bring us to the spa but it was raining hard that night and everyone’s just all waiting for a cab. I texted them that we were on our way already just to ensure we don't lose our reservation. 

Tocarre Spa is located in the fourth floor of Antel Spa Suites in Makati Avenue. It is just beside A.Venue Suites. Tocarre prides itself as the spa having personalized treatment from the massage oil to the music, themed rooms, complimentary beverages and all.

We arrived in the spa just in time for our appointment. We then presented our vouchers and was asked to choose a scent for our massage oil and music. I chose lavender while Yana chose peppermint. We agreed that we both wanted classical music to listen to while we were having our massage. We were offered an upgrade to VIP room with additional Php250 charge but we declined since we noticed there aren’t any customers at that time, only us.

We were ushered to the ladies locker room and we changed into our robes. We took a quick shower and Yana and I met at the jacuzzi area.

Ladies locker room

I love that we were the only ones in the spa at that time. We get to maximize the amenities. We stayed at the jacuzzi for about 20 miniutes and had chit-chats about each other's lives. We used to live together in the same apartment and had our pajama talks before bedtime. We'd talk about our work, boys, love life, dreams, and other girly stuff. Nowadays, we only get to send messages thru Facebook and YM. In the middle of our conversation, a kind attendant offered us cold water. 

Dipping in the warm jacuzzi was very relaxing as it was been raining hard outside. After that, we slipped into the sauna room. I always loved staying in the sauna room especially after a good workout in the gym. So getting in the sauna was a treat for me. I poured some water into the hot volcanic stone to increase the temperature in the sauna room. I love that their sauna room looks well-maintained and clean. We stayed there for 20 minutes I guess and then we transferred to the steam room which was just next door. If I love staying in the sauna room, the steam room is my least favorite. Because the steam always dries my contact lenses. Plus I feel scared, you never know who’s hiding in the steam. Hehe

Photo taken from Tocarre Spa's website

We took another shower and then we’re ready for our classic massage finally!

In the massage room, there were around 4-5 beds but we were the only clients at that time. I was really looking forward to the massage since my body is screaming of tiredness and ache from surfing in La Union and the bus travel we took. My therapist put a good hard pressure especially on my upper back. I kinda twitched when she pressed my upper back but I didn’t not complain although she asked me if the she's using the right pressure. I felt that my back has lots of “lamig” that’s why she kept on kneading it.  During the massage, I dozed off for a couple of minutes until the therapist told me to change my position. For me the best part of the massage was when the therapist massaged  my calves. I always feel strain in those part of my legs and the massage actually relieved my tired leg muscles. After the massage, I felt I had just waken up from a good sleep.

After our massage, we were led to the foot massage area where there are comfy couches and an LCD TV. We had our foot paraffin where our feet were dipped in a hot water. A wax was formed in our feet and they were wrapped in a clear plastic bag. 

Photo taken from Tocarre Spa's website

As we waited for our  feet's cooling time, our snacks were served. They served us iced tea, empanada, and  an ensaymada. I wasn’t feeling hungry so I just munched the empanada. I like the fact that Tocarre Spa actually serve snacks after the massage. 

At 12 midnight, our spa session ended. Overall, I was satisfied with the services and the massage I had at Tocarre Spa. The attendants and therapists are courteous and see to it that you are well taken cared of. I especially loved their amenities which you can use – jacuzzi, steam and sauna rooms. The spa is not that big compared to those I’ve gone to but it just means that you have more privacy since lesser clients are being accomodated. Just one thing I noticed, they didn’t have any music in the common areas like the reception and foot massage sections. It’d be nice if they set the mood of the spa all throughout the place – not just in the massage rooms.

I will probably come back next time to try their other massage offerings like the half-day spa experience :)

Two thumbs up for Tocarre Spa!