Incredible best describes both the setting — overwater spa rooms — and one of the signature treatments — the Sea Escape — at the gorgeous Four Seasons Maldives Kuda Huraa, which means “small village.” The stunning Indian Ocean setting is inspiration in itself, but add to that a true island spa that you reach in a traditional, local wooden boat called a dhoni, and you are transported to a magical place.
The two caring and highly skilled ladies offering our transformation were Jean Malubdos and Ismi Andriani, their smiling faces a warm welcome, as we were first escorted to the beautiful locker room to slip into the supple softness of batik spa robes, and then, upon their exit, to slip into our lovely couples bath in an oversized rectangular tub set in ground and filled with floating hibiscus and plumeria flowers.
We felt like royals.
After a few minutes’ soak — OK, and a little couple’s play time — we were instructed to shower off in the equally lovely outdoor shower space and then meet our therapists just outside. They led us the few steps across to our overwater couples’ massage room with his-and-her tables facing an amazing expanse of Indian Ocean. Yes, we were looking down through our face cradles to the most amazing blue water and tropical fish just below. Pinch us, right?
Miss Jean and Miss Ismi started to transport us to a state a nirvana in this magical setting first with a relaxing foot bath (our first of many here in the Maldives) and then with a mild, sea-salt exfoliation. This was a huge plus for us as exfoliation is not always our favorite since the scrubs can be harsh feeling on the skin. Not so at Four Seasons’ Island Spa. The scrub seemed to melt softening our jet-lagged skin right away.
Next came our seaweed wrap, especially good, we’re told, for all that lactic acid build-up in our back muscles from all those years at the computer. We came close to dosing off as the ladies, who had tucked us neatly into soft batik cotton after cocooning us in the thick wrap, began an other-worldly head massage, one of our favorite parts of any massage.
But the massage itself was still to come, expertly delivered with Zeal oil and using combined practices of Swedish, Shiatsu and Thai massage. This would not be our last introduction to That - which is more of a stretching release for muscles - as it was favored in spas throughout our Maldives stay.
Four Seasons Kuda Huraa’s Island Spa is an absolute can’t miss. But book your appointments early, as the spa manager reports that the afternoons stay full. Indeed, we met one couple arriving in the transfer dhoni as we departed, who were continuing their tradition of a spa visit each afternoon. Ahhh, spaaaa, Four Seasons style!
To find out more, visit http://www.fourseasons.com/maldiveskh/.
