Where to relax yourself in Beijng

From the Thai Reflexology Foot Massage (108-158 yuan) to the deluxe Garden of Eden Package (1,888 yuan), Long Island offers treatments for every taste and budget. After an exhausting work week, we selected the Aromatic Herbal Heat Massage (458 yuan), designed to improve circulation and soothe aching muscles.

Entering Long Island’s temple of serenity, we walked down the wooden stairs and bridge over an indoor stream. The soothing sounds of new age music and running water quickly erased the noise of Beijing.

After piping hot showers, massage therapists entered our room with a small stove. We lay face down on the massage beds and peered through the small openings at an arrangement of flowers and candles on the floor. After a hot oil back massage, the therapists pulled steaming herbal pouches from atop the stove for an exfoliating scrub. They then placed steam pouches at key points on our back.

This process continued for an hour, focusing on the legs, arms and chest in turn. After each, a Thai herbal compound containing fresh plai was applied to moisturize and restore the natural balance of the skin. These treatments were performed according to Ayurvedic principles inscribed in Bangkok's Wat Pho Temple of the Reclining Buddha, the birthplace of traditional Thai massage.

After the final steamed herbal pouch was placed on the belly, the therapists performed a revitalizing head massage that awakened our senses. As we stepped back into the buzz of Beijing’s streets, we felt like we had spent a week at Wat Pho Temple-an easy and much-needed vacation.

Address: Jiahui Center, B1, No. 6 Jiqingli.
Tel: 6551-6112/6113