A great treatment makes up for other niggles at this Asian-themed day spa in central Moscow says Wanda Love

The level of Asian influence in Moscow spas may surprise some people, though here, it isn’t out of place. Russia shares a 4,300km (2,700 mile) border with China, and as a result, the cultural impact of this proximity is easy to see.

Asia Beauty Spa has three day spas in central Moscow all of which offer a blend of Chinese and Tibetan experiences. The location I visited is conveniently situated adjacent to TAN, one of the most popular and pricier Asian restaurants in the city.

As Moscow is the fourth most expensive city in the world to live in, the price structure of RUB3,100 (US$105, €80, £64) for a 60-minute treatment is a welcome respite. A comparable service in a luxury location costs upwards of RUB4,500 (US$150, €115, £92). The guests I saw were all Russians and appeared to be reasonably wealthy.

Location and access
Reaching Asia Beauty Spa is easy due to its close proximity to the Mayakovskaya station on the well-used Moscow metro line. The street entrance, adjacent to the TAN restaurant, is well marked by Russian standards. Entering requires ringing a buzzer and would be problematic for guests with mobility challenges as the spa lobby is located up a flight of stairs with the women’s changing room up another set.

Design
Chinese and Tibetan influences grace various areas of the spa giving it a distinctive Asian flair. Yet the theme is neither heavy-handed nor kitschy. The spa lobby has a dark interior with highlights of the expected red and gold without overt opulence. Several glass cabinets hold a small array of Comfort Zone retail products but the glass prohibits you from being able to touch them or read the labels and doesn’t make a purchase tempting.

The interior hallways are dimly lit throughout and, in combination with the dark walls, can feel a bit oppressive, but in the treatment rooms the lack of light establishes a warm, cosy setting to truly relax – even if it does mean that the décor goes virtually unnoticed.

While the men’s locker room is located beside the lounge, the women’s is located on a separate floor. It is a comfortable size and a bit brighter than most areas of the spa. Its hammam was a truly lovely surprise given that there are no other thermal experiences. The benches were embedded with slices of coloured rocks that look like quartz, agate and malachite gemstones. The effect is visually stunning though the rocks held the heat and a towel was definitely needed between flesh and stone!

With around six treatment rooms plus a salon area, the spa isn’t large but doesn’t feel cramped. It can be confusing to find your way but staff were always ready to help guide you and make every effort to establish your needs despite a language barrier.

Booking
Language is often problematic for international visitors in spas outside of luxury hotels in Moscow. Asia Beauty Spa’s website is available in Russian only although I was able to review the site’s content with relative ease using Google Translate. Reservations were available by telephone only and customers are initially greeted with a recorded message in Russian, Chinese and finally English.

I had browsed its extensive treatment options on the website and was hoping to have some questions answered before I made my final selection. Unfortunately, the language barrier precluded any detailed conversation so I simply reserved a 90-minute Tibetan massage.

The Staff
Except for the concierge, staff spoke minimal English but went out of their way to make me feel welcome and assist whenever possible. The concierge made every effort to provide details to ensure the language barrier was minimised and the experience was as seamless as possible.

The Experience
On arrival, the spa concierge spoke quite good English and immediately presented me with a full English spa menu and welcomed me to change my treatment if there was something else I would prefer. After perusing the 40-plus treatment and ritual options for several minutes I selected the Royal Massage, a 2-hour massage, for RUB4,200 (US$138, €106, £86).

While the spa menu listed the treatment at a slightly lower price – cheaper by RUB300 (US$10, €7.50, £6) – the concierge was very forthcoming in advising of an incremental price increase.

This is not unusual in Russia and rarely are you given an apology or explanation!

In the guest lounge, an attendant quickly spirited away my coat and shoes and provided me with a pair of slippers and a cup of tea. But within minutes, I was escorted to the locker room and given a brief tour where it was suggested that I enjoy 10-15 minutes relaxing in the hammam before my massage. I always appreciate it when such expectations are made clear. The locker room was generously stocked with fluffy towels and extra slippers, however, my lackluster polyester robe had seen better days and I would have much preferred the traditional cotton waffle weave robes I saw the men wearing.

After relaxing in the hammam and showering, I returned to the lounge where the therapist immediately guided me down a darkened hallway to my treatment room. Once inside, she proceeded to remove my robe – don’t be shy! – and requested I select my preferred oil. I chose the one that was the most appealing aromatically, but then, to my surprise, was informed it would be an additional charge of RUB900 (US$30, €23, £18.50). In asking if there were any other options, the language barrier presented a challenge and the therapist kindly called the front desk. The concierge promptly appeared at the door and politely explained a standard oil is also available at no extra charge. While rather irritated by this attempted dupe, I’ve also come to expect incidents like this while living in Russia. I politely declined the add-on and chose the regular oil.

What followed was a superb massage, beginning with the scalp and face before continuing down my entire body. I admit to never particularly enjoying a stomach massage, however, with the natural flow of this treatment it would have seemed lacking without that component. And the final segment included a warm foot soak followed by a foot massage and reflexology.

Inspired by other items on the menu, I returned a week later with my husband in tow and we enjoyed a couple’s treatment; I had the Brush Moss Massage while my husband had the Royal Treatment.

This time both treatments included having the therapist walk on our backs – an element that had been missing from my visit a week earlier, despite the fact my husband was supposedly experiencing the same treatment I’d enjoyed previously. Despite the lack of consistency in treatment protocols, this portion of the treatment proved to be a highlight for both of us, as both the therapists were quite skilled at kneading the muscles with their heels and toes.

Aftercare
Guests will need to bring their own toiletries if they want to spruce up before emerging into the outside world as there were no amenities provided in the locker room other than a soap dispenser in the shower and a hair dryer. In the lounge before departure, mild tea is served along with dried dates.

Summary
Visitors at Asia Beauty Spa will need to accept that this may not be a luxury experience though it will be a lovely one. And the not so extortionate prices make a refreshing change. What it may lack in amenities, it compensates for with skilled therapists, a moderate selection of treatments and staff that are eager to please.

Though the limited amount of English being spoke may be initially frustrating to some guests, it’s imperative to embrace the experience and appreciate how much can be understood by simply being creative with hand gestures and being patient. The staff strives to be helpful; with very little effort, you can overcome the language barrier and simply enjoy your visit.