I love getting massage.When I go to beauty salon, primarily it is to get the relaxing massage that comes with the hair or facial treatment. When I have time, I love to try new massage places, and I’ve been eyeing “Martha Tilaar Day Spa” for a while.
After considering several locations, I finally choose the one at the fX Sudirman. This one is an “express” type, which have more limited treatment options than the regular “day spa” type. I will include treatment and price list of each type on this post.
This picture above is the reception area, where you choose your treatment and your product. Me and my sister agreed to choose their signature treatment, “hot candle massage”. It is more expensive than other types of body massage, but the idea of melted aromatherapy candle used for massage instead of usual oil or lotion does promise something different.
The receptionist lady then invited us to sniff the candle selections and choose the aroma we want. The menu only mentions “Exotic Frangipani”, “Tropical Hibiscus”, “Sacred Lotus” and “Lime Coconut”, but they also have other options. Both me and my sister chose the ones which aren’t in the menu, “Enchanted Nero” for me and “Javanese Rose” for her.
They have a mini waiting lounge where we were served what I think to be some kind of lemon tea. Visible behind the wooden railings is facial and hand & foot treatment area. So if you wear hijab, or if you’re just concerned with privacy, you might want to consider getting those treatments here. Body treatment area is in closed area inside, and each treatment bed is separated by thick curtain.
I was a little bit surprised when they asked me to take a shower first, as in other massage places, you can typically take a shower after the massage is done. Because I’m a decent person, I always shower and scrub my skin well before I go to a massage, so another shower felt a bit extra =). But I did as told, and pleasantly found that the hot water ran very well. Robe, hair cap, towel and disposable panties are provided.
Then the massage session started. The melted candle was just a teeny bit hot when the therapist first poured it at my skin and immediately turned to a comfortable warmth. The therapist was very thorough and systematic. She started with my legs while I lay face down, then my back, then I was asked to turned around and she continued the same process with upper side of my legs and my arms. I’d give her a plus point because she has this right amount of politeness, sincere without seeming fake, nice to talk to, but without actively trying to stir up a conversation.
Overall, the massage was better than typical body massage at several beauty salons I’ve ever been. I truly feel that the kneading and pressuring were relaxing instead of needlessly painful. But then again, it was still a beauty salon massage. Meaning, if you feel tired and have tensions in your body from your daily routine, this kind of massage would probably rejuvenate and do you a lot of good. But if you have chronic muscle pain, strain, knots or whatever they call it, you might want to seek a more specialized massage.
The therapist didn’t ask where I might feel a lot of tensions, so after she done with my arms, I asked her to massage my back again instead of my front like she was about to do. I asked if she can feel which area is more strained. She said she can, but I wasn’t convinced, so I pointed the exact parts I wanted her to tackle.
At some point she told me, “Miss, your bones are very hard.” And I was like, what? But aren’t bones supposed to be hard?
After a split second I understood that what she meant was “Miss, you are all bones.” So I told her that I might be petite, but I’m not fragile, and please do not hold back with the strength. After that she kneaded harder and it felt good.
After the massage was done, I thought she’d tell me to take a shower again, but instead she told it is better for me not to take shower for the next 5 hours to let my skin fully absorb the melted candle and get the maximum benefit.
I have to admit that my body was so sticky and it was not very pleasant to imagine not being able to immediately take a shower. But the sticky feeling disappeared a lot faster than I imagined. Maybe after 10 minutes or so, I already felt comfortable again. The melted candle didn’t leave visible residue, it completely dissolved into oil and be absorbed by the skin.
My verdict!
Overall I appreciated the experience, but I might not want to repeat the treatment.
The therapist told me that the candle massage is their most popular treatment, but other type of massages follow the exact same procedures and same way of massaging. The only difference is the type of massage oil they use.
You must be kidding me!
So the 150k difference between “Javanese Massage” and “Hot Candle Massage” is only whether you use good ol’ olive oil or the all fancy melted candle? Give my money baaaaack~
Just kidding. After all, people do pay for the experience. The massage quality is good, the staffs are friendly and the ambiance of the place is serene and comfortable, so I really have nothing to complain. Eventhough I have to add that they charge additional 10% VAT to the price listed on the menu whaaat??.
They told you that from the beginning, though.
To get a treatment at fX Martha Tilaar Spa Express, you better make a reservation by phone first. The therapist told me they are busiest in the evening, when many office workers drop by in their way home. So in the evening they usually have 5 therapists, while during morning and noon they only have two.
Other than body treatment, they also have other treatment as below.
For a more complete spa experience, you may want to check out Martha Tilaar Day Spa, with price list as below.
Sister and me wandered around fX Sudirman afterwards, which was pretty empty despite the holiday season.
I think fX Sudirman is really good at differentiating themselves as “Lifestyle Mall”, especially from nearby high-end malls, Plaza Senayan and Senayan City.
They do have a cool ambiance appealing especially maybe for students and young professionals.
They provide this kind of free hangout space and working station, complete with electric socket for your gadgets.
They have shower rooms and lockers facility that open from very early in the morning, maybe for the joggers who flock Gelora Bung Karno Sports Complex especially on weekend.
They have a spacious and comfortable prayer room at 5th floor, and additional men’s prayer room at 4th and women’s at 3rd.
Of course, they also have JKT48 Theater which I believe also serves as a main visitor attraction, and the have wide variety of restaurants and cafes you can choose from.
The most striking feature of fX Mall is that every pillars are covered by mirrors. Not only it gives the mall more spacious impression but it also provides perfect spot for taking pictures for current generation who are really into social media.
So I’m a bit perplexed about why fX is not more packed by visitors, and a Cinemaxx theater which was used to be open on the top floor was closed recently. The thing is, I think fX doesn’t really attract visitors for shopping purpose. Most of the stores are boutique outlets with considerable prices. Unless you really target high-end , you really need to have an anchor tenant or lots of small tenants which sell clothes ranging from as low as IDR 100k.
I just think about the people who come to hangout after their morning jogging, students who come to meet up for JKT, office workers who drop by after work, they might eat out at fX but they DON’T BUY CLOTHES, and what a huge lost of opportunities is that.
But this is just my personal opinion, I’m not marketing professional or anything XD So don’t mind me too much. Maybe, that is arranged purposefully that way, to make fX more like a hangout place rather than a regular shopping mall.
Back to the massage topic, actually I do have a chronic pain on my right shoulder and shoulder blade area. I think it might be caused by long hours in front of the computer and cellphone.
All the massage places I visited do provide some temporary relief, but the knot and pain is still there.
I spotted this “eastwest physiotherapy & rehabilitation” place at fX, and after some googling, I got really interested in their sport massage, which claimed to be able to “detect variations in soft tissue” and “identify and correct the root cause of trouble”.
But the place seems costly, since it seems all professional and also serves expats X)
So for now maybe I’ll try to practice some self help, as shown in what I can find in the ((((internet)))).
What do you do on your new year holiday? Can you introduce me to a good and affordable massage place? Sharing is caring!
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