Mandarin Oriental Manila offering Indigenous Healing Treatments at Spa

Guests can now indulge in time-honored Filipino healing arts and ancient techniques at The Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Manila.

Dagdagay is an authentic Igorot/Cordilleran leg and foot massage that uses two bamboo or rattan sticks to stimulate the soles and cleanse and purify the feet. It begins with a soothing foot soak using healing herbs in a huge clay vessel, and is capped with a relaxing herbal foot wrap and massage. The 50-minute treatment is offered at PhP2,200.

Hilot is an intriguing, healing/curative therapy dating back to the 5th century. It comes from the Tagalog word hilot meaning to rub, touch, massage and caress, and until recently had only been practiced in remote rural areas in the country. Knowledge is gained via apprenticeship through generations of families of healers.

Practitioners of hilot are renowned for their ability to reset joints such as fingers, knees, ankles and metacarpal bones that have been dislocated or sprained. The therapeutic hilot massage establishes equilibrium in the body with deep-tissue massage and smooth, flowing strokes, restoring health and well-being. The PhP3,400 treatment lasts for an hour and 30 minutes.

Bentosa, an ancient ‘cupping’ therapy originally derived from China and now practiced by many cultures around the world, stimulates the nervous system, activates and balances blood flow and circulation, dissipates cold spots in the body, removes toxins and restores the body to a balanced state. This 30-minute treatment is priced at PhP2,400.

A two-hour combination of hilot and bentosa to promote natural healing and well-being, is available for PhP4,088.

The Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Manila is situated at the hotel’s topmost floors and is open from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 a.m., Mondays through Sundays.

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