Winner of The Weekly’s Spa Awards 2022
What Best Unique Spa Experience
Where Yunomori Onsen & Spa
How Onsen + Aroma Oil Massage (90 minutes)
Good to know $168+ for 1 session (including onsen access)
With the picking up of events, social activities and workplace commitments, many of us are back to life in the fast lane. Exciting as it seems, the hustling can take a toll on our mental and physical health. That’s when the management of time, stress and sleep becomes all the more important.
To cope with life’s daily stressors, Yunomori Onsen & Spa is just the wellness destination we need, with its fabulous combination of therapeutic thermal baths and revitalising spa treatments.
Inspired by the Japanese tradition of bathing in hot spring waters, thermal baths help to improve circulation and lower blood sugar levels. They are also enriched with natural minerals such as magnesium, calcium and sodium, known for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Combine that with the hydrating and soothing effects of thermal water, and it’s no wonder why people report having softer and suppler skin, as well as experience deep relaxation and sleep for days after a trip to the onsen. It is basically a haven for physical and mental restoration.
The good news is, since Yunomori Onsen & Spa is in Kallang Wave Mall, there’s no need to renew your passport, pack any luggage, or hop on a flight. Plus, it is open from 10am to 10pm every day.
Sprawled across 16,000 sq ft are 11 different baths (five for women; six for men). Guests can also look forward to limited-time-only seasonal baths. These include Sakura Bath, to celebrate the cherry blossom season during April and May in Japan. There’s also Yuzu Bath, which is usually enjoyed during the winter solstice in December.
Make time for spa too, as Yunomori Onsen & Spa offers a menu of carefully developed Thai-style massages to take your relaxation and rejuvenation to a whole new level.
Whether you have only a few hours to spare or want to tarry a full day here, every moment will be well spent. Keep scrolling to find out what to expect.
Our entry fee of $38 (or $28 for 65 years and above, or 15 or below) allowed us to spend all day at Yunomori Onsen & Spa.
With their friendly and attentive service, the staff made every effort to patiently explain that, among other things, clothes and phones were not allowed in the baths, and long hair had to be tied up.
Upon check-in, we were presented with two towels: one large and one small, the option of disposable black bikini-style undies (which we very much appreciated) and a shower cap, plus the choice of a yukata. Spoiler: the yukatas come in so gorgeous patterns galore, you might find it hard to pick one!
We were allocated a personal locker to store our belongings. All we needed was our locker tag.
First-timers to the onsen would be impressed by the sleek, minimalist interiors, but we dare say, its locker room – with immaculate environs and idyllic ambience – had us believing we were in Japan.
In these hygiene-obsessed times, such attention to cleanliness and tidiness made us feel safe, and excited about hopping into the baths!
With waters of about 38 deg C – bathing at this temperature, according to some studies, can soothe muscle aches and soreness, fend off depression, and improve quality of sleep. So it’s no surprise that the Bubble Bath (above) – with frothy jets of hydrogen-filled micro bubbles – is literally a hot spot at Yunomori Onsen & Spa.
With a slightly higher temperature of 38.5 to 39.5 deg C in the Silk Bath (above), which is said to promote a smooth and silky complexion, we gingerly inched ourselves into it.
As the silky soapy water started to melt away our weariness, we gave ourselves over to the comforting sensation. We were almost reluctant to leave after (the recommended limit of) 20 minutes – yes, consider yourself warned.
With benefits ranging from boosting immunity and blood circulation to opening and unclogging pores, the steam room was also an integral element of our self-care session at Yunomori Onsen & Spa.
In between our transitions to the baths and steam room, we stayed hydrated by taking sips of water from the nearby water cooler.
After all that soaking and steaming, what could possibly soothe us even more? A massage, that’s what. Getting a massage right after onsen bathing helps to relieve remaining tension and knots in the body, hasten physical recovery and deepen one’s state of relaxation.
For this purpose, we asked for the Aroma Oil Massage (90 minutes), a signature treatment at Yunomori Onsen & Spa. The massage promises to ease aches and kinks while calming senses with a therapeutic essential oil of your choice.
Our therapist was a veteran in her field, hitting us in all the right spots with the perfect strokes, rhythm and pressure, making us ooh and aah in our head as we blissed out. Heaven could very well be a place on earth.
Like in the Land of the Rising Sun, food at an onsen is nothing short of hearty. All that soaking and massaging stimulated our circulation and digestive system, making us ravenous. The spread surpassed our expectations and imagination with its variety of options – sashimi, ramen, tempura, soba, oden, udon, and other Nippon staples.
With time to spare post-lunch, we checked into the lounge area and laid on the comfy chaise lounge to daydream about our next vacay and catch up on snooze.
Yunomori Onsen & Spa is located at #02-17/18 1 Stadium Place, tel: 6386-4126. Visit www.yunomorionsen.com for more information.
A Yunomori Onsen & Spa special brought to you by The Singapore Women’s Weekly.