The Alammi Spa

Just in case if you're wondering what happened to Tanamera Wellness Spa at Sooka Sentral and Concorde Hotel Shah Alam, the spa is now known as Alammi Spa.

View from the main waiting area

The good news about Alammi is that it is run by the same team of people as before, still exclusively using  Tanamera products and retaining the same range of spa treatments - traditional Malay spa within a modern setup. 

The spa had undergone extensive renovation.  The one at Sooka is currently occupying two lots on the third floor instead of just one previously.

 Sample of Tanamera natural oils and body scrub to help you choose your favourite oil and scrub

 Bath tub... for flower bath ;)

Cup of ginger tea, mildly-sweetened, pre and post-session 

 Spa bed in one of the many rooms

I was in for a pleasant surprise when I went to the spa for a very brief session recently after being away for a very long time.  I find the newly-transformed Alammi spa better than ever, being much cozier and more spacious now.

Packages at discounted prices are available and recommended for anyone who intends to become regular patrons.

Peak Day, Peak Hours
As Alammi at Sooka is surrounded by various office blocks, a number of its patrons are thus comprise mostly people who work around the area.

The spa is usually fully-booked (by appointment) on Friday afternoons from between 12.30 - 2.30 pm, in view of the longer lunch break adopted by a few organisations based near KL Sentral.  So for those who would like to spend the Friday noon break for a facial, hair treatment, massage, bath, etc, it's best to call (03-27851815) or walk-in a few days earlier to secure an appointment.

Alammi Sooka opens on Saturdays too, but for shorter hours. It closes on Sundays and public holidays (while Alammi at Concorde Hotel Shah Alam opens on Sundays too, but closes on Mondays).

P/S (added on 07.09.2015) : The Alammi Spa is currently only at Concorde Shah Alam.  Its branch at Sooka Sentral had ceased operation since 30.08.2015 after MRCB, the owner of Sooka Sentral had sold the building, and the tenants of Sooka are supposed to move out by a certain date in September.

The Mentari Spa at Tanamera

Craving a self-reward after working hard in looking after the kid for the past few months, I have decided to head to Tanamera Spa for some pampering.   
 

View of the floor from above the bench ~ rose petals and chrysanthemum floating on water

Mentari Spa for the "night-owl"
After moments of consideration, I have decided to try the "Mentari Spa", a mini package comprising body massage, scrub and mask that takes about 2 hours.

There are a selection of plant-based massage oil to choose from - basil, coconut, ginger, coffee and mixed herbs.  The mixed herbs oil has a sharp but pleasant fragrance that's supposed to be stress-soothing.  Well, I am stressed because I have many new challenges to face nowadays, and sleep-deprived because my kid is a night-owl (and therefore I'm forced to be one too ).

For scrub and mask, I have chosen coconut-based selection.  The scrub and mask smell heavenly-sweet.  Upon application, I was reminded of kuih made of coconut milk, as if I'm in a kuih-making kitchen.  Yum... reminds me of  kuih lapis.  The coconut scrub and mask work wonders, where the skin feels much smoother in the aftermath.

A review
Overall, I'm happy with the 2-hours session.  The massage was professionally-done, and I feel fresher after that.   I really miss feeling fresh after not being able to sleep soundly uninterrupted.  Anyway, I don't mind the interruption because at least it shows the kid is more active compared to last time, although the timing (i.e. late at night) isn't ideal .

The scrub and mask were done after massage.  I noticed that it feels a little chilly in the spa room when mask is applied to the body.  But not to worry, the chill felt is only very mild.

After everything is done, you'll be shown to the shower room for a warm shower.  Bathing robe and towel are provided.

Products from Tanamera

Fell in love with Tanamera recently! :P

How it started

Upon hearing about the good services at Tanamera Wellness Spa in Sooka Sentral from one of my colleagues, I became curious to try it out. I like Tanamera spa for 2 major reasons, namely that all Tanamera products are made from natural tropical plants and free from strong chemicals, and that it's an "all-ladies" spa. I have nothing against guys, but I find it more comfortable to do certain things in an exclusively-ladies' spa.

Facial & Shopping

My first visit to Tanamera spa in Sooka was for a 'sengkuang' facial. On top of the facial, I've recently bought a few items from Tanamera to try out. There was a Tanamera Mega Sale where all products were discounted for 20%. After trying them out, in a nutshell, I'd like to say that Tanamera products are of high quality, environmental-friendly and reasonably-priced.

1. The Tanamera's Spa Jerneh Body Moisturiser: Pleasantly fragrant, very moisturising yet non-sticky, and I'm happy with the fact that unlike other ordinary lotions, its fragrance doesn't cause me to sneeze.

2. Re-mineralizing Aqueous Facial Mist with Standardized Herbal Extract and Lavender Essential Oil: A cool facial mist that refreshes and gently moisturises the facial skin. I use this as my daily toner.

3. The Brown Soap:

I don't clearly remember the exact ingredients of this soap, other than turmeric. It has a gritty surface (of rice) to act as scrub. This soap is ideal for showering or whenever one feels like having a body scrub. It helps to unclog the pores on my back.

4. The Black Soap: This is a facial soap. Best for oily skin or those with acne. Similar to the brown soap, this soap can be used as a cleanser, scrub or mask. 3 in 1, just need to do according to the leaflet of instructions. Although I generally don't have acne problems, I have combination skin. I'm currently using it daily. But I try not to scrub now because after my first time scrubbing my face with the soap, I ended up with a few pimples suddenly popping up. But I like this soap because it works very effectively in cleansing and smoothening my facial skin. And all without drying it up.

5. The Scalp & Hair Revitalizer: This is a hair conditioner. I bought this for my mom. But I managed to try some and like those other items listed above, I love this conditioner. No more frizzes. I wish to buy one for myself later. I wanted to try the shampoo too, but the Tanamera at Sooka had ran out of stock at that time.

The Tamanera Menu

Tanamera spa offers various types of services comprising face work (3 types of facial - 'sengkuang' / 'manggir' / kacang hijau'), hair work (treatment and henna), body work (body scrub), massages, etc. Tanamera spa also provides bridal package (face work+hair work+body work+flower bath), once a week for 4 cycles, and post-natal package. The services offered are a combination of the Malay and ayurvedic practices.

Back then

I remember that I used to frequently walk past a Tanamera stall at the KL Central Market . However, I did not pay much attention to the stall at that time because I had a false impression that such "fragrant but all-natural" products must be very pricey. But in reality, they are not much dearer. No doubt costing slightly more, but the quality is worth it.

I enjoyed the facial

Back to the facial, I enjoyed the session very much. First, the spa therapist cleansed my face with the Tanamera gentle cleanser. Then followed by a 'sengkuang' scrub. Next was a facial massage using the Tanamera cold pressed virgin coconut oil. After that, there was the hand and shoulder massage which was very relaxing and comfortable. Finally, I had a hibiscus mask. Smooth and nice, I would definitely consider another in the future.

Hair Work

The latest I had at Tanamera was the hair treatment last week. Also a good one. I wish my hair can be as smooth as the aftermath everyday.

Moving forward

The spa therapist recommended me to take up the bridal package if I'm getting married (hah, marriage? At my age, it's no surprise to get married). With such professional service and excellent products, it's worth the consideration. :)

Lastly, I almost can't believe it that I've fell in love with going to the spa, facial, hair work and such. I don't know whether this is for good or otherwise, but this is definitely something unimaginable back in my earlier days. Though I'm no pretty super-model, I'm obviously beginning to appreciate the need to upkeep myself with how a woman ought to care for herself, apart from having a balanced diet and doing enough physical activity. Physical activity - the next area to look into.