Luxury Chinese Spa Experience

D-Club Spa, Shenzhen, China

There are endless options for spa and massage centers in Shenzhen, all offering a very different experience to a typical western luxury hotel spa. I teach at a private English language school in Shenzhen, and Sylvia, one of my lovely Chinese VIP students was keen to introduce me, my partner Ian and another English friend Chris, to one of Shenzhen’s high end spas known as D-Club, in the Futian district, close to Xiangmi Lake.

Sylvia informed us that we could stay for 24 hours from our time of arrival. All we needed to bring was a swimming costume. Everything else apparently, would be provided. I was intrigued and slightly fearful of Chinese surprises, so I decided to take a quick look online to see what we could expect.

Surprisingly the website had an English translation and I was instantly reassured by discovering that I would “slow down my always busy footsteps” and “surely be unable to control my joyance from the bottom of my heart”. OK, more Chinglish than English, but nevertheless I was impressed by the facilities and decided this Chinese adventure would be a welcome reprieve from Shenzhen city life.

Sylvia picked the three of us up at the appointed time and it wasn’t long before we arrived at what looked more like a Disney themed castle, just off the Qiaoxiang Road and close to the Xiangmi metro on the Shekou line. We parked amongst Lamborghinis, Ferraris and matt black Porsche’s before making our way to the huge elaborate lobby.

It turned out this venue is more like a luxury resort than a spa. D-Club is a multi-functional leisure club with golf, spa, catering, guest rooms, indoor and outdoor pools and even a beach area. It covers 90000 square meters and has an eight storey European style castle building housing all the indoor facilities.

Getting prepared

I hardly had time to take in the immense, grandiose lobby before being quickly separated from the men and ushered into the women’s area. A locker was allocated, along with a device that could track my whereabouts – I discovered how useful this was later in the day! Then I was dispatched to the showers for a compulsory dowsing. This was followed by two locker room assistants sizing me up for the fetching salmon pink pajama outfit I would wear for the next nine hours! I do believe I was given a slightly larger size than necessary but thought it better not to complain at this stage of the proceedings!

I was really thankful for Sylvia’s presence and help with the language. On my own it would have been a little intimidating as no English was spoken. Negotiating the inner labyrinth was a bit like a visit to IKEA. Once in there was no way out! I managed to get lost between the showers and the changing area, after pausing momentarily for a glass of water. Fortunately a kindly Chinese spa assistant guided me back to my locker.
Source: http://www.saporedicina.com/english/luxury-chinese-spa-experience/