St Regis Bali’s Bloody Mary Spa Ritual

“Welcome back to the St Regis,, ” says the bellhop as he opens the taxi door. I get out and step into another world. The sound of  traditional music echoes off marble, the heady scent of plumeria floats through the wide lobby on a fresh breeze blowing from the ocean just 200 meters away.

Maddy and I are here to watch the signature fire show before indulging in our spa treatment, but first, our butler pulls up in a snazzy golf cart and takes us on a tour of the property.

First stop is the lagoon pool, which greets every private villa as soon as you step outside. The lagoon is dotted with private bungalows and daybeds, perfect for lazing the day away to the sound of the ocean and chirping of birds. I lay down for a while as Maddy snaps some amazing photos.

Then we investigate the oceanfront pool (with a second pool for children), cabanas with flowing white curtains for ultimate privacy and seclusion. Just a few feet away the beach roars, and I see a bridge and groom posing for their wedding photos.

Just then, I hear the pounding of drums — it’s time for the fire show, so the butler drops us off and we arrive just in time. The dancers are in place. Some lighting their torches and some drumming away with the rhythmic pounding that seems to entrance and draw all the guests from their rooms.

It was incredible, and then came the grand finale…..

Now with that fiery finale, It’s time to hit the spa.

All Balinese spa treatments start with a foot bath, a mini pedicure of sorts. Ours are full of flowers, peppermint oil, and as we enter our feet into the spa bath, I literally felt the stress start to melt away. Reclining in the chair, our lovely spa attendants started to polish our feet. We stared at each other in bliss, sipping our mango iced tea. Ahhhh….

Next, we move into the treatment room, the ceiling is decorated with gentle drawings, the room temperature is absolutely perfect, and the massage table is so, so comfortable. The first step in the Bloody Mary treatment is a body wrap made of. She paints me as I lay face down on the table, staring at the bowl of flowers beneath me. Every possible detail has been taken into consideration — there’s no doubt about it.

Slowly I start to fall asleep, worrying that I may be drooling into the flower bowl. After the body wrap, we take a shower in the amazing outdoor shower. The marble is backlit in a warm golden glow and the rain shower was set to the perfect temperature.

The second step is a body scrub, applied and then allowed to set in. She gives me a head massage that sends me to the moon. When she asks how the pressure is, it’s nearly impossible to speak. The slightly chilled lavender eye pillow lulls me right back into dream world…

Finally, it’s time for our flower bath. Yes, we bathed in a bathtub the size of a jacuzzi filled with orange blossom scented water and covered in rose petals. We enjoyed another mango iced tea (absurdly good!) and nibbled on candied cashews and strips of dried fruit leathers while soaking in the absolute beauty and luxury of the moment. I never want another bath that’s not covered in flowers!

After our 15 minute soak it was time for the last step, a moisturizing send off. We were covered in lotion and massaged deep into our fresh skin. Every part of our bodies was glistening and smooth, and we glided from the treatment room to the lobby where we had  — you guessed it, another mango tea — before taking off back to our cozy bungalow in Sanur.

In short, it was a few hours in paradise. Before the experience, I really couldn’t have imagined how indulgent, luxurious, and heavenly this could have been. This was a souvenir we will never forget. Huge thanks to the St Regis Bali for graciously hosting us, you’ll be a part of our Bali memories forever.