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Story and photography by Barbara Penny Angelakis
Nirmal photograph courtesy of Nirmal
Hilton Colón Guayaquil
Hilton Colón Quito
The Spas in the Hilton Hotels in Ecuador
Ecuador is not just a gateway to the Galapagos Islands; it is a land rich in natural beauty, historic towns, culture and art, good food, and friendly people. During my recent visit to the major cities of Guayaquil and Quito, I stayed at the conveniently located Hilton Colón Hotels with all modern facilities and services for guests traveling for business or pleasure.
Guayaquil was first stop on my itinerary and to ease the stress from the long  journey I enjoyed a massage in the beautiful Elements Health Club & Spa by Pevonia Botanica. The spa recently underwent a complete renovation and the results are impressive. Subtle lighting is used as a design element with statues of the Buddha and Quan Yin that are strategically stationed to greet you. This full service spa offers a complete range of restorative facials for men as well as women; eye, lip and neck treatments; body wraps for firming, hydrating and soothing; aromatherapy; and Swedish, sport, hot rock or pre & post birth massage. Additional services offered are reflexology and pedicures.
My therapist was Amilia and she selected a Stress Elimination massage for me which consisted of soothing Swedish long strokes with pressure point therapy  applied to release tension and relax tight muscles. Her strong knowing hands and practiced techniques attacked my sore neck and shoulders and afterwards I felt loose and rejuvenated and ready to take in the sights and sounds of Guayaquil. www.hilton.com
The facility at the Hilton Colón in Quito is Nidra Spa, an independently owned center devoted to healing body, mind and spirit. Ana Maria SantaCruz has created a simple low-keyed environment that has more to do with wellness than artifice and while all traditional spa services are offered, the emphasis on integrated healing comes from the belief that beauty results when the being is in a state of perfect health. Here you will find no fancy architectural ploys or spiritual positioning, just simple basics for healing and self-awareness.
Ana Maria greeted me with a warm welcome and a cup of lemongrass tea and seated me in the unadorned reception area, made less rigid by the addition of fresh flowers - in this case beautiful white Calla Lilly’s – and soft traditional Andean music. After a short while Nirmal, the therapist Ana Maria choose for my treatment, came to get me. Nirmal means “Pure” and relates to his personalized Pure Awareness treatment. http://pureawarenessliving.com/me.aspx Nirmal has blended healing techniques gleaned from his extensive studies around the world t o destinations as far flung as India, Asia, Tibet, Hawaii, and Europe. Some of the many techniques he employs are Taoist Abdominal (Chi Nei Tsang also known as visceral manipulation), Ayurvedic therapy, Thai massage, and Bio Dynamic energy in his bodywork treatments, which can last anywhere from 2 to 4 hours. My session lasted 2 ½ hours and while not always pleasant or soothing, especially when Nirmal was walking on my back, ultimately led me into a deep meditative state. It was an extraordinary experience, highly recommended, with true possibilities for release and healing. www.quito.hilton.com
© June 2010 LuxuryWeb Magazine. All rights reserved.
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