Wellness in Manila is becoming more layered. Across the city’s spas, treatments are moving beyond the familiar massages toward a broader approach to restoration, one that can encompass traditional healing practices, personalized skincare, digital wellness tools and holistic programs designed around physical and mental well-being.
Rather than following a single formula, established properties are driving this evolution in different ways. At some, centuries-old Filipino healing traditions remain central. At others, customization, technology and wellness resources allow guests to shape their experience around individual needs.
The Retreat Spa at Okada Manila
At Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Retreat Spa at Okada Manila, Filipino healing customs also remain part of the spa experience. Indayog ng Duyan is a hilot-inspired therapy using warmed banana leaves soaked in virgin coconut oil. The leaves help the therapist identify areas of concern while the treatment focuses on restoring balance and encouraging the body to heal naturally.
Okada Manila’s foot spa and reflexology center, Sole Retreat, provides an array of services that use deep pressure, rubbing techniques and acupressure. Areas of pain are treated as signs of nerve-ending sensitivity, which is expected to diminish over a series of treatments.
Nüwa Spa
At Five-Star Nüwa Spa, personalization has long been part of the philosophy. The first Five-Star spa in the Philippines, Nüwa Spa has held the distinction since 2020, while Nüwa Manila at City of Dreams has received Five-Star recognition since 2018.
Its treatments take inspiration from Nüwa, the goddess in ancient Chinese mythology who restored the sky using five-colored stones. The story reflects a principle of Chinese medicine centered on achieving equilibrium through nature, which the spa incorporates into treatments designed around a guest’s constitution, emotions, the changing seasons and the flow of chi. Therapies also draw from Ayurveda, reiki and other Asian healing practices.
That emphasis on personalization extends to skincare. Nüwa Spa offers facial and body treatments using products from French luxury skincare brand Biologique Recherche, whose methodology begins with an individual skin analysis. The guest’s condition informs a tailored regimen.
The approximately 7,000-square-foot spa includes twin-bed suites for couples and comfortable single treatment rooms, along with a serene lounge, vitality pool, steam room, sauna and relaxation area. Even its massage beds reflect a more considered tack to comfort, with heated surfaces and an ergonomic design.
The Fairmont Spa
Time-honored Filipino healing takes a more prominent role at Four-Star Fairmont Makati’s spa, where the signature Traditional Hilot Foot and Body Massage interprets local wellness heritage for a contemporary urban setting.
The 90-minute ritual combines therapeutic massage with antioxidant banana leaf strips infused with warm coconut oil. Traditional acupressure and a dagdagay wooden stick are used on the soles of the feet to help release tension, encourage relaxation and support a deeper mind-body connection. The treatment is designed to harmonize the body’s natural energies, providing a distinctly Filipino approach to restoration and recovery.
Fairmont Makati’s Mango Passion Fruit Tropical Saltmousse Scrub and Massage takes a more sensory route. A saltmousse scrub exfoliates and protects the skin before a hydration-focused massage using essential oils infused with geranium and orange. Together, the treatments reflect the spa’s emphasis on combining local traditions and holistic rituals to support relaxation, recovery and overall well-being.
The Peninsula Spa
Five-Star Peninsula Manila expands wellness beyond the treatment room through Life Lived Best, The Peninsula Hotels’ global wellness and sustainability platform. Built around three pillars (physical fitness, mental health and nutrition), the program guides the hotel’s spa and wellness initiatives, including yoga classes, spa treatments, personal training sessions and the Naturally Peninsula plant-based dining program.
Technology plays a practical role through Peninsula’s Wellness Portal, which allows hotel guests to access wellness resources from their personal devices. They can request in-room fitness accessories, follow guided workout videos, listen to audio meditation sessions, explore spa recommendations and view Naturally Peninsula menu selections throughout their stay.
The experience can be tailored further through PenChat, The Peninsula Manila’s 24-hour digital concierge service. Patrons can use their preferred messaging app to connect with hotel staff and access wellness concierge support from chefs, spa managers and fitness professionals.
