Baltvilla SPA
SPA
By I.
20.08.2008
Although the hotel building is quite new, there’s a certain history about the area which inspires a chocolate theme.
Vilhelms Ķuze, who owned a famous Latvian chocolate factory during the country’s first independence years, built his summer cottage next door in 1936. After he was exiled to Siberia, his son-in-law took over the premises and introduced his passion and professional experience in health resorts. This led to the development of a children’s sanatorium and a rehabilitation center on the property.
Nowadays, the medical aspect is managed and funded by doctors Guntis Osis and his wife, Iveta Ose. The rehabilitation center has been developed in a seperate building, offering a large variety of programs ranging from relaxing to strictly medical. It’s well-equipped with the latest medical technology, though is still a bit on the Soviet side in terms of appearance.
We opted for a relaxation process within the beautifully designed hotel premises. After a calming 20 minute soak, in essential oils in a tub big enough for two (EUR 11.60), we chose to indulge in a close encounter with cocoa during a one hour chocolate massage (EUR 44), this of course in respect of being in Mr. Ķuze’s neighborhood! This type of massage involves a slight amount of friction, due to the unique viscosity of the chocolate and almond oil combination. Your senses take in the sweet aroma, triggering the release of endorphins and a warm inner glow, making you feel truly relaxed. The heat from the melted chocolate also feels fantastic as it exfoliates your skin, cleansing and softening it all over.
After sampling this bliss and floating back through the pine-studded parkland of the grounds to face a 20 minute drive back to the city center, the only regret was that I didn’t combine the massage with one of the overnight accommodation packages.
