Surfcrest
May 3rd, 2006, 07:46
I recall many years ago when I first came to Thailand with "Tours to Paradise" we all went to a small place in the old MBK for what was my first facial. I recall the cucumbers they put on my eyes and the mask they applied. Being barely 30 at the time, it was a unique experience that I have had in many cities throughout the world since.
A few years back I discovered Hanako, the Tokyo Facial Massage located in the Royal Garden Plaza between 2nd Road and Beach Road in Pattaya. Spending upwards to six weeks or more in Pattaya, I make a point of visiting Hanako for a facial about once a week. Of all the facials I've had over the years, Hanako is hands down the best and the best value for my money.
I've checked out the prices of a few other places both in Bangkok and Pattaya and Hanako is definitely more expensive. I look at it like I do a massage. I would much rather pay 700 baht for a good massage than 300 baht for two okay massages. Hanako offers some packages starting at 550 baht, but I usually go for one of the three 1500 baht facials that are designed specifically for men, either the Gold, Gentlemen's Choice or After Sun Treatment. This year after burning my face quite badly from a day out at sea, the After Sun Treament repaired most of the damage I had sustained so I didn't need to spend more than a day hiding indoors or in the shade. They have special equipment for deep cleaning all of your pours and smoothing out the overall texture of your skin using light rotary sanders and suction devices. The mask restores so much back into your skin, giving you a healthy glow that will last most of the week, if not longer. Much of the equipmnt they use is not available in many of the Canadian shops that I frequent from time to time and the 1500 baht price tag for an hour or so intensive work is so much less than what we would pay in Canadian dollars.
I walk out of there feeling / looking so much better than when I arrived.
Another good thing, whether you believe it or not, is authentic bird's nest soup. I know a Chinese place on the food court floor of MBK that sells the real deal for 300 baht per bowl. I notice significant tightening of the facial skin after about an hour and the effect can last for several days. Having dabbled with botox a few times, I would say that I prefer the bird's nest soup as it tightens / hardens the skin more evenly than botox that works specifically more where it is injected rather than evenly.
Hanako is available in a few Bangkok locations as well including Thaniya Plaza off Silom and behind Siam Square. Unfortunately their English is a little limited at the Thaniya location.
When I was at Thaniya a few days back, an English woman came in shortly after I did and asked the ladies if she could get a massage. The girls told her no and then she pointed to me and told the girls that she wanted whatever I was having. So they sat her down and got things going. I had my mask on for about 15 minutes and I pressume she had hers on for around 5 minutes. Just then I heard her yell out (muffled), " I can't breathe" and she got up (pulling away at her mask that was drying) and ran out of the shop. The ladies were all speaking excited, as though they weren't sure what to do, whether to run after her to help her or to run after her to finish the job or get paid. Sometime later the woman reappeared and they started the process again, obviously skipping the mask. I could see the girl working on her was frustrated as the woman's cellphone kept ringing, causing the process to stop each time she say up to chat.
Although The Royal Garden Plaza location does a better job, the Siam Square location is quite good without the line ups that Pattaya quite often has.
Surfcrest
A few years back I discovered Hanako, the Tokyo Facial Massage located in the Royal Garden Plaza between 2nd Road and Beach Road in Pattaya. Spending upwards to six weeks or more in Pattaya, I make a point of visiting Hanako for a facial about once a week. Of all the facials I've had over the years, Hanako is hands down the best and the best value for my money.
I've checked out the prices of a few other places both in Bangkok and Pattaya and Hanako is definitely more expensive. I look at it like I do a massage. I would much rather pay 700 baht for a good massage than 300 baht for two okay massages. Hanako offers some packages starting at 550 baht, but I usually go for one of the three 1500 baht facials that are designed specifically for men, either the Gold, Gentlemen's Choice or After Sun Treatment. This year after burning my face quite badly from a day out at sea, the After Sun Treament repaired most of the damage I had sustained so I didn't need to spend more than a day hiding indoors or in the shade. They have special equipment for deep cleaning all of your pours and smoothing out the overall texture of your skin using light rotary sanders and suction devices. The mask restores so much back into your skin, giving you a healthy glow that will last most of the week, if not longer. Much of the equipmnt they use is not available in many of the Canadian shops that I frequent from time to time and the 1500 baht price tag for an hour or so intensive work is so much less than what we would pay in Canadian dollars.
I walk out of there feeling / looking so much better than when I arrived.
Another good thing, whether you believe it or not, is authentic bird's nest soup. I know a Chinese place on the food court floor of MBK that sells the real deal for 300 baht per bowl. I notice significant tightening of the facial skin after about an hour and the effect can last for several days. Having dabbled with botox a few times, I would say that I prefer the bird's nest soup as it tightens / hardens the skin more evenly than botox that works specifically more where it is injected rather than evenly.
Hanako is available in a few Bangkok locations as well including Thaniya Plaza off Silom and behind Siam Square. Unfortunately their English is a little limited at the Thaniya location.
When I was at Thaniya a few days back, an English woman came in shortly after I did and asked the ladies if she could get a massage. The girls told her no and then she pointed to me and told the girls that she wanted whatever I was having. So they sat her down and got things going. I had my mask on for about 15 minutes and I pressume she had hers on for around 5 minutes. Just then I heard her yell out (muffled), " I can't breathe" and she got up (pulling away at her mask that was drying) and ran out of the shop. The ladies were all speaking excited, as though they weren't sure what to do, whether to run after her to help her or to run after her to finish the job or get paid. Sometime later the woman reappeared and they started the process again, obviously skipping the mask. I could see the girl working on her was frustrated as the woman's cellphone kept ringing, causing the process to stop each time she say up to chat.
Although The Royal Garden Plaza location does a better job, the Siam Square location is quite good without the line ups that Pattaya quite often has.
Surfcrest