Hoping to treat the mom in your life with a spa getaway for Mother's Day?
In the bustling Village at Totem Lake, you’ll find a day spa where East meets West.
Yuan Spa’s new location blends Eastern healing philosophies with Western modern treatments.
"Yuan is coming from a Chinese word which roughly translates to ‘The Source,’” said spa director Tysan Dutta. “This idea, and our motto, is that you come here and rediscover your source, what makes you your best you."
The most unique corner of the spa is dedicated to water, steam, and ice.
The hydrotherapy room features a hot and cold pool, steam room, ice cave, and salt sauna.
"You kind of go from hot to cold, so you get this constriction and dilation of your whole blood flow, it helps bring oxygenated blood to your brain, and it helps all of your systems work better,” Dutta said.
Experiencing hydrotherapy is described as a “meditative ritual,” and guests are encouraged to begin with a soak in the hot pool (approximately 105 degrees,) then transition to the cool pool (approximately 80 degrees.)
The eucalyptus steam room comes next, and dead sea salt is available for exfoliation during the steam.
The ice cave, inspired by Nordic ice baths, follows — guests can use crushed ice to cool their skin.
Finally, the heated Himalayan salt room — a sauna with salt walls. Guests are encouraged to bring chilled lemongrass towels in with them.
Hydrotherapy time is available by reservation and costs $49 for one hour and $75 for two hours. If it's added to another treatment, the cost is discounted.
Dutta said visiting at least once a month can make a big difference in overall wellness.
"It's an earned right that you have as a human, it's not just something you do once every five years because your best friend is getting married,” she said. "Think about how much more effective you are when you come at it from a place of calm, or you come at it from a place of grounding."
Many of the spa treatments are also inspired by Chinese traditions, like the signature Radiant Foot Treatment ($135.)
"Our feet are in shoe jail all day is what I like to say, especially ladies who run around in high heels,” said Amber Maurer, Licensed Massage Practitioner.
During the treatment, which includes paraffin for the hands, a guest’s shoulders, hands, legs, and feet are massaged to remove blockage of Qi (energy.)
"It's using the meridian lines on the lower leg and foot, and those acupressure points to really tap into all the major organs of the body,” Dutta said.
The Signature Reconditioning Facial ($145) is a mix of Eastern European techniques with Gua Sha — pieces of jade are used to gently scrape the skin, to stimulate cell renewal. Eminence organic skincare products are also used to cleanse, exfoliate and replenish.
Whatever guests choose, Dutta says spa treatments shouldn’t be viewed as simple indulgences. She believes it’s all about wellness.
"We feel like we've been screaming into this void, 'Taking care of yourself is really important' and if there's one silver lining that's come out of COVID, it's that people are starting to get that,” she said. "Give yourself a little bit of self-care so you have something to be able to go back out into the world with."
Yuan Spa has locations in Kirkland and Bellevue. Guests can book treatments online or purchase a monthly subscription for services.
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