By JOHN TIONG

THE masseuse ran her hands and fingers over my body like a graceful pianist, working on the nerves and muscles to rejuvenate the body.

The signature relaxing aromatic body bliss massage at the newly-opened St Gregory Spa in Parkroyal Kuala Lumpur was a delightful entree to an afternoon at the hotel which recently launched its new Orchid Club Wing and Spa.

For a whole day, I sampled a new suite room at the Orchid Club Wing, sizzling Chinese cuisine at the Si Chuan Dou Hua Restaurant and afternoon tea at the Orchid Club Lounge.

Earlier, the front office staff of St Gregory offered me a cup of warm ginger tea while I filled out a form, answering questions that would help the masseuse work out which massage technique was suitable for me.

Later, I had my feet soaked in a tub of warm water with red rose petals and purple orchids as well as oils of eucalyptus and lavender. The ginger tea and foot bath calmed my nerves and I felt myself relaxing.

The soothing effect of dim lights and piped-in classical music was further enhanced by the sound of water from a little fountain. A candle was used to heat up oil in an aromatherapy container and soon, a floral scent enveloped the room.

The massage started from the feet, moving to the back and then the front. The Filipino masseuse, who has over six years experience, underwent training for six months at the St Gregory headquarters in Singapore before she was posted to Kuala Lumpur.

Her hands and fingers worked in tandem with the tempo of the classical music. To relax my eyes, she placed two pouches of dried lavender over them.

After the massage, I walked more lightly and felt like a load had been taken off my mind. This was not a magic outing of total rejuvenation but I could detect the difference and the feeling of general well-being.

The massage (RM280) is said to enhance blood circulation, relax the muscles and nerves as well as tone up the physique using essential oils of lavender, sandalwood, roses, cedarwood and lemongrass.

St Gregory was named the Best Service Spa in Asia by The Ultimate Spa Guide in 2006.

Parkroyal Orchid Club

The art of orchid arrangement was played to the hilt at the hotel. In the lobby were orchids of all sizes and colours everywhere.

There were small and medium-sized flowers - in striking purple, yellow, light green and cotton white and on the manager's table was a cluster of orchids, exquisitely arranged in a container.

Take a stroll around the lobby if you are into arts as there are many works of art here. The reception counter has a facade of fish scales with a glass wall in the back through which one can see bamboo plants swaying in the wind.

Orchids too are placed in the 78 rooms spread over three floors of the Orchid Club Wing, lending elegance to the simplicity of the decor in earth tones of grey and beige.

The executive suite has a large television set and upholstered chairs, two king-sized beds and a separate room for the wardrobe.

The Orchid Club Wing and the Orchid Club Lounge are serviced by a private glass bubble lift. Guests have the exclusive use of Orchid Club Lounge on Level Six where St Gregory is located.

Floor to ceiling glass windows allow guests to look out on Bukit Bintang and Jalan Imbi. Here, breakfast, afternoon tea and evening cocktails are served - on the house.

Spicy Chinese

At Si Chuan Dou Hua, customers are treated to the art of tea pouring. Master tea pourer Li De Jin from Sichuan is only 25 years old but already he shows great skill and extreme agility as he pours from a brass kettle with a metre-long spout. Two of his most impressive stances are named Nodding Phoenix and Boy Prays To Buddha.

Try signature dishes such as Chinese Eight Treasure Soup with shredded crab meat, sharks fin, crab roe, scallop and spinach. Then there's hotplate sizzling beef, spicy Ma Po Tau Fu, silver cod fish cooked in two styles, stirfried French beans with meat and garlic and home-made tau foo fah.

HOTEL

Parkroyal Kuala Lumpur, 50250 Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Tel: 03-2147 0088 Fax: 03-2147 0099. Email: enquiry@kul.parkroyalhotels.com. Website: www.kualalumpur.parkroyalhotels.com

GETTING THERE

The hotel is about an hour by taxi from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport and 10 minutes from the Petronas Twin Towers. It is across the road from Sungei Wang Plaza in Jalan Sultan Ismail.

MAIN ATTRACTIONS

Premier shopping malls right at its doorstep.

FIRST IMPRESSION

A posh environment with plenty of orchids and objets d' arts while all around are plants and flowers. The staff members are friendly and helpful.

RATING

Five-star.

ROOMS

Parkroyal Kuala Lumpur has 426 rooms, of which 78 rooms and suites are in the new Orchid Club Wing. There's a personal butler service, express check-in as well as a special VIP turndown service.

RATES

Special rates for Orchid Club rooms RM399++ per night or RM718++ for two nights till June 30, 2008.

OVERALL SERVICE

Appealing.

F&B OUTLETS

At Chatz Brasserie, you can taste gourmet food from around the world while Bossa Nova serves seafood and barbecued meat, Brazilian style, and Si Chuan Dou Hua Restaurant specialises in spicy Sichuan dishes. At the Klix Lounge, you can relax over a glass of beer and shucked oysters or go to Hot Gossip for freshly-brewed coffee and pastries.

FACILITIES

St Gregory Spa, a fitness centre and an outdoor swimming pool. A shuttle bus leaves the hotel four times a day to KLCC (Petronas Twin Towers).

PLACES WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE

It's just minutes to shopping malls like Sungei Wang Plaza, Pavilion, Lot 10, Berjaya Times Square and Starhill Gallery. A light rail transport station nearby lets you move around easily within KL.