OMO Shambhala Retreat, Uma Ubud Bali “Spa Retreat of the Year”

COMO Shambhala Retreat Uma Ubud, Bali was voted “Spa Retreat of the Year” last night at the prestigious AsiaSpa Awards 2009, an event filled with the who’s who of the Asian spa industry at Armani Bar in Hong Kong.

Launched in 2005 to give recognition to exceptional spas in the Asia region, the AsiaSpa Awards are the industry’s most anticipated annual event. Shining a spotlight on the outstanding efforts of individuals and companies within the spa realm, these prestigious awards give credit to those driving Asia's increasingly sophisticated spa scene.

The AsiaSpa Awards are decided by a panel of 28 handpicked judges, all experts in their fields of spa healing and beauty. The awards honour the best of the best in terms of quality, service and innovation in 27 different categories.

The “Spa Retreat of the Year” award recognizes that COMO Shambhala Retreat in Uma Ubud, Bali goes far beyond the usual luxury spa offerings, the property’s unique retreat concepts designed to guide guests towards radical lifestyle change.

Since its opening, in recognition of Bali’s powerful spirituality, Uma Ubud has developed a substantial COMO Shambhala Retreat, designed for guests seeking greater health through Yoga and related treatments. The open-air pavilion for group and private Yoga practice has the best views in all the resort. There is also a meditation bale, a reflexology area, steam, sauna, gym, four treatment rooms and a 25metre jade green pool.

The Asian-based therapies range from specific body treatments to facials, to sophisticated massages, including the COMO Shambhala signature massage, delivered by experienced practitioners.

COMO Shambhala’s innovative position in the global spa market continues to expand. The company’s Board of Advisors made up of experts in holistic health to help direct the company’s evolution; members include Dr Robert Thurman, Yoga teacher Rodney Yee and Donna Karan.

For more information on COMO Shambhala and Uma Ubud, please visit www.como.bz.

The Company: COMO Shambhala is the COMO Group’s healthy living concept that spans environments, services and products, offering a full range of experiences that challenge and inspire us to greater wellbeing.

COMO Shambhala: COMO Shambhala advocates proactive responsibility for individual holistic wellness. This entails balancing healthy eating with pleasurable gastronomy, self-directed exercise with expert instruction, massage with greater mental repose, and thought with action. COMO Shambhala embraces all modalities of wellbeing, from yoga’s ancient system of self-development to other proven methods such as Ayurveda, aromatherapy, Pilates, Tai’Chi, and Qigong. Consultants take a consultative rather than prescriptive approach, working with guests on a one-by-one basis to define and achieve their goals. COMO Shambhala cuisine offers enzyme-rich, healthy and delicious cuisine. COMO Shambhala at Home, a lifestyle brand, creates skin and bodycare products developed to complement the environments and services available.

Property Portfolio: COMO Shambhala owns, designs and/or manages nine centres of wellbeing at properties worldwide. Each location is chosen because it possesses a sense of peace in its own right, whether this is a hillside in Bhutan or riverbank in Bali. COMO Shambhala’s portfolio includes COMO’s city hotels spas, known as COMO Shambhala Urban Escapes (in Singapore, at the Metropolitan London and Metropolitan Bangkok), COMO Shambhala Retreats (at Parrot Cay in the Turks and Caicos, Cocoa Island in the Maldives, Uma Ubud in Bali and Uma Paro in Bhutan), the COMO Shambhala Spa at Kandooma in the Maldives and its flagship destination, COMO Shambhala Estate at Begawan Giri. In addition, COMO Shambhala owns and operates Glow, three restaurants in Singapore, Bangkok and Bali that focus on COMO Shambhala-inspired healthful cuisine.