Lagoon spa opens amid boost in tourism

A recent boost in foreign tourism has given a local businessman and former specialist in Chinese medicine the incentive he needed to open a new spa on Saipan, the Lagoon Spa, which promises to bring relaxation to island residents as well.

Perched on the eighth floor of the Hafa Adai Hotel’s Crystal Tower in a spacious suite, the Lagoon Spa, which held its grand opening Sunday, is a peaceful hideaway from the streets of Garapan. The air inside is scented with sandalwood; potted orchids grow in the entryway and the staff is attentive and welcoming.

To open the spa—a roughly $100,000 endeavor—has long been a plan for its founder, who says he began developing the idea several years ago but had to wait for the right timing.

“Right now, we’re seeing that Japanese tourism is going up and that’s encouraging us,” said Zhiming Liu, president of Dynamic Salon—an already popular Saipan spa—and founder of Lagoon Spa.

With hot stone massages, sunburn care, algae body wraps and deep facial cleansing treatments, among only a few of its offerings, the Lagoon spa appears an ideal element for any tourist vacation. Yet the spa is more than a tourist activity, Liu said, noting it will soon offer a 20 percent discount to local residents on all prices.

Liu, a former physical therapist and doctor of Chinese medicine, said the discount for locals is key for his business. At the Dynamic Salon, he noted, repeat customers from the local population account for roughly 65 to 70 percent of his business.

And business is already booming, according to Liu, with new clients arriving every day and many more expected in the coming weeks.

Japanese tourism already accounts for a good portion of the Dynamic Salon’s clientele as well, and Liu hopes the new spa’s location within the hotel will draw many Japanese vistors. The Dynamic Salon, he noted, is already a recognized name among Japanese who visit Saipan.

“People trust the name and they trust the service,” Liu said, adding that his predominately Chinese staff all speak some Japanese in order to communicate with clients.

In addition to the array of treatments and massages the spa provides, Liu said it will soon offer herbal formula baths. Prices at the spa run from $50 for a shiatsu massage to $318 for full course of treatments like a facial, body scrub and body wrap.