WITH spa holidays proving more popular than ski vacations these days, it was only a matter of time before Malaysia hops on to the bandwagon.

The tourism industry was the first to respond and today, any hotel worth its salt has a spa attached.
 
The word spa no longer sticks to its conventional definition of patrons being given a few massages and the odd facial. Now it even offers acupuncture and yoga classes.

In order to compete with the popular spa haunts of Indonesia and Thailand, Malaysia needs a new army of spa practitioners and it is heartening to note that spa training is available.

Interestingly, the person behind this educational drive did not arrive on an orchid-scented breeze from Bali but from the planning rooms which conceived some of Kuala Lumpur’s famous landmarks.

Enter Energy Day Spa founder and managing director Datin Ramona Suleiman – an experienced developer whose portfolio includes the Lot 10 and Star Hill shopping centres as well as Kuala Lumpur's JW Marriott – whose foray into the spa trade was somewhat accidental.