One of the best travel experiences I have had in the Coffee Axis – by far, was my Spa Day at Hotel Movich Pereira! This is one of those places that may not look conspicuous on the outside, yet the inside is a hidden paradise. For a world apart where relaxation is found, Hotel Movich Pereira truly does excel in their mission to make their customers “feel more comfortable during their stay there, than they normally would be even in their own homes.”

My Relaxing Spa Day at Hotel Movich Pereira

Hotel Movich is a ritzy place and has been operating for over 33 years. If you want to do luxury in the Coffee Axis, this is where I would recommend you go to for complete Spa services. With an impeccable reputation for service and quality, you will enjoy this little slow-down.

I introduced Hotel Movich in a previous article where I share seven helpful tips and secrets to help you experience Pereira – in style! Read More Here >>

Step inside the Colombian luxury spa experience. You will find yourself in good hands. The Movich Spa team, is a group of spa and fitness professionals who will help you with energy and a smile. The spa itself is a cozy and intimate space designed for your relaxation and comfort. Let’s take a look at what they offer, starting with lunch!

To set up your spa reservation, you can call the front desk of Hotel Movich at +57 (036) 311 3300 and ask for Movich Spa. Be sure to call at least 12-24 hours ahead of time, to ensure you have the best variety of options available for booking your reservation. www.movichhotels.com

Ebano | Cocina de Autor

This is a well-curated experience which will allow visitors to relax in elegance and style.

Much like the genteel American South, the upper-class of Pereira are very formal yet relaxed in their comportment and attire. Men here wear colorful button up shirts, with or without slacks, a suit-coat and tie. Due to the tropical weather, lighter clothing like linen and chambray, are also appropriate on a year round basis. Women will typically wear light colorful blouses, skirts and may or may not opt for a suit coat. Accessories are bold, colorful and full of the tropical colors of the local environment.

I opted for the Special of the Day: Robalo, or Bass. It was grilled with a panela and salt accent. The sauce was a coconut milk and fine herbs reduction. Around the outer edge were grilled veggies which were soft enough to each but crunchy enough to retain their proper texture without the oily greasy-ness of “grilled-to-death” diner veggies.

Suffice it to say, everything was delicious. I would recommend this plate. My meal was well-complemented with natural sour sop (or *guanabana*) juice (in water) with the perfect amount of sweetness. I don’t like sugary juice, I prefer as little sugar as possible. The juice I drank here, tasted great!

My mother ate Salmon with a cherry & dried fruits reduction sauce and grilled veggies. There were crunchy rods of toasted coconut, the tangy sweetness of the fruit sauce, and the perfect softness of a well-prepared salmon filet. With that she had natural mango juice.

Of course, if you are going to pamper yourself a little, why not add dessert too?!

Our host, Carmen – chose the Colombian favorite: Milhoja. It’s like a flaky graham cracker with custard inside and cream on top! I chose the profiteroles. The pastry was light and flaky, the filling creamy without being sugary, and the sauce a sharper more tangy contrast to the softer flavors of the pastry. Add to that some ice-cream and you will be in heaven!

And, who can have dessert without a warm cappuccino on the side? The coffee was a bold medium roast, that is to say almost on the dark roast side. Yet, it had a very neutral almost sweet finish. The perfect complement to the sweetness of my pastry.

My mom chose the Tiramisu. It was a very simple, yet creamy selection. Not so much the traditional Italian tiramisu, more of a Colombian cream concoction which combines the basic flavors into a sweet cream trifle.

Movich Spa | Pool, Fitness Center, and Day Spa

Spa Movich is the whole package. Each treatment comes with complementary access to the *”zona humeda”* or humid zone. All visitors are welcome to visit the *dry sauna, the turkish sauna and the jacuzzi* upon the conclusion of your relaxation therapy.

There are several relaxation and therapeutic treatment options at Hotel Movich which I doubt even many of the locals are very familiar with.

Here are the 3 most popular massage treatments:

Aromatherapy Relaxation Massage
Muscle Recovery/Sports Therapy Massage
Volcanic Rock Massage & Pain Therapy

We opted for the Aromatherapy Relaxation Massage, a 40 minute massage, with essential oils and relaxation aromas. 80,000 COP (~ $27 USD). This massage uses light muscle stimulation to relax and rejuvenate a persons energy. They are sensitive to client needs so if you do need the attendant to push harder, or go lighter, only make a mention of it.

The Muscle Recovery Massage looks good too. It focuses on muscle recovery and uses deeper shiatsu styles of massage to reach in and help remove lactic acid, pain, and soreness. Especially if you practice a sport like cycling or football, this can help aid and speed your recovery to ensure better performance. 40 minutes = 110,000 COP (~ $37 USD) and 1 hour = 135,000 COP (~ $45 USD)

The Volcanic Rock Massage is a combination of the previous two, which is designed to relax the body while activating your circulation and reconnecting your equilibrium. This is a massage which uses essential oils and volcanic rocks to induce calm relaxation and bliss. For that perfect balance you will receive a massage lasting 1 hour and 20 minutes to complete a sequence using heated stones. The cost is 160,000 COP (~ $54 USD).

Instructions: We were asked to remove our clothing and lie facedown. The massage therapists then cover us up with towels and work on isolated areas of the body. The towel gave me my privacy and dignity, the masseuse gave me professionalism and self-confidence. Which, a good massage therapist should do anyways. I never felt insecure or uncomfortable. It was so refreshing – because sometimes you don’t get that, and it can really make you feel self-conscious and a bit weirded out.

Reflection: The treatments themselves were well-worth it. I went through a lot of massage therapy during my pregnancy, and later I switched to another girl who did Thai Massage. The Aromatherapy Relaxation massage that we did was the perfect blend of relaxation, pressure point stimulation and hand pressure/consistency. When she started to work on my feet, back and neck, I kept getting these cold chills. Not the uncomfortable kind, more like delicious shivers. It was stimulating without being too much. Truly I haven’t really had a massage that was ever quite like this one. And I would recommend it. Definitely one of the best massage treatments I have had in Pereira.

After we wandered over to the sauna and finished up with a quick rinse. We had two to choose from, a Turkish sauna and a dry sauna. We opted to spend a few minutes relaxing in each one. My favorite is the dry sauna, but I really liked the fresh eucalyptus branches which gave a nice essence to the steaminess of the Turkish. When it was finished we had a quick rinse and used our towels to dry off. Though they used very neutral massage oil which was made from almond oil, it was really nice to rinse off afterwards, and not risk getting your clothes greasy.

Tip: Be sure to drink LOTS of water after the massage, I could feel it activating my lymph system and adrenal glands. I think I drank a whole liter by the time I went to bed that night – and in the morning I felt fresh and energized!

We left feeling full, relaxed and yet completely refreshed. One day soon I want to come back with my family for their Sunday special for locals. For only 65,000 COP (~$32 USD)/person, you can use the pool, the game/toy room just off the pool, the saunas, the jacuzzi plus lunch is included too! Call at least one day ahead to make your reservation for your next day out with friends or family!

If you are passing through the Coffee Axis of Colombia and you need some rest and relaxation before the next leg of your trip – then get on over to Hotel Movich for the perfect spa day you’ve been looking for!

Conclusion

Movich is a world apart from the crazy noisiness of the streets in Pereira, Colombia. As soon as you step in the door you are made to feel like a princess. The security guard/bellhop greets you with a genuine smile and a nice greeting welcoming you to the city. The environment is soothing yet with different areas that allow you to modify your interaction according to energy level. Did I mention that they have a snazzy upscale bar with some of the best local live bands in Pereira? Add this to your travel bucket list – you won’t regret it!

And that was my Spa Day at Hotel Movich Pereira. Be sure to try it out sometime, the extra services and amenities are worth more than what they are charging, and you are getting world-class customer service. They aren’t perfect, but they are striving to do what many Colombian hotels casually shrug off. They are giving you an experience that starts from the moment you walk in the door and receive a warm welcome, to the minute you leave sated and relaxed!

Spa Day at Hotel Movich Pereira