Cacao Ceremonies, Spicy Treatments: How Capella Is Reinventing Wellness

Forbes

13-04-2025

Jorge Hernández, the director of spa and wellness at Capella Singapore, shows off a coloring book that guests receive after their treatment. The idea is to keep them disconnected from their electronic devices for a few more minutes. "We wanted to do something different," he says.
Aren Elliott
On the outside, Capella's Auriga Spa looks like any other wellness facility in Singapore. There are treatment rooms, saunas, steam baths and a pool. But that's where the similarities end.
"We want to separate ourselves from the other luxury spas," explains Jorge Hernández, the director of spa and wellness at Capella Singapore. "We want to define what wellness means in Singapore."
Singapore isn't short on high-end hotels with spas. The Raffles, the St. Regis and the Mandarin Oriental all have world-class wellness programs. In this competitive landscape, standing out requires more than just plush robes and soothing music.
So Capella, a 113-room resort on Singapore's exclusive Sentosa Island, is taking a different tack. It's banking on locally inspired treatments, a strong connection with the community, and a forward-thinking approach that challenges the traditional definition of wellness.
Hotels are sizing up the $6.3 trillion wellness industry in their own way. Some are integrating it into their operations. Others are adding wellness amenities to their rooms. Still others see wellness as a way to stand out from their competitors.
The entrance to Capella's Auriga Spa in Singapore.
Aren Elliott
To set itself apart, Auriga Spa is reimagining its facials and massages — and it's reaching new markets.
"Customers now want more mental wellness activities," Hernández says. "They are looking more for holistic experiences."
The spa has introduced experiences you probably won't find at any other spa in Singapore, such as a cacao ceremony.
The ritual is described as a "heart-opening" treatment that allows you to experience love in its purest form, feeling an intimate connection with yourself and others. The benefits are said to include an energy boost and deep reflection. It's guided by a local collective of mindfulness mentors.
Capella's other treatments have a deeper purpose than relaxation. Some of its massages are synched to the moon phase and use gua sha and cuppings to improve circulation and immune support. Facials are "age reversing" with a combination of vitamins, minerals and a "highly active" collagen face mask.
Its signature Balot Ng Aruga treatment even incorporates Thanaka powder, which has antibacterial and antifungal properties and is favored by royalty in Asia.
"These are experiences related to Malay culture, which you won't find outside this area," says Hernández.
The exterior of the Capella Singapore. The hotel integrates modern design with two Tanah Merah military buildings from the 1880s.
Aren Elliott
While Capella is a luxury hotel that attracts mostly international guests, its spa has cultivated a strong local following.
"The main clients here are locals," Hernández says, noting that 65 percent of his business comes from Singapore residents.
Interestingly, Auriga Spa has also carved out a niche with travelers making their way through Singapore's Changi Airport, a major global transit hub.
"We have a wellness day pass that's very popular with airline passengers," he explained.
He recalls one passenger who had a 10-hour stopover in Singapore and texted him to see if she could purchase a day pass. She arrived early in the morning, had breakfast and a 90-minute treatment, and then enjoyed the pool before returning to the airport to fly to her final destination.
Singapore is, of course, one of the world's most popular layover destinations. Qantas' famous QF1 flight from Sydney to London stops in Singapore for two hours. Singapore's circular airport shopping center, with its indoor waterfall in the mall, is legendary. In a place like this, you would almost expect to be invited to a cacao ceremony or to receive a massage attuned to the lunar cycle.
A massage bed in the spa at the Capella Singapore.
Aren Elliott
The world of wellness moves quickly. Capella's Auriga Spa is has ambitious expansion plans and is planning a full overhaul of its treatment menu to keep up.
"We're going to refresh the menu in a couple of months and bring in some new exclusive skin care brands," says Hernández.
Behind the upgrades, there's a strong belief that the very definition of wellness has shifted.
"Before COVID, wellness was more transactional," he explains. "A 60-minute treatment was enough — then it's back to work."
Not anymore. Now, wellness is seen as a necessity. People want to disconnect, and the Capella wants to help them in big and small ways. The hotel even gently encourages guests to stay unplugged after their treatment by providing them with stress-relieving coloring books..
"We want them to stay disconnected as long as possible," he explains.
In an ever-changing city like Singapore, the pursuit of wellness is a dynamic journey. Capella's Auriga Spa, with its focus on unique experiences, local connections, and continuous improvement, is charting its own course. It promises to be an interesting journey.