--By Douglas Habecker, translated by Uvia Chang

Taichung residents and guests at the Evergreen Laurel Hotel alike will welcome this attractive new spa, located on the hotel's B1 level. Zen Cocoon Spa is an independently operated spa which cooperates with the hotel to provide a variety of exquisite spa and beauty treatments to members and hotel guests. The spa is attached to the Evergreen Laurel's existing Health Center, which continues to include a gym, swimming pool (outdoor), steam room, sauna rooms, squash court, and other facilities. The spa adds two single-person and one double-person rooms where male and female customers can enjoy a broad range of treatments that center around Ayurveda, which teaches that beauty and health result from a proper balance of universal elements, such as air and earth, which combine to create forces called "Doshas". "Theme Courses" include the 135-minute, eight-part "Himalayas Mountain Therapy" (NT$4,500) to "balance elements of body and spirit and release congested and restricted toxins", and the 165-minute Israeli Oceanic Therapy (NT$4,700) with body exfoliation/massage with minerals and warm Dead Sea salt. There are shorter "Metropolitan", "Business" and "Accessory" course options, as short as the 30-minute Vichy Shower or Body Cocoon (NT$800). Laboratorie Vie Arome and Sundari spa/beauty products are used throughout. Three-year and five-year spa memberships are NT$80,000 and NT$100,000, respectively, with the full value exchangeable for hotel spa, rooms or restaurants.