Keishi Spa at the Novotel Perth Murray Street offers an unexpected breath of fresh air in the big smoke

Is your jaw clenched? Are your shoulders around your ears? Is your spine contorted into a momentarily comfortable position? Is your neck bent at an unnatural angle so you can scroll on your phone?

If, like me, your answer to the above is a resounding yes, then your aches and pains are likely crying out for some strong hands (and pointy elbows) to knead them away.

Perth isn’t a stranger to a massage offering; from Byron Bay-esque wellness retreats in shades of terracotta and burnt caramel to highway haunts with fluorescent lighting and laminated price sheets, there is something for every taste and budget.

Keishi Spa, sitting on level 12 of Novotel Perth Murray Street, is one of our newest. While it opened its doors just weeks ago, the spa — owned by Everlyn Zaccagnini — has been pampering its guests for more than 10 years.

Keishi, the winner of two World Luxury Spa Awards, is in good company on the 12th floor — the hotel’s dedicated recreation space — nestled in with the gym, outdoor pool as well as sauna and steam room facilities.

After navigating the flurry of the reception area and squeezing into a busy elevator, a sense of stillness washes over me upon entering through the spa’s door, the sounds of a bustling hotel all but forgotten on the other side of the glass.

The spa has partnered with Aromatherapy Associates of London for its menu of massages, facials, hand and foot treatments, a collection of beauty services and packages, including Revive Jetlag and De-stress Body Ritual.

It smells like an exotic escape, the music is calming and I’m greeted with a smile ahead of my Perfect Back massage ($95 for 30 minutes) and Age Repair facial ($195 for 90 minutes).

I’m quickly introduced to Nicole, a worker of magic, who treats me to a foot ritual (a gentle washing of my piggies with warm water) before guiding me through to my dimly lit treatment room for the next two glorious hours. The soft sheets of a massage bed lay in wait, my cocoon for 30 minutes of (mostly) bliss.

“Your shoulders are rock,” says Nicole, which doesn’t come as much of a surprise given my penchant for poor posture.

The massage’s description reveals it stimulates the nervous system, relieves muscular tension, and encourages healthy circulation through Swedish and neuromuscular techniques and lymphatic drainage.

Kneading out the knots of my shoulder area wasn’t completely pleasant, but completely necessary. My back can vouch for the above description, feeling far more limber and relaxed than it did coming in.

The facial comes with the promise of reducing the signs of ageing without using harsh chemicals. Like a great book or delicious meal, it’s an experience I wished would never end.

Ingredients that sound good enough to eat — apple seed extract, raspberry seed oil and date palm oil — are among the layers that are lovingly applied to your face throughout the treatment.

It begins with a cleanse and exfoliation with jojoba beads and corn-cob granules, before fragrant oils are massaged into the skin. There are two masks: rose gel for hydration and strawberry seed and frankincense for firming and plumping — both ideal for dry winter skin that’s regularly blasted with heaters and hot water (guilty).

Hot and cooling elements are used throughout the treatment, toasty towels are applied to gently wipe off elements, while cryotherapy facial spoons send a slight shiver down the spine, but assist in stimulating collagen for firmer skin.

Following the treatments, I sip the complimentary pot of orange and cinnamon tea in the welcome lounge — the couple next to me unable to contain their laughter over the male partner dozing and snoring during his treatment — before floating back out into the hustle and bustle of the CBD feeling lighter and glowier.