Spa in Tuol Tompoung, Phnom Penh: Cholsa Spa Near Russian Market

Tuol Tompoung is one of Phnom Penh's quieter central neighbourhoods — known locally as the area around Russian Market, a few minutes from BKK1 and Riverside but removed enough from the main tourist corridors that it retains a different pace. It is also where you will find Cholsa Spa, and the neighbourhood is part of why the studio works as well as it does.

Why Location Matters for a Spa

A spa visit is only as restorative as the experience of arriving allows. Navigating a high-traffic intersection, hunting for parking, or walking through a loud commercial strip before a session undermines the shift from the outside world into the treatment environment. Tuol Tompoung's lower density and calmer streets mean that the transition begins before you walk in.

The neighbourhood has good tuk-tuk and ride-share access from all of Phnom Penh's main expat areas. From BKK1, the ride is five to ten minutes. From Riverside and Daun Penh, ten to fifteen. Parking is not the challenge it is in busier parts of the city.

What Cholsa Spa Offers in Tuol Tompoung

Cholsa Spa is the holder of the Best Spa and Massage Destination 2025 award. The studio offers a full range of treatments in private rooms — Japanese Head Spa, hot stone massage, Khmer traditional massage, aromatherapy, couples sessions, and facials.

The Japanese Head Spa is the treatment Cholsa introduced to Phnom Penh. It is a 60 or 90-minute treatment involving scalp analysis, a gold ring waterfall cleanse, acupressure, peacock feather sensory technique, turtle machine scalp massage, and a facial sequence. Sessions run $25 for 60 minutes and $45 for 90 minutes.

Hot stone massage uses basalt stones heated to around 50 to 55 degrees Celsius applied to the back, shoulders, and legs — effective for deep muscular release without the intensity of deep tissue work. Khmer traditional massage applies systematic point pressure across the full body, drawing on Cambodia's native therapeutic tradition. Aromatherapy massage uses Swedish technique with essential oils chosen for the client's goals — relaxation, stress relief, or nervous system reset.

All treatments are in private rooms. The studio is designed to maintain quiet across the entire space — no ambient music from reception bleeding into treatment rooms, no noise from adjacent sessions. For clients who need genuine disconnection to get the most from a treatment, the environment supports it.

Who Visits Cholsa Spa in Tuol Tompoung

The client base reflects the neighbourhood's mix: long-term expats who live in the surrounding streets, professionals from BKK1 who make the short trip specifically for the treatments, tourists who have read about the Japanese Head Spa and want to try it, and local Cambodian clients seeking quality wellness care. Couples visit for private sessions; solo clients for the head spa and hot stone treatments that Cholsa does particularly well.

For visitors exploring Phnom Penh's top spa options , Tuol Tompoung is worth including in your consideration — not as a compromise location, but as a deliberate one.

Booking

Booking is available through the Cholsa Spa website. Sessions fill up on weekends and popular evening slots — booking 24 to 48 hours ahead is the practical minimum. The studio can also suggest treatment combinations if you are planning a longer visit. Our massage in Phnom Penh guide covers the full range if you are still deciding which treatment suits your goals.