An in-room massage at the Plateau at Grand
Hyatt is a great antidote for jet lag.
Blissful, luxurious, serene. Hong Kong boasts some of the best spas
in the world. Heavenly havens for relaxation and rejuvenation, they
draw upon both Western wellness philosophies and traditional
Oriental wisdom, which concentrates on rebalancing the flow of
vital energy, or qi, throughout the body. Many of the top hotels
have spas, and most are open to non-guests too. On a recent visit,
I was pampered at two of the finest.
The Spa at Four Seasons
All ivory marble and stone, this 22,000-square-foot urban
sanctuary is uber-luxe. Spread out over two floors, the men’s and
women’s facilities are separate, with their own elevators between
their private lounging/changing areas and treatment rooms. There’s
no need to worry about bumping into the opposite sex without
make-up and your hair unflatteringly tied up in a towel. It’s worth
arriving early for your treatment to soak in the large, bubbling,
mosaic-tiled vitality pool first. Forgot your swimsuit? No problem.
Disposable bathing suits are on hand. Other hydrotherapies include
a Finnish sauna, ice fountain with crushed ice flakes for cooling
down, an herb-infused steam room with heated mother-of-pearl
recliners and a Rhassoul chamber with tropical rain showers.
Clients can relax on a chaise longue, sipping ginger tea or
chilled lemongrass guava juice, until an attendant accompanies them
upstairs to their treatment rooms. Several of the 16 marble therapy
rooms have wall-to-wall windows with knockout views of Victoria
Harbor; others overlook the Four Seasons’ pools or rooftop gardens.
Two lavish spa suites, popular with couples, feature their own
vitality pool for two, relaxation daybeds, LCD television and
private bar. (You can lounge in your suite for an additional hour
before or after your treatment.)
My journey of pampering culminated in a tea foot-bath and Jade
Stone Massage. Based on ancient Chinese practices, this elaborate
full-body massage incorporates hot and cold jade stones to relieve
stiff muscles. The Oriental Infusion, another appealing Eastern
treatment, starts with an herb rub and exfoliation before you’re
embalmed in linens which are saturated in Chinese herbs to relax in
an aromatic steam room, and finishes off with an acupressure back,
foot and head massage.
Other treatments on the spa menu include a Peppermint Sports
Pedicure (you can watch a DVD while getting your feet buffed),
Diamond Luxury Lift Facial, Honey Vanilla Cream Bath and Chakra Hot
Oil Massage.
Clients who stay at the Four Seasons can also enjoy the hotel’s
beautiful infinity-edge pool, lap pool, whirlpool and plunge pool
on the rooftop of the sixth floor. The infinity pool, which
overlooks the junks and passenger ferries gliding about the harbor,
is fitted with speakers to provide music underwater for
swimmers.
Another added bonus to staying at the Four Seasons is its very
convenient location in central Hong Kong. The hotel is connected to
the palatial International Finance Center Mall, where you can catch
the direct 25-minute Airport Express train to the Hong Kong
International Airport and even check in your luggage too. The hotel
is also very close to the ferry piers, including the Star Ferries
terminal for the short scenic cruise across the harbor to
Kowloon.
www.fourseasons.com/hongkong/spa
Hotel spa room at Grand Hyatt Hong Kong
One of the “top 15 world’s best spas,” according to the 2007
Travel & Leisure Readers’ Poll, the Plateau at the Grand Hyatt
Hong Kong provides a true resort spa experience in the heart of the
city. The whopping 80,000-square-foot facility has 23 rooms,
including 14 spa hotel rooms part of a new trend of bringing the
spa into the guestroom.
Very Zen-like in appearance, these bright and airy spa hotel
rooms are used for three- and five-hour treatments and by travelers
wanting a residential spa experience. They feature a king-size
futon bed, balcony overlooking the harbor and a huge spa bathroom
with a sunken black-marble whirlpool tub and glass rain shower. If
you stay overnight, you get a daily massage for two. Starting with
a welcome tea service, the multi-treatment programs include a
salt-and-pepper scrub with reflexology that concludes with a light
spa meal and a fitness package, which combines a personal training
session with a Vichy hydro massage, cucumber green-tea facial and
infinity bath.
A three- or five-hour program also allows you to take advantage
of the hotel’s fitness facilities, including an outdoor jogging
track. You can also lounge by the gorgeous free-form rooftop pool,
which is surrounded by lush palm gardens and offers dazzling harbor
views. If hunger strikes, the outdoor grill serves healthy cuisine.
It’s a great way to spend a day.
Don’t have a day? Then book a single treatment in one of the
signature spa suites instead. These suites consist of two large
black-marble rooms one a lounging area with a couch and flat-screen
TV, and the other with a harbor view, heated massage table and
large sunken whirlpool.
The Plateau Massage, which I enjoyed, uses a combination of
shiatsu, Thai and Swedish techniques. Your therapist presents a
wooden tray with four pots of balms to choose from, such as the
rosewood, lemongrass and mint blend to energize the skin. At the
end, you leave reinvigorated and ready to delight in exuberant Hong
Kong again.
www.hongkong.grand.hyatt.com
