Warm hospitality goes along way as far as I’m concerned and that’s exactly what you will get at Melo Spa, located on the 5^th floor within Hyatt Regency in Sha Tin, Hong Kong. Smiling, friendly staff and luxurious surroundings await you at the first international branded spa in the New Territories.

That’s right readers, Melo Spa is just past Sha Tin near to the University MTR station, so it’s excellent for those living in Kowloon wanting to visit a world class spa. It’s a little hop, skip and a jump for those traveling from Hong Kong Island, but not hard to find and the easiest way to explain how to get there is take the train most of us affectionately known as the train to Shenzhen and get off at University. I quite enjoyed venturing out and once the treatment started I actually felt like I had escaped the rat-race as the journey helps create that distance to relax and enjoy.

Melo Spa has New Year Refreshers and Valentine’s Retreats all ready to go and I enjoyed a sneak preview to the Melo Sweet Dream Ritual. I couldn’t have thought of a better way to spend 2.5 hours on a Tuesday evening and after being escorted to my treatment room and slipping on my cashmere robe I knew I was in for a lovely experience.

The room itself was very spacious, but not too big where it feels intimidating and cold. The rooms are designed to be all-inclusive featuring large whirlpool bath tubs, oversized rain shower cubicles, lounge area, changing area, grooming station and separate lavatory.

My treatment started with a hydrotherapy bath in the enormous tub that was big enough to really sink into and soak away the worries of the day. It was temperature controlled and a great way to unwind and kick-off the treatment. The room had a view of a little courtyard and the courtyard overlooked the hotel’s swimming pool so as I bubbled and gurgled away I enjoyed staring out the windows onto the world.

Next was my honey sugar scrub made with brown sugar, salt and cinnamon. After the scrub came my deluxe hydration milk body envelopment and as I was wrapped up like a bunch of flowers with my head poking out the top I enjoyed a gentle head massage and admit I did doze off to lah-lah land for a few minutes. I felt cozy and comfortable on the massage bed that was heated to the perfect temperature on this cooler than usual evening and after soaking up the goodness of lavender and ylang ylang it was time for a hot shower.

My skin felt nourished and really silky smooth. Then it was back onto the bed for my aroma bliss massage. As my therapist Tina rubbed and stroked I let out a big yawn and disappeared into a day dream of bliss as she worked away the tension knots in my shoulders and lower back. At the end of my treatment when I heard the words ‘thank you Miss Rewell your treatment is finished’, I could have easily been convinced to stay and indulge for a little longer.

Before I disappeared into the night I was invited to munch on some fresh fruit and sip on some warm tea before being presented with my gorgeous spa gift that is a part of the package. What a wonderful gift this treatment would make at such a wonderful spa.

I sleepily left the Melo Spa and after catching the MTR four stops the wrong way I think it was safe to stay I was in a state of total relaxation.

Be sure to check out this package until the end of February 2012. At HK$1,830 per person it’s a lovely treat. With plenty of delicious treatments and packages you are spoiled for choice at Melo Spa.

Melo Spa
5/F, Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, 18 Chak Cheung Street, Sha Tin, New Territories, Hong Kong
Telephone: +852 3723 7684
Email: melospa@hyatt.com
Website: www.hongkong.shatin.hyatt.com/hyatt/pure/spas/

I don’t want another man to touch me ever again. Ive just woken from the Spell of the new special Festive spa package at the newly appointed 5 star-Forbes status super spa at the Hong Kong Four Seasons Hotel, and Im somewhere between cloud nine and heaven. Male masseuse extrordinaire Jorvic was my therapist, and even though as a lady I’m usually uncomfortable with having a man touch me (other than my husband), his professional manner, discretion and phenomenal technique means that I’m hard pushed to want another man, or woman for that matter to treat me ever again.

A Festive Spell is the ultimate in gratuitous luxury, but we deserve it dont we girls, after the tough year we’ve had?  The treatment commences with a half hour long soak in a red-wine infused jacuzzi tub in your own spa suite overlooking Hong Kong harbour topped off with a glass of fine Champagne.  Home made alcoholic (hic) chocolate marshmallows are offered whilst you soak, bubble and quaff watching the harbour world go by.  For me it was one of those special “expat in Hong Kong” moments where I had a smile on my face feeling a very lucky girl indeed.

Jorvic entered, ( I sank under the bubbles just incase) and very politely introduced himself, and said he would excuse himself while I got out of the bath and positioned myself under the cover (more like a duvet) of the massage bed.  At this point I was unsure about a man treating me, hence me being so far under the bubbles he probably thought I had escaped, but once he spoke to me I immediately felt at ease, and relaxed into the treatment.

For the next two and a half hours Jorvic scrubbed me all over, with a ginger, cinnamon and sugar chocolate and chilli body scrub, smothered me in a chocolate body wrap, and then ended up with without doubt the best massage I have ever had.  Even the scrub, felt like a deep tissue massage, with the tingle of the chilli and the smell of the cinamon and ginger, it quickly sent me into a snoring (little pretty lady snores, I promise) oblivion.  Whilst I was snoring,  the chocolate body mask was applied, and soon after a steam in the suites personal shower steam room followed.  Obviously Jorvic excused himself for this.  As decadent (and yummy) as the ingredients sound, they have all been personally chosen and blended by resident spa director and guru Shoshanna Weinberg, to aid in detox anti-aging, and to smooth, tone and brighten the skin.  The chocolate itself has amazing properties which allows the pores to open and let all the toxins release. All I know is that I was literally floating after, and Im sure it was nothing to do with the glass of Champagne or the alcohol infused Marshmallows.

The massage followed, and this is where it got really interesting for me.  Personally I suffer from scoliosis, which is a curvature of the spine that I was born with.  I usually tell therapists what it is in case they feel a bit scared to massage a curved spine, as some people are worried they will hurt me, but Jorvic immediately knew and noticed my condition without me having to say anything.  He even used the medical term for it, which really surprised me.  The massage he proceeded to give me was the most intuitive and tailor made massage ive ever had, as he stretched various muscles, and massaged various tendons in my spine to release some of the tension caused by my condition.  In a word I was blown away.  I tend to feel sore after massages, due to my condition, but for the first time in years I felt my spine release, and I’m utterly grateful to Jorvic.  Speaking to him after, I learned that previously he was a physiotherapist at an orthopaedic hospital in the Philippines, which explained his knowledge of my condition and his ability to treat it.  Now working at the Four Seasons Hong Kong he has learned to be an expert therapist at the same time as having a deep knowledge of orthopaedics, my only negative point is that I cant see him every day!

This phenonemal treatment is only available until the 31st December, and I cannot recommend it enough, luckily Jorvic is there every day, but he might be busy massaging me!

What is it?
A Festive Spell – available December 1-31, 2011 – HKD 3300.00

Where is it?
Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong Spa
8 Finance Street,
Central,
Hong Kong
Tel. (852) 3196-8900
http://www.fourseasons.com/hongkong/spa/

And for the rest of the family…

Groom Him Hamper – HKD 6790.00
Inspired by the newest men’s range to arrive in Hong Kong, this hamper comes complete with Gentlemen’s Tonic shaving creams and oils, a deluxe razor kit, luxurious Kashwere robe, and a HKD 1200.00 Spa gift certificate.

Little Love Hamper – HKD 2790.00
Looking after the little one, this hamper includes Kimberley Parry baby powder, butter and oil, as well as Marilogan’s cute Jinbei robe and blanket.

Indulge Her Hamper – HKD 6790.00
A selection of lotions and polishes by lavish home pampering brands, Cochine from beautiful Vietnam and Lollia, signature Four Seasons oil blends, a Kashwere robe and a HKD 2500.00 Spa gift certificate..

Being the global superstar jet-setter that you are, we bet that you are a sufferer of the dreaded Jetlag.  If melatonin or Cosmos are just not working for you, try popping down to The Retreat in Repulse Bay for the perfect way to recover from the stress caused by travel. Combining an exfoliating back scrub, body massage, foot massage, ear candling and custom blended facial, this treatment is a MUST after a long journey.  The package will help  to renew and rejuvenate your mind and body, improve circulation and reduce muscle tension, easing you back into your present time zone. 

What?

Jet Lag Recovery Package (2hr 15 mins) HK$1,600 includes:

* Ear Candling

* Back Scrub & Massage

* Foot Massage

* Custom Blended Facial

Where?
The Retreat
1st Floor, 33 Beach Road
Repulse Bay,
+852 2803 1860

At BBHK we care about what we put into our bodies.  We try to eat well, we try to exercise and we try (but don’t succeed) in not drinking too much, but what about the chemicals we put onto our skin hidden in our beauty products?  One of the most worrying of these chemicals are Phthalates, which are commonly found in nail-varnish, which is linked to fertility issues, problems in developing babies and birth defects.  Would we really be having those regular mani-pedis if we knew it could be harming our future babies?
SpaRitual, vegan based nail lacquers have the answer.  They are free from Formaldehyde, Phythaltes, and Toulene, and any other harmful chemicals that can be found in other varnishes, therefore are completely safe for pregnant woman, and women in general.  If that is not enough to make you sing from the roof, the packaging is created by the designer of Ferrari.  Its all the rage in Hollywood amongst green conscious stars such as Jessica Simpson and Jennifer Aniston, and it is now here in The HK.

We visited the Sense of Touch Central store to trial the varnish, and to see if it matched up to our beloved OPI.  As one of the oldest spas in the group,  from the outside it does not look as elegant or spacious as some of its sister properties.  Yet I was surprised how cosy and bright the Arbutnot Road spa was.  Once inside the spa is decorated in hues of cream reds, with a moroccan inspired vibe.  The staff were so friendly, and genuinely close, that it had a real family feel, and I loved it.

The super sweet Kabita &  Netra simultaneously performed my mani/pedi and we all giggled and chatted the way though like old friends.  Now the important part, the Sparitual varnishes.  As I was presented with my colour options, I did feel quite limited.  I am used to the vast spectrum of colours offered by the likes of OPI, but with Sparitual there were only a handful of colours to choose from.  That said, they were all lovely, and the staple colours one would normally choose anyway.  The whole product line was used, ie base coat, main colour, top coat and also foot rubs and moisturisers.  The varnishes did not have an overpowering smell, and my nails looked lovely after.  The top coat was not quite as shiny as the OPI counterpart, yet it was still sparkly and lovely.  The staying power of the products was great, maybe not quite as long as OPI, possibly due to the lack of some chemical, but if i have to choose from the health of my baby, or a day longer of nail polish, I know what I would choose.

Where?

SpaRitual is available in Sense of Touch LKF, Arbuthnot and Discovery Bay, as well as in  Harvey Nichols、Seibu in Admiralty and FACES in Tsim Sha Tsui.

How much?

In the Arbuthnot Road branch a manicure costs $170, pedicure $290

You don’t trust the smirk on your colleagues face. You know your boy’s top lip quivers when he is lying. You can see straight through the estate agents smile.  Our face tells us all manner of things about our thoughts, true emotions and health.  Face reading, known also as physiognomy, is the thousands of years old ancient Chinese art of reading facial features to gain an insight to ones personality. You can never get a second chance to make a first impression, to a face reader that is.  By analysing the shape, size and location of your facial features, a trained face reader will able to discover your strengths, weaknesses, and maybe answer questions such as why, what when where and how.  By having a face reading, followers feel by truly understanding their personality, they can achieve goals in life, maybe improve their love, or work situation and possibly help them in work applications, and various life situations.

Sparked your interest?  Well BBHK are fascinated, and are really excited that Eric Standop will be visiting The Mandarin Spa from 7 to 12 March 2011 to read the faces of all the Hong Kong lovelies.  German based Eric is fully versed in all areas of face reading, having studied under one of the last remaining masters, he has an all encompassing background in the art by studying the Chinese Siang Mien face reading, combining this with the Greek and Roman techniques of physiognomy.

Throughout the week clients can book a private 90-minute session, at the start of which Eric will provide a customised consultation to identify individual needs.  Alternatively, Eric will offer a series of private sessions that include Nutritional Reading wherein guests will learn about potential food deficiencies, and Personality and Character Reading where he will analyse the structure of the face to uncover the personality, character, preferences and abilities of the guest; each 90-minute session is priced at HKD1,500.  Eric will also host a series of group wellness lectures throughout the week including “Insight to Face Reading”, “Your Face and Your Food” and “A New Partner in Business and Life”.

Reservations can be made by phoning the spa directly on: +852 2825 4888 or by e-mailing: mohkg-spa@mohg.com.

With so many Hong Kongers visiting Bangkok on a regular basis, BBHK decided to compile a list of the best places for some R&R, and pampering for after the crazy shopping and for before the insane partying! BBHK Editor Chantel Shafie and Georg Lauth visited the land of smiles to compile the BBHK spa guide to Bangkok from both a male and a female perspective. Top on our hot list of MediSpas was the Tria Integrative Wellness and Medical Institute.

What is a Medi Spa?
The way a medispa differs from a normal spa is that is has a licensed doctor at the helm, and can therefore offer non-surgical cosmetic and medical treatments that spas would not normally be licensed to perform.  Some of the treatments that medispas offer include laser treatments and IPL, microdermabrasion, fillers such as Juvederm, and Restylane, Botox, chemical peels and laser treatments.  In the case of Tria, they take a more holistic approach to rejeuvination, and consider themselves more of an urban health retreat for those who wish to embrace wellness as a lifestyle.  The doctors on hand will prescribe various healing treatments, ranging from facials and massages, to acupuncture, TCM, chiropractic consultations, weight management, and prescribing medicine for ailments, as well as helping cancer patients from the neighbouring hospital on their road to recovery using complete wellness as an answer.

Tria -Tra la la la laaa
With Bangkok being considered by many as Asia’s Spa capital, the competition is fierce. Situated behind the Piyavate Hospital, the Tria Institute is a large and assuming building that from the outside looks like a modern hospital. Stepping through the sleek floor to ceiling glass doors, into the blonde wood foyer, you get the impression you have walked into a uber cool Los Angeles holistic plastic surgery centre, (Nip/Tuck viewers will know what I mean!) I half expected to see a Thai celeb with black glasses, a nose-job bandage and paparazzi outside, (for the record no surgery, plastic or otherwise is conducted there.) It feels calming, inviting and safe, yet medical at the same time and I immediately loved it. The Tria was unlike any other spa I had walked into before. Gone were the gongs, bamboo and Buddhas, all replaced with a centre that is there for one reason only, to make you feel better, and for some actually get better! The men and women are divided into two separate very large identical sections, consisting of indoor pool, with a vast array of spa jets, hydrotherapy massage sprays, whirlpools and jacuzzi jets. Along side this is the obligatory sauna and steam rooms. I spent a good half an hour pressing buttons and being massaged by various powerful jets. My sore shoulders were particularly happy with the hose jets that pummelled the stress away. I was sad to have to leave the pool to my anti-ageing facial, but I was lead into a double height vast atrium with another large jacuzzi plunge pool, set a constant 34 degree centigrade temperature. The heat is combated by a mosaic encrusted ice crusher which supplies you with ever-flowing ice cold ice to spread over your warm and relaxed body. The 26 treatment rooms are arranged around the hot/cold bliss jacuzzi thing, with half of them on the 2nd floor mezzanine level which overlooks the pool.

Look into my eyes…my eyes…my eyes… and sleep…
We both chose to have the Chrono-Reverser facial. This 60 minute facial uses anti-ageing alpha-hydroxy acids and vitamin C to create a uniform glow and regenerate skin cells. I wasn’t sure what it meant either, but it has anti-ageing and regeneration in one sentence, so we thought we would have to give it a go.  In keeping with the Tria style, the room was spacious, with lovely high ceilings, again in the synonymous hues of walnut and cream, of course with the obligatory spa music. After the 45 minutes padding around the various spa facilities I was already extremely relaxed and gormless, so the facial was just the cherry on the serenity cake. Various potions and lotions were massaged, applied, and removed from my face, all finished off by a sublime head and shoulder massage. Needless to say I was snoring away by the time the treatment had ended. My only complaint is that 60 minutes was not enough, It was just too good!  If things could not get any better I was sleep-walked up to the outdoor rooftop pool, which by now was under the cover of a million twinkilng Bankok stars, and was offered a cup of yummy lemongrass and ginger tea.  Bliss.

The Tria is massive, which is another reason why it doesn’t feel like a normal spa. I usually like a small, inviting and intimate spa, which I think lends itself to relaxation and serenity. The Tria although large in stature still managed to evoke these emotions. In a way I felt like a kid in candy shop, every corner you turned, albeit a huge one, offered another delightful spa delicacy waiting to be devoured, and I cant wait to go back to see what I missed.

Where?
TRIA Integrative Wellness
998 Rimklongsamsen Road, Bangkapi
Huay Kwang
Bangkok 10310
Thailand

Reservation Hotline: +66 (0) 2660 2602
Tel. +66 (0) 2660 2600
Fax. +66 (0) 2660 2601
info@triaintegrativewellness.com

What and How Much?
Chrino-Reverser facial – Baht 3500/ 60 mins (HKD890) includes free use of all the Tria spa facilities.

Facials, facials, facials.  Facials to get rid of your wrinkles, facials to make your skin whiter, facials for blackhead removal, with such a plethora of choices in Hong Kong to treat your most important asset, where should you go and what should you do?  The papers are littered with special offers, and packages from various salons around town, most of them very cheap, but using questionable Chinese skincare products. I don’t know about you, but when it comes to your face,  I believe in using the best products and the best therapists in town.

With this in mind I visited The Beautiful Skin Centre in Pacific Place for the new anti-aging Murad IP5 Illuminating Peel Facial.  Now that is quite a mouthful, and at $1400 dollars it isn’t cheap, but what is it, what is it supposed to do, or more importantly how young will I look?

I had the pleasure of meeting Dr Howard Murad a few weeks ago, and by talking to him about skincare and his profession as a dermatologist, there is  no wonder why he is one of the world’s foremost authorities on skin health and skincare.  He has developed this new anti-aging facial to exfoliate, lift, plump and illuminate – all in one treatment. “This professional facial takes skin resurfacing to a new level by removing non-functioning cells and increasing cell to cell communication between healthy cells,” Murad said.  The facial comprises of five very high performance exfoliators and brighteners that resurface your skin, followed by Murad’s Immuno-Skin Complex which is said to plump up the skin with antioxidants to maximize cell renewal and ‘vaccinate’ skin against age-related degradation.

Tucked away in a secret corner by the entrance to the Conrad hotel in Pacific Place, The Beautiful Skin Centre is tiny, and easy to miss.  But what it lacks in size, it makes up for in service and stature.  Part of the same family as The Elemis Day Spa and The Victorian Spa in Disney, The Beautiful Skin Centre is arguably one of the best beauty salons in Hong Kong.  As I settled down into my treatment room, my therapist Clara chatted to me about the Murad skin care range, and other products that the salon carry.  She was extremely knowledgeable and excited and I got the impression that she takes her job very seriously, and tries and tests all products herself so she can have a comprehensive judgement when she suggests products to her clients.  I immediately felt at ease, as I had complete confidence that she knew what she was doing.

The treatment starts with the IP5 Illuminating Peel.  Clara informs me that IP5 stands for intensive peel 5, as it consists of five active components -Glycolic, Lactic and Salycylic Acids, which exfoliate the skin and reduce the appearance of fine lines, alongside Indian fig extract and ‘vitamin c ester’ to stimulate cell renewal.  There was a slight tingling sensation, but nothing uncomfortable, in fact it was quite refreshing.  This was followed by a glorious acupressure facial which I was told would help my collagen production and encourage lymphatic drainage.  Two ticks in my books in the search for everlasting youth, and the removal of excess champagne and cosmos from the night before.  Finally Murad’s Cooling Recovery Mask was applied at the same time as the Eye Lift Concentrate, which according to Clara is proven to increase skin firmness by up to 75% in just 15 minutes, due to the magic super-hydrating Hyaluronic nanoparticles.

Being a beauty writer I get subjected to all manner of facials and treatments, and one thing that often bothers me is a salons allegiance to a brand.  No matter how good the salon, their products are ‘the best’, and you have to use ‘this particular line’, or it wont work etc.  But one thing that strikes me about The Beautiful Skin Centre, is that even though they are backing a few brands, they really believe that they are in the best interest of the client.  They choose the products, not the products choosing the salon, which is often the case.  There was  no hard sell after the treatment, and being totally honest, my skin looked incredible afterwards.  I was literally glowing, and I don’t think it had ever felt so smooth.  At $1400HKD, it is on the more expensive end of the facial scale, but for a once a month treatment, I truly think it is worth it if you care about really looking after your skin.

How Much? How Long?
$1400 for approx 75 minutes.

Where?
The Beautiful Skin Centre
Shop 344, Pacific Place,
88 Queensway, Admiralty, Hong Kong Tel: +852 2877 8911
Email: beautifulskincentre@schinac.com

Bangkok is often regarded as the best city in the world for a touch of pampering, what can not be denied is the Thai hospitality and numerous options for massages. Every street corner, mall and hotel is home to a Thai massage parlour, or spa. BBHK Editor Chantel Shafie and Georg Lauth visited the land of smiles to compile the BBHK spa guide to Bangkok from both a male and a female perspective. Top on our hot list of urban spas was the Thann Sanctuary in Gaysorn Plaza.

HIM -Georg Lauth, Luxury Editor BBHK

After a long flight and struggling to get through Bangkok’s rush hour to keep my appointment at the ‘Thann’ Spa at Gaysorn Plaza , I could have not been happier arriving just in time for my 90 min massage.  And little did I know what was waiting for me.

Entering this boutique Spa on the top floor at one of the luxurious shopping malls in town I could have been not less disappointed.  The place is decorated in the most stylish Thai-Modern decor I had seen in a while: a dark and moody interior with each room of its own signature ‘living wall’ of planting arrangement featuring the ingredient of ‘Thann’s products.

Seduced by its beauty I could relax and having the introduction by the charming staff at the spa.  I was lead to my treatment room for the ‘Thann sanctuary signature massage’.   My wonderful therapist guided me thoroughly over the functions of the room and the adjoining bathroom.  After taking a quick shower, I could now relax on the bed and let her commence.

A slow start to ease every muscle on the feet and legs, the therapist then made her way up to what has always been my problematic area: my back and shoulders. Not only did she use all her strength to go through every muscle but to my surprise I did not feel any pain throughout the whole process. The therapist knew exactly how to release the tension of each muscle part and was working at some point what felt like hours. I must have drifted away which I still don’t understand keeping in mind the strength and pressure she put in my back.

I awoke and still did not know what ‘magic’ my therapist had done to me until I got dressed. I ‘floated’ to the reception to get some tea and fruit. Every minute I felt better and better. I had experienced the perfect massage and could now dance away all night in what else Bangkok had to offer…

HER – Chantel Shafie – Editor BBHK

Being a Spa and Beauty Writer I am lucky enough to visit many countries and locations for a massage and pamper sesh. Even after having lived in Asia now for five years, I am still not used to the idea of stepping into a shopping mall, and really relaxing into a spa. In my mind spas should be tucked away on some deserted island, or failing that, in the grounds of a hotel. Obviously visiting a metropolis like Bangkok, this is not possible. With so many Thai massage shops all around town, which offer really good massages at extremely cheap prices, I thought it would be tough to appreciate a spa in a shopping centre that is essentially 10x the cost of a street front shop.

Stepping into Gaysorn plaza is a nice experience in itself.  It is a premium shopping centre in the middle of town, which is small enough to still feel exclusive and inviting. The Thann Sanctuary, situated on the 3rd floor occupies 160 square meters, comprising of 6 treatment rooms and a separate steam room.  In a style that would be equally pleasing to both men and women, Each room is designed to represent one of Thann’s signature product lines, Sea Foam, Aromatic Wood, Oriental Essence, Mediterranean Floral, Rice and Shiso.  Every wall of the spa is lined with bamboo, creating a hidden sanctuary far away from the shopping mall.

I chose the signature treatment which comprised of a 90 minute firm deep tissue massage, using palms, thumbs and forearms, and a specially concocted aromatherapy blend for my needs.  I personally have extremely tensed shoulders, probably from writing all the time.  I pointed out my own points for concern, and I have to say out of the hundreds and hundreds of massages I have had in my life, this was by far the best.

The therapist applied just the perfect amount of pressure and completely intuitively rubbed my aches and pains away.  At first I thought she was applying far too much pressure, and that I would be in pain for the entire week. However her hands knew best, and  I felt a massive release of pressure and floated out for the sanctuary, as for the first time in literally years, I had no tension in my neck and shoulders.

’Thann’ is available throughout Asia and is now expanding into Europe and Russia.  A success which is truly deserved and I just hope a new Spa is opening right on my doorstep.

Tip: before you leave Gaysorn Plaza try out the ‘Thann’s’  tearoom on the 2nd floor: very cute decor with flower shop and all of ‘Thann’s’ delicious products!

What?
THANN Sanctuary Signature Massage

How much?
2,200 Baht (HKD 568)

Where?
THANN Sanctuary
Gaysorn Shopping Mall
3rd floor
Ploenchit Road
Lumpini
Bangkok 10330
Tel: +66 2 656 1424

www.thann.info

Can you believe it? Sense Of Touch recently reached the grand old age of eight years old!  There are no surprises as to why Sense Of Touch touch has been awarded practically every award going for their five spa locations, and to commemorate this very special occasion, Sense of Touch has teamed up with the fabulous Aromatherapy Associates to create a massage that is right up my street – The After Eight Anniversary Treatment.

For those of you that may not know of my obsession with After Eight mints, or in fact not know what they are, these inexpensive chocolates are famous in the UK for an after dinner treat especially at dinner parties at home.  Throughout the 70′s and 80′s no housewife could hold up their bouffant heads without presenting After Eights to their guests with their cafetiere.  As a little girl I would often steal one (or two or three) of these delightful chocolate mint wafers and sit under the coffee table (I’m sure that would still be fun…) and nibble away.  Today they remind me of my childhood, and home, not to mention that they are seriously yummy!

So when I heard of this treatment from SOT, my heart strings panged and I totted along to the Lan Kwai Fong spa to be pampered, After Eight style.  Aromatherapy Associates have cleverly concocted a blend of peppermint and lavender, which at first glance I thought would be awful, but in fact sit gloriously side by side, and smells strangely like After Eights.  The treatment begins with a full body scrub using the Support range, followed by a fabulous full body and face massage using the special blend.  The journey is completed with a cup of peppermint tea and two scrumptious After Eight Mints, which I had to stop myself from climbing under the massage table to devour.  The whole treatment was divine, and definitely one to recommend, if only for the chocolates!

Where?

All Sense of Touch locations

How Much?

$888HKD for 80 minutes

A usual weekend away in Macau may find you spinning the wheel, boogieing the night away in one of the many hotel clubs, and crawling back to your room, only to be greeted by the heaving casino floor on your way to breakfast in the morning.

The new but much more sophisticated kid to hit the Macau block is the new Mandarin Oriental which  takes a new approach to staying in style in our sister destination of choice.  Gone are the casinos, gaudy entrances, grandiose gold statues and ostentatious chandeliers, all replaced by old fashioned glamour.  The hotel has been sympathetically designed to combine both Chinese eastern and Portuguese western influences, which sit elegantly side by side like true Macanese yin and yang.

Attached to the MGM on the Macau Peninsula by the new One Central high end designer mall, casino goers can find themselves rolling their dice in a few minutes, but gambling haters can feel detached enough from the mayhem, that they can forget that any gaming exists at all. Most of the rooms have incredible panoramic views of Taipa Island, west Nam Van Lake with the hills of China beyond.   A high view room allows you to watch the strangely memorising bridge and road complex from above, which resonates with the childhood excitement of watching the biggest Scaletrix set known to man.  So unlike our own harbour view in Hong Kong, but the vastness and the plethora of things to look at, makes it simply stunning.

Good Night Sweetheart
I stayed in the Mandarin Premier View Room, which at approx $5000HKD per night is more expensive than a lot of the other hotels in Macau.  But at that price, what are you getting for your money?    At 700 square feet, the room was larger than most Hong Kong apartments, and designed in sophisticated hues of taupe and cream.  Every electronic mod-con you can think of and more were integrated into the room. The curtains self glide at a small tap, the Nespresso coffee machine makes you a fabulous cup of Jo, and the all encompassing entertainment system allows you to dock all manner of your electronic items into the brain of the room to be played or heard from all areas.  Needless to say I got a tad confused, but the more gadget savvy will be playing and plugging into the various ports with glee.  For those without laptops, the TV doubles up as a computer.  The absolutely enormous bed (I’ve no idea of its regal stature, but it puts a king, or super duper king to shame) was covered in 480 thread count satin linen, and I am ashamed to say that I did consider trying to stuff the pillow up my dress when I left, as I wasn’t sure if I could survive without it. (Don’t worry, it was safely left behind for the next lucky sleeper to drool on).  The bathroom, which took up almost a third of the room contained the obligatory his and hers sinks, a separate lavatory and really intense power shower, which were all eclipsed by the amazing double ended spa bathtub set against the windows for a spectacular soak with an unparalleled view.  One of my favourite brands, Aromatherapy Associates adorn the bathroom with their premier products, so a trip the the loo may take a while.  There was also a unnecessary large walk in wardrobe.  I know I am a girl, but unless I moved in for a year, I would not be able to fill all the rails and drawers, again I’m not proud to admit that I did sit in there for a little too long dreaming of a wardrobe like this at home, and how to fill it.  And if you think there is nothing else that can think of to make this room perfect and less like the usual Macanese experience, add a yoga mat to encourage your inner zen.  

And now for my first test, the room service call.  its amazing how many five star hotels can mess this one up.  Especially late when night shift takes over, it is not uncommon to find a rather confused nighttime emergency electrician on the end of the phone trying to take your urgent Club Sandwich order.  So at 4am I ordered an obligatory Spag Bol and Won Ton Noodle Soup.  The order was taken quickly and perfectly, and arrived no less that 15 minutes later.  And I’m happy to report it was delicious, hot and served with a genuine smile, even at that ungodly hour.

The way to a mans heart…
Dining in the Mandarin Oriental Macau is rather limited, with only one restaurant – the Vida Rica where guests also enjoy breakfast, and its adjoining bar.  But downstairs cakes and pastries from the famous Mandarin Cake Shop are served in the Lobby Lounge along side high tea and snacks.  

With views over looking the South China Sea, and Nam Van Lake, the Vida Rida Restaurant serves the very finest food from a variety of nations such as Japanese, Chinese and modern Western.  The helm is held by Executive Chef Dirk Haltenhof who I have had the pleasure of being cooked by in the Mandarin Oriental in Kuala Lumpar in the past.  The large menu offers a choice for every palate, and is served in an intimate and romantic setting, with fabulous hand made chandeliers which light up every individual table.  I chose the Crab Tian, followed by the Lobster Thermador, which were both exquisitely prepared and delicious, but needed a little bit more salt for my liking.   The extensive wine list offers fine and affordable wines for lovers and quaffers alike, as well as excellent choices for wine pairing.    

Joined by a small corridor is the Vida Rica Bar, an intimate and chic drinking establishment dressed in dark chocolate and rich red hues, successfully bringing together both the Portuguese and Asian elements that make up the life of Macau.  Again it is flanked by floor to ceiling window looking over to Taipa and Nam Van Lake, which was the perfect setting for the International Firework competition which I was lucky enough to catch while I was there.  The incredibly impressive Japanese firework entry was googled whilst drinking very reasonably priced and extremely delicious Asian inspired tapas and equally reasonably priced pink Moet Rose Champagne.  The Vida Rica Bar is a welcome addition to the Macau bar scene, with its extensive and adventurous cocktail menu along side its elegant clientele, the bar is cleverly setting a different pace from the usual crowd pleasing stage performances in the middle of the casino gaming floors.  A definite must for the more discerning guest.

Work it
A state-of-the-art Technogym fitness center sits alongside the spa, which contains every piece of equipment you would need for your work out, and a lot that I had no clue what they would do to my unfit little body.  Interestingly, longer staying guests are provided with their own USB stick which a routine is recorded on.  The stick is then plugged into each machine and your progress is logged.  This stick can then be taken to any Mandarin Oriental hotel in the world, and your personal routine and progress can be immediately continued.  Genius!  There is nothing worse than popping down to a hotel gym, and flapping around the room, as none of the machines look familiar,  this perfectly solves the problem.     

My only gripe would be the size of the swimming pool.  Even though the outdoor area was beautiful, and the pool shared the stunning view of Taipa and Nam Van Lake, it did appear rather small to me.  But as the pool seemed to be eclipsed by the sun by the hotel itself while I was there, then I doubt many people would want to sit and relax in the pool.  Interestingly however, out of all the hotels that I have visited in Macau, some with very impressive pool facilities, there seldom are any guests using them.  

A massage a day keeps the doctor away
The Mandarin Oriental group is world renowned for their award winning spas, and the new Macau addition will surely impress. Dark woods, with tones and red and blue adorn the Spa and you are greeted by soothing burning scents, ginger tea and very serene and smiley therapists.  In a town that screams mayhem and havoc, The Spa instantly transports you to a relaxed and soothing environment. The treatments have all been designed in keeping with Mandarin Oriental standards and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), yet they have been inspired by the local Portuguese and Chinese elements, resulting in a unique and exciting array of choices for pampering.  

The Spa consists of eight treatment rooms including four couples rooms, all designed with the parallel cultures in mind, again combining both important sides of Macanese life perfectly, with the VIP suite containing Macau’s first heated hamam style scrub table.  The changing rooms also house the spa heat experiences, vitality pool, amethyst crystal steam room, sauna and rainforest experience shower.  For those whose hands and feet are in need of help, a separate nail spa sits behind the reception for perfecting those talons.  Aromatherapy Associates are the products of choice for most treatments, and can also been purchased in their well stocked and inviting boutique, which also sells their own exclusive Mandarin Oriental Signature Products that have been developed by Aromatherapy Associates, specifically combining special blends and scents for the Mandarin Orientals needs.

I decided to try one of their signature treatments, the two hour Macanese Dragon Experience.  The ridiculously adorable and smiley Balinese therapist Nyoman, lead me to my spa suite, which again was flanked by floor to ceiling windows overlooking this time the Macau Tower and China beyond.  The treatment began with a cleansing foot scrub whilst sipping ginger tea.  I was then scrubbed from head to toe using a delightful smelling Aromatherapy Associates concoction.  I was then left to wash off and steam in the suites private steam shower.  As if I wasn’t clean enough, I was then plopped in the very large (it could easily fit four people) jacuzzi whirlpool, where I was left for twenty minutes for my troubles and stress to bubble away.  This was then followed by a Chinese lymphatic full body massage using heated Chinese meditation “Bao Ding” balls.  These are perfectly round semi precious stone balls about two inches in diameter which are heated and rolled deeply into the muscle tissue, not unlike the hot stone massage that is quite common.  The feeling of the hot balls rolling on fatigued muscles was sensational, and unlike any other massage I had experienced before.    Finally I was smothered in a rich Aromatherapy Associates body cream, which was prescribed for my needs. From start to finish it was it was utter bliss, and I will not be at all surprised if The Spa and the hotel at Mandarin Oriental Macau will soon be winning awards like its big sisters overseas.

Special Spa Package Offer -  Weekday Experience package
The package includes a series of five signature treatment gift vouchers at a price of MOP6,000 and is available until December 2010.

The five treatments include two customised aromatherapy facials, two Oriental Essence body massages, a signature Macanese Dragon Experience, afternoon tea set at the Lobby Lounge for  two and a voucher for MOP500 that can be used towards the purchase of spa products, such as Mandarin Oriental’s signature product line, Aromatherapy Associates products, as well as Somme Institute facial care products.

Mandarin Oriental Macau
Avenida Dr Sun Yat Sen, NAPE, Macau
Telephone: +853 8805 8888
Email: momac-reservations@mohg.com
Website: www.mandarinoriental.com/macau/