The Spa
A successful spa trip should give you an elevated sense of harmony. It’s fitting, then, that The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong keeps its ESPA spa on the 116th floor. Its city centre treatment rooms and awe-inspiring lounge (more on that in a moment) made for our dream escape on a lengthy flight layover.
You see, the spa doesn’t only offer an extensive menu of healing treatments; it also takes advantage, rightly so, of being the world’s highest hotel spa. Once you’ve filled out a guest consultation form, enjoyed a cup of tea, and changed, you can see what is essentially a tourist attraction of its own within the spa.
It’s that view - which we enjoyed in ESPA’s breath-taking Relaxation Lounge, where pillowy chairs gave us a panoramic look over Victoria Harbour. The very same floor-to-ceiling windows that make this room so awesome, also feature in six of their treatment rooms, and make for quite the unique massage.
What’s more, if you can peel yourself away from the glass – we struggled here – there are not-to-be missed steam rooms, saunas and experience showers to indulge in, as well as a pool two floors up. You haven’t showered until you’ve felt the gushing spray of the ‘tropical rain’ shower, trust us.
The Treatments
Rather jarred by jetlag, we booked in for the Aromatherapy Massage and Radiance Jade Facial to pummel plane-sore muscles, and restore dull post-flight skin. The massage was every bit as knot-melting and personalised as we hoped, with the ESPA oil of our choice (a rose-rich unction) helping nimble hands eke away tension.
As beauty buffs, we were pleased that the Radiance Jade Facial incorporated Asian methods – such as using jade rollers – to soothe and de-puff our stuffy, fatigued skin. The tools jolt stagnant blood flow back to life, expelling toxins in their wake, and their startlingly cool sensation was more than a little welcome after hours of cabin air.
They come into play after skin has been polished, scrubbed and masked, but before a final glow-enhancing application of ESPA’s Skin Radiance Moisturiser. The result? Relaxed contours that no longer hunched into a frown and the distinct feeling that our pores were quietly sighing with relief.
The spa also recently introduced the Milk & Honey Urban Spa Body Treatment, which harnesses the hydrating powers of honey to works its magic on damaged skin. It begins with a warm milk foot bath to reduce the tension in your soles and toes, before limbs are massaged with a honey scrub that leaves skin positively gleaming.
Ritz-Carlton has teamed up with the Bee’s Nest Honey Farm and adopted one of their hives in the hope that the delicious treatment will raise awareness of the vital role bees play in our environment. As if you needed more incentive for a pamper pit-stop…
The Essentials
Address: International Commerce Centre, 1 Austin Road West, Kowloon , Hong Kong
Number of Treatment Rooms: Nine deluxe treatment rooms and two exclusive couples’ suites.
Swimming Pool: Yep. One huge pool that’s perfect for doing some laps – if your chilled-out body lets you.
Gym: The fitness centre sits two floors above the spa, and is fitted with cardio equipment.
Reservations: Contact The Ritz‐Carlton Spa by ESPA on (852) 2263 2040 or e-mail: spareception.hk@ritzcarlton.com
Website: RitzCarlton.com