Traditional Chinese medicine spa treatment at Hong Kong’s Landmark Mandarin Oriental review: no pain, no gain
The Sense of Balance treatment at The Oriental Spa is not for those who want to bliss out on the massage table. But if you think you need to improve your health and are willing to withstand some pain, it could be for you
The Oriental Spa at the Landmark Mandarin Oriental in Hong Kong is offering a treatment that gives people a taste of TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) within a super luxurious setting.
Sense of Balance (HK$2,550 weekdays, HK$2,950 weekends) is a two-hour treatment that isn’t completely relaxing, but you know what they say: no pain, no gain.
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If you have time to arrive early, do so to enjoy the facilities; if not, you can take advantage of them after the session, too. The amethyst crystal steam room is very relaxing, as is, unsurprisingly, the Zen relaxation room.
Just before the treatment, the therapist will ask where your tight areas are. If you’re like me, it’s the shoulders and lower back from sitting too long in front of a computer.
To start, the therapist gives a ginseng body scrub – using ginseng powder and sea salt mixed with grapeseed oil – and performs a vigorous scrub over almost every body part from the neck down. Ginseng is a strong antioxidant when ingested; for this scrub, it promises to brighten dull skin. My skin felt so soft after rinsing it off, and my body was prepared for the next step.
I was given the option of a dry massage or one using oil, with the therapist recommending the latter. She used Quintessence body massage oil and expertly targeted all the tight areas that needed loosening up, particularly in the shoulders and lower back.
