By
Kerene Barefield
on
24th July 2024
Where ancient Chinese techniques are used to heal tired muscles.
An iconic landmark in the heart of London, the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park holds a prime position in stylish Knightsbridge, an apt setting for the decadent, 120 year old building that boasts stone turrets and top hat clad butlers in red tails. Hidden deep inside its walls you’ll find the spa, a luxurious retreat known for its exceptional service and extensive range of treatments, offering a serene environment that promotes relaxation and rejuvenation.
The Facilities
On arrival, your shoes are exchanged for pool sliders, while pretreatment forms arrive with a fragrant lemongrass tea. Guests are encouraged to arrive forty-five minutes before a treatment to make use of the facilities, including an amethyst crystal steam room and vitality pool, with bubbling massage jets, overlooked by three monolithic sculptures.
With your muscles pummelled, the misty steam room is the place to clear your mind, with a huge chunk of amethyst to promote healing and calm. Finally, there’s the sauna, where slow, pine-scented heat seeps into every muscle – recommended before a massage, as spa aficionados will know.
The Treatment
After spending time using the facilities, I was greeted by my therapist and taken through the labyrinth of corridors to our treatment room. Many pre-treatment forms often seem to go unread, but this is clearly not the case at The Mandarin Oriental Spa. My therapist had deciphered every scrawl, and even though I had booked in for a Oriental Qi treatment, I initially felt like I was in discussion with my therapist which I’d been seeing for years. You have to be more forthcoming about your overall state of physical and mental well-being so your treatment can be tailored to benefit you the most.
The 90 minute Oriental Qi treatment is designed to focus on the body's meridian energy lines, utilising the benefits of essential oils to relax and rejuvenate. Yin and Yang play a big role in determining how to restore your balance, where you could use more feminine Yin energy and where your masculine Yang energy flows.
My physical problem areas were also discussed; in my case knotted shoulders and an aching lower back. Just before the treatment begins, I’m invited to choose an oil blend from the way it makes me feel when I smell it. I opt for Bloom, with chamomile to soothe and support, while helping to aid sleep and calm both mind and body.
The massage is firm, as requested and my therapist also spends time stretching out my arms, legs and neck. Every inch of my body is massaged, including my face and head. By the time the treatment ends, with a single cymbal chime, I feel like a new person.
The Relaxation Room
Following the treatment I head for the dimly lit relaxation room in which you’ll find healing Chinese teas to choose from, ornate floral wall features for decoration, and meditation notes laid out on comfy beds with weighted duvets. Just five minutes sunk into a soft, reclining bed and I feel more relaxed – and further away from the city – than ever.
