Wellness Escape
The Treatment: Blue Diamond Brightening Facial
Spa Cuisine: Black Rice & Quinoa Wrap
Duration: 2 hours (including lunch)
Products:
The brightening facial features Hungary’s luxury skincare brand Omorovicza, which is powered by the country’s mineral-rich thermal water to refresh, renew and refine the skin. It’s exclusive to the Plateau Spa in Hong Kong and the facial makes use of the extensive skincare range with a total of eight products in the treatment. Some examples of the products used include a Reviving eye cream, which immediately reduced puffiness and was absorbed into my skin as if I had been dehydrated for weeks on end. It also helped to minimise the dark circles underneath my eyes. A wonderful smelling neroli and rose-scented mist, named the Queen of Hungary, was spritzed on the skin with incredibly refreshing after effects. Another product used to moisturise and give my skin an instant upwards boost was the Rose lifting serum. Similar to botox, it’s designed to relax facial muscles to inhibit the development of fine lines and wrinkles, especially around the eyes.
Service:
On arrival, I felt like I had stepped out of Hong Kong and into some far-flung resort spa. An invigorating yet calming scent wafted through the air as I’m asked which treatment and which dish I would like to enjoy. I’m advised that my spa cuisine will be prepared and ready for me as soon as my treatment ends, which was music to my ears given that the time it ended would indeed be lunch. I was invited to rest in the reception area, which overlooks a water garden and tree-lined courtyard, to fill out the rest of my consultation form. Setting the scene for the treatment to come, I’ve already started to shake off the stresses of the city and before long, I’m whisked away into the treatment room. The service at Plateau is swift and I’m greeted softly and warmly by all members of staff throughout the treatment — even whilst I take my lunch outside in the courtyard after.
Environment:
The spa feels like an elegant resort and utterly different from the business hotel it’s situated in. This is intentional of course, since it is Hong Kong’s first and only spa that offers accommodation with ten guest rooms. Effortlessly tranquil and timeless, the spa design is sleekly furnished with pale wood furnishings warmed up by the mahogany-coloured granite. They all include infinity-edge whirlpool soaking tubs, some with their own private terraces too, for that extra touch of luxury. Beside the spa is an expansive garden space which leads to the 50-metre heated outdoor pool and sauna. But for those that want to get active before they relax, the 24-hour fitness studio, 400-metre jogging path, golf driving range, tennis and squash courts should do the trick.
Experience:
There were a number of steps in this facial treatment that intended to firm up, brighten and restore my skin’s ‘fitness’, and it all started with a good cleansing. My therapist was nimble and removed my makeup gently with a moor cream cleanser before she used a buffer to exfoliate the skin. This was amped up with a warm steam treatment to remove dead skin cells and other impurities more effectively. Thereafter it goes a little deeper. At first, it’s with a mud mask that feels cool on my skin as it clears my congested pores. All the while she’s working her massage magic at the top of my head and around my temples as if to untangle some knots in my brain. Next up, it’s the extractions. And if you’re an extraction facial regular, you’ll know that it can get a little painful — what with all that squeezing and pushing around the face to expel any blemishes. Luckily, my therapist utilised a drainage massage technique which was much less painful. Though in more sensitive areas around the nose, it can’t be helped. The final application was three-fold; hydrating, lifting and regulating the skin’s condition which helped to awaken my lacklustre skin.
As the facial comes to a close, I’m offered warm tea and fresh fruits in the room. I’m also told that I can take my time to continue relaxing or clean up, but as my stomach growled for lunch, I remembered that I put in my order for the spa cuisine and head straight to the courtyard. The food is pleasant and gently seasoned, which I assumed was because they had my health interests at heart. However, it did begin to get a little too warm in the courtyard, and although the serene surroundings seemed perfect for lunch, the humidity of summer said otherwise. Upon my departure, I was saddened that my retreat ended so quickly and as I take the lift back down to the hotel lobby, I catch a glimpse of my glowing skin and vow to make a return, and escape, very soon.
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