What is it?
The Peninsula has a new spa, offering a combination of facial, body and maintenance treatments in rooms that look towards Central and Wan Chai.
Didn't it have a spa before?
Not really. There was a beauty salon that used Clarins products. This is a so-called lifestyle day spa, and uses Espa products, a global brand sold and used in exclusive establishments. It's also much more than a salon, with crystal steam and sauna areas - separate ones for men and women - in keeping with other major local hotels. Spas are a major area of competition for hotels now. A simple hair/manicure salon next to a gym won't cut it any more. The spas at two US-based Peninsula hotels have also been recently renovated, as has the spa in the Peninsula Bangkok.
What's it like?
Low lit and modern, with Asian- and western-inspired decor, in keeping with its combination of east-meets-west treatments. Things such as bamboo encased in glass walls and subtle water features throughout give it an interior-design edge. It's smaller than those at the Mandarin Landmark and Four Seasons, but an afternoon at the spa followed by tea in the Pen could become a tai-tai tradition. The private treatment room I tried had an infinity bath perched just centimetres from a wide window overlooking the harbour. The private shower, changing and toilet facilities adjoin, so there's no need to pad down hallways in slippers and gown.
What about the treatment?