spa review

Unplug to recharge, five-star style: Digital Wellness at Mandarin Oriental Tokyo

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By Maki Yasuda

How addicted are you to your smartphone? The average person checks his or her smartphone about 150 times a day, according to studies, and the number is much higher for millennials and heavy users. Do you take your smartphone to bed with you at night? The great majority of us apparently do, and it’s being seen as a major culprit for sleep disorders in recent times. We’ve all felt some negative impact of this constant connectedness, whether it be physical, like loss of sleep, eye ache and stiff shoulders, or mental. In fact, studies have shown that heavy smartphone use can be a cause of anxiety and depression, and nomophobia (yes, there’s a name for the fear of being without your mobile device) is on the rise around the world. It’s about time for some intervention.

Hence, the recent popularity of the “digital detox”: refraining from using electronic connecting devices like smartphones and computers for a set period of time. Said to reduce stress, increase mindfulness, and do wonders for your well being, it’s often undertaken on vacation, over a quiet weekend, or other occasion when some time can be set aside away from your digital life. Now in Tokyo, you can do a digital detox in style at The Mandarin Oriental, as they just started offering a Digital Wellness Retreat this autumn as part of a digital wellness initiative at all of its worldwide locations. Surely if anything could help ease the pain of the disconnect, it’ll be the five-star MO, their luxurious dining and topnotch spa.

The Digital Wellness Retreat is a package that consists of accommodation at the hotel, a special spa treatment and wellness-themed dining offer. I actually did not get to do the full retreat and only the Digital Wellness Escape spa treatment, but I met with assistant PR manager Chie Kuno who explained to me what goes on during the retreat. Upon arrival at the hotel, guests are supposed to surrender their smartphones and any other digital device to the front desk (if going cold-turkey is just a bit too much, the less extreme version is to lock it in the in-room safe and limit use at your discretion). Phone-free guests can then relax in the plush guest room with a special in-room Himalayan salt lamp that absorbs electromagnetic waves. Soothing activities like coloring pictures with color pencils or writing letters and postcards are available, offering an opportunity to work with your hands to reconnect with the physical world.

The dining program consists of a wellness lunch at the Cantonese restaurant Sense, and a 4-course wellness dinner at the French fine-dining, Signature. A warning must be made that both of these restaurants are Michelin-starred, so going without taking any foodie pics at these meal times could prove to be quite a challenge for the more seriously afflicted smartphone addicts. But stay calm and savor the delicious food and gorgeous ambience; the phone-free meals will awaken your tastebuds and let you truly see the beautiful presentation, and renew your appreciation of fine-dining.

The highlight of the Digital Wellness Retreat is the Digital Wellness Escape spa treatment, which is also available on its own apart from the package. I got to experience this 80-minute treatment, and can say that it’s a great way to get a little taste of the digital detox. Just like with the retreat, you hand over your smartphone to the spa reception when you arrive. You may think that one can just put away the smartphone in one’s bag and make any spa treatment a "digital detox," but I actually think having this intervention makes all the difference. Spas in general are full of photo temptations, as can be seen in so many bathrobed selfies out there on Instagram, and the Mandarin Oriental spa being the best of the best, it’ll be hard for some addicts to resist texting friends of their whereabouts ("heyy, I’m at the MO spa!"), or sneakily doing a location "check in" on Facebook. So the case for smartphone surrender is strong to really make the program work.

The spa treatment takes place in the spa’s special corner suite - the only one with a bathtub - where the floor to ceiling window offers an almost vertigo-inducing cityscape view. The treatment starts by selecting an essential oil to suit your mood, which will be used for your bath and massage. I chose Flourish, a refreshing, warming oil with notes of cardamom, lemongrass, and coriander, and was left to soak in the big hot bath by the window for about 15 minutes to absorb the wonderful aroma and breathtaking view. Then it’s off to the massage bed, for a luxurious all-hand massage that focuses especially on pressure points that get afflicted by digital stress, like the base of the back, neck and shoulders, eyes and head. I drifted into a state near sleep with the stress from the day seeming to melt away with the rhythmic movements of the therapist’s warm hands, and was in a completely different state by the time I did the breathing exercises that end the massage. I was then gently led over to the sofa in the suite and served some seasonal refreshments; delicious "yama budo" (Japanese mountain grapes) and chestnut sorbet, along with hot herbal tea.

With all of their treatments, spa guests can stay for as long as they like after the treatment to enjoy the amazing spa facilities, like the heat and water oasis and relaxation lounge. Actually, they also recommend arriving 45 minutes prior to the treatment to use the facilities and unwind, so you should expect to spend quite some time when you’re booking a treatment with this spa.

The Digital Wellness Retreat seems great for couples, and it’s really timely as issues with partners’ use of digital devices seems to be at an all-time high these days. Just the other day, I listened to my friend complain about her husband constantly on his phone being distracted and forgetful, so this retreat would be perfect for them. And moreover, how nice would it be to spend a night at the Mandarin Oriental with your sweetheart without the distractions of emails and texts from other people? Taking the digital detox challenge together is sure to be a unique experience that will bring a couple closer. The stand-alone Digital Wellness Escape spa treatment, on the other hand, is a great treat for busy business people to give themselves. Even a few hours of mindfully being away from the digital world and relaxing in the most luxurious spa setting can do wonders to refresh and restore you. When you get your smartphone back at check-out, they give you a gift of a smartphone cover that blocks electromagnetic waves; you might just feel like using it and continue on the digital detox for a little while longer.

Digital Wellness Retreat Deluxe Room Plan From 98,800 yen for one guest (151,600 yen for two guests) Executive Suite Plan From 164,800 yen for one guest (from 218,000 yen for two guests)

Check-in time is 3 p.m. and check-out time is 12 p.m.

  • In addition to the above costs, a 15% service charge, 8% consumption tax, and an accommodation tax of 200 yen per person will also be charged.

Digital Wellness Escape spa treatment (80 mins) 38,500 yen

*Price is subject to 8% consumption tax and 13% service charge.

Both available until March 31, 2017.

Reservations and inquiries: Tel: +81 03-3270-8800 Email: motyo-reservations@mohg.com

Mandarin Oriental Tokyo 2-1-1 Nihonbashi Muromachi Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 103-8328

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Hopefully a 'happy ending' massage is included in those prices.

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