Plateau has a solid and dependable reputation as an established super Spa in Hong Kong. This is the REAL Spa McCoy, in a sea of wannabe imposters. If you are the kind of person that has high standards and needs to know that things will run ship shape then this is the place for you. Give yourself up to good order, smoothness and serenity and leave feeling like a weight has been lifted from your (newly polished and oiled) shoulders. You deserve the best, and this is where you will find it.



The best bit: The quality of every member of staff you run into from the door man to the spa receptionists through to the actual therapists is u-n-r-i-v-a-l-e-d. I struggled to fault the service in any small way - and that is a MAJOR achievement with me sniffing around, notebook in hand!



I swear the therapists have got some sort of telepathic understanding of what you want, i.e exact temperature, touch, mood etc. Every time I got up during the treatment (like to wash off the delicious softening strawberry paraffin wax) my fluffy slippers were not a millimetre away from where I could slip my newly freshened feeties into them with maximum efficiency. These things sounds small, but once you have gone you will see what I mean. This is where the (difficult to please) beauty pro's hang out that's for sure.



As a (very - some say) nosey person, and yes I admit it, I often find it difficult to switch off in treatments as I'm always wondering what people are thinking. For example, the therapist seems a bit distracted and has a funny look in her eye, immediately I am wondering if she has fallen out with her boyfriend, or if she got told off by her manager etc. I just cannot relax without knowing the reason. The odd thing is that more often than not total strangers start telling me their (often intimate) problems - in detail. I will not name and shame now but this has happened in some of the most 'famous' Spas in the world. Yes, I know I'm the one attracting this, but frankly when I am laid on a pre-heated bed covered in luxurious towels I just want to chill out.



My suspicion is that this kind of thing would NEVER happen in Plateau as the staff are so quietly committed to pleasing you that you don't stand a chance of looking into the closed parts of their minds. After visiting Plateau I have decided that the very best therapists are a combined mixture of doctors, healers and hostesses. Their minds must be clear to treat you without a minute of interruption. This is true professionalism.



So, when you book a treatment here whether it the ever popular Plateau Massage (1 hour HKD$950 - check out the full price list on the right) or something even more delicious, you get a guaranteed 'switch off' - and that is well worth the blackberry downtime. Whether you are heading there for a deluxe manicure, a three or five hour programme or even for an over night stay (24 hours of pampering right here in the city - woo hoo!) you will be sure to feel luxury and gentle courtesy in every breath you take. Both women and men friendly, the decor is super zen, slick and the views from the sauna room and the spa focused guest rooms (with their own balconies!) are unrivalled.



The worst bit: Trying your best to look cool when celeb sightings arise - which is non stop in the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong. In the last few weeks alone everyone from our friend Bill (Clinton) and the super cool Rihanna have stayed there. Despite the increasingly heavy 5 Star competition in this heavyweight town, the Grand Hyatt is still where the REAL stars stay as the staff are super discrete (drat!) and the security is as tight as the White House. Still, wear your sunglasses in case you get papped waiting for your taxi home apres treatment - it does happen sometimes - ha ha!