FRV checked out one of the best spa destinations in the world, and found the prestigious label doesn’t go far enough.

Text by Ve Handojo

In what could be called the most expensive city in the region, a chunky space of 80,000 square feet is dedicated to tranquility. Such a luxury one could only wish for in a pumping city like Hong Kong. The never-failing Grand Hyatt proved its success in creating an oasis just next to the famous by-the-harbour convention center. Awarded as one of the best spa destinations in the world by many, Plateau is indeed a smart and elegant inner-city getaway.

While lounging in the swimming pool, my backdrop couldn’t be more flattering: the curvy roof of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center and the horizon of Kowloon. The freeform pool itself provides a calming visual sensation with its clear blue water, surrounded by a lush minipark on floor 11 of Grand Hyatt Hong Kong. As the sun goes down, the lights in ‘The Pool House’ (a private function venue) and the adjoining ‘The Grill’ (the by-the-pool resto) go up, charming the city’s “who’s who“ in their beautitudes.

My self-indulging moment was initiated a couple of hours before with a ‘Salt and Pepper Body Scrub’ to exfoliate my skin and energise my body, and a pampering massage treatment. A healthy spa lunch then followed under the trees in the cozy courtyard. Unlike in most places, “healthy” here also means “delicious”.

No less than US$ 10 million was invested in Plateau. Architect John Edward Momford and his company led the design team, and came up with a smart Zen-influenced solution for this spa-destination-in-a-hotel project. Pale-colored wood is set against dark bold marbles and granites, in a clean-lined layout. Escaping the elevator from the busy lobby, the gentle spa atmosphere quickly cools down the tension. Reception officers do the check in procedures in a friendly flash, and escort guests to one of the fourteen rooms and suites. Opt for one of those with a terrace overlooking the harbour, where you can enjoy life in Hong Kong at its most delicate point.

It’s quite hard not to exaggerate how much genius is in the layout of the rooms in Plateau. Mine, not different from the others except in size, came in a true minimalist style. Yep, minimalist as in effectively using the space, choosing the forms and colors, and hitting only a few notes but all the right ones, not “easy minimalist” as in dressing down and cheap. Plateau’s style is like a one-liner in a conversation: dropping only the one sentence that contains the pun, joke, sarcasm, ideas, and intellect all at once.

Compartments are discreetly hidden in the corners, keeping liquor, complimentary snacks, magazines and cables out of sight. Black and white renderings of a rain forest join the light brown shades of wood and strong dark grey marbles. Cute plants and statuettes of fish, frogs, turtles, and pigeons on the terrace wish great luck to the guest and the city. My mattress is a snow-white King-sized futon, overlaid with a glistening Egyptian cotton duvet. The simplicity of this resting chamber clashes harmoniously with hi-tech, wall-posted, flat screen television, and a superfast internet connection.

Bathing is supersized. Enjoy the rain shower, or – even better – the large sunken infinity bathtub. Keep those waters flowing to bless your skin! The compact setting of the room enables you to enjoy the view of Hong Kong harbour from the overflowing bathtub.

There is no better way to enjoy the dazzling Hong Kong skyline in the evening than getting out fresh from your bathtub, wearing the comforting bath robe, then sitting in the terrace of your own suite in Plateau. Elevated above others, Plateau presents a remedial stay for urbanites, and a sophisticated and distinctive destination for travellers.

Plateau @ Grand Hyatt Hong Kong
1 Harbour Road, Hong Kong
Tel: +852 2588 1234
www.hongkong.grand.hyatt.com

Related posts:

1. A Place in History: The Bali Hyatt
   Trauts gets sentimental revisiting a Bali icon and finds that there’s more to the old lady than meets the eye....
2. Hotel Borobudur: An Urban Legend
   VE HANDOJO revisits the hotel that has been defining independence, privacy, and – above all – heavenly oxtail soup....
3. The Contemporary Retro Grand Kemang Hotel
   Post-clubbers now have a new old address in which to crash: the partly refurbished Grand Kemang hotel. FRV inspects the...