On my recent trip to Boston, I took a day and booked myself spa services at the brand new Mandarin Oriental. After 2 days of walking around, the Leg Rejuvenation Treatment sounded exactly like what I needed. The hotel and spa models their customer service after Asian hospitality, well, just the good parts =) At the spa reception, I was seated and offered a hot towel and hot tea on a lovely bamboo tray decorated with fresh orchids. Then the attendant brought over another bamboo tray with spa slippers and helped me change into them and she took away my street shoes on the tray. Wow. Now, I’ve been to a lot of spas but I have never experienced this level of care!

The 16,000 square foot spa was lit with soft ambient lighting to relax and calm your senses. The locker room is really nice and I was very happy with my Frette robe. There is a whilrlpool jacuzzi, steam sauna and something they call the Experience Showers. This very elaborate digitally operated shower offers different types of showers called Arctic Ice, Rainforest Mist, Tropical Storm and one other that I can’t seem to remember but you get the idea. You use the touch pad to select the “experience” and the different variation of shower heads, nozzles and water temperatures give you that experience. I, of course, tried them all but I was not very impressive, it’s just either a lot or a little of either cold or hot water coming out of the walls. The steam sauna, however, was incredible. I love steam rooms! The ceilings had fiber optic lighting so when the steam kicks up you’re not left in a dark fog. The big room has a center island – not sure what it is actually meant for, but it was perfect to rest my feet on. The waiting lounge had reclined lounge chairs covered in super soft terry cloth. Magazines and other reader materials were bound in neat black binders and some lounge chairs were separated by curtains for semi-privacy if you decide to take a nap.

Then came my Leg Rejuvenation Treatment. The Asian hospitality thing went a little too far and made me uncomfortable when my therapist sat me down in the treatment room and then proceeded to kneel at my feet while she asked me specifics about how I would like the treatment. When I was in Thailand, this seemed normal, but my therapist was obviously from Mass and I just felt bad for her. All in all, I had a wonderful experience and left rejuvenated! I recommended the spa to all my friends in Boston, it beats the reigning spa, Bella Sante, by leaps and bounds!!