Five locally-inspired spa treatments at Mandarin Oriental

Experience Japanese omotenashi (loosely translated as ‘the ultimate hospitality’) with a Sakura Ritual at Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo. A traditional foot-washing ceremony is followed by a full-body exfoliation, using azuki beans native to East Asia. These clever little beans contain saponin – an organic foaming agent that draws out impurities from the skin while boosting circulation. In fact, so visible are the tightening effects, many Japanese tout the beans as a powerful, non-surgical alternative to a skin lift. Your treatment is completed with a traditional kiatsu massage, gently unfurling deep-set knots and tight muscles.

Rose is the most precious of ingredients in Morocco, with a fragrance not to be forgotten – richly perfumed and honeyed, with a subtle hint of musk. It’s used to unforgettable effect at Mandarin Oriental, Marrakech in a three-hour, supremely restorative treatment. It spans a welcoming foot ritual and dreamy, rose-infused bath, followed by a cocooning full-body wrap. Last of all is an unhurried massage, with local argan oil – another superhero ingredient, sourced from the spiky argan tree.

Such is the power of jade in Chinese culture, it’s used as shorthand for compliments: a beautiful face is ‘a jade countenance’, while the slim and graceful are described as ‘jade standing upright’. It’s no surprise, then, that the mineral has inspired a sumptuous treatment at Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong. Reflexology and Chinese-style massage stimulate acupressure points, before sesame, ground rice, green tea and ginseng are used to scrub, smooth and soften you from head to toe. The treatment ends with an expert facial, using – of course – chilled jade rollers.

Channel your inner Von Trapp and embrace the power of the edelweiss at Mandarin Oriental, Geneva. This unassuming bloom, which thrives on Alpine peaks, contains powerful antioxidants, captured in Bellefontaine Switzerland’s game-changing products. The Instant Glow Facial lives up to its name, turbocharging cellular renewal and enhancing collagen production. The appearance of wrinkles and fine lines are diminished, while the skin texture is refined – leaving you free to twirl with delight in the mountains.