Hong Kong's best men's grooming

Situated on cloud 72 (rather than cloud nine) of the W Hong Kong hotel tower, this spa offers incredible views over Victoria Harbour. It’s a funky, modern approach to the formulaic spa model, eschewing mystical ambience (you won’t find any chanting rainforest frogs in their mood music) in favour of urban chic. With facial treatments now the prime therapy of choice for men, we recommend their highly specific (and immediately rewarding) Homme Improvement treatment ($1,295/85 mins). The therapist will first walk you through the entire procedure beforehand. It’s basically the male equivalent of the incredibly popular female treatment whereby your complexion is revived by intensive cleansing and exfoliating, together with a fruit acid wash, a pre-extraction oxygen wrap, the intense extractions of pimples, dirt and blackheads, followed by a calming oxygen and milk mask, a hydrating enzyme pack and a vitaminised oxygen sprat. It’s worth noting that it’s rare to find such a specific extraction process for men in other elite spas (their focus being on relaxation rather than transformation).

Looking out your office window after the Hang Seng index falls by 100 points can make even the most spectacular Habour view lose its lustre. But waking up after an ESPA massage can make you see new light in life – in the form of Symphony of Lights. Spend time in ESPA’s relaxation area after your treatment; the area has an unobstructed view of Victoria Harbour with a level of tranquillity you don’t normally associate with it. For massages, the two-hour Chakra Balancing with Volcanic Stone ($2,000) can unknot all the over-stressed muscles by massaging with a blend aromatherapy and Indian medicinal Ayurvedic oils plus special focuses on chakras – Hinduism energy permeation points. Go an hour in advance to enjoy their extensive heat facilities.

One of the latest treatments being rolled out at the Landmark Mandarin Oriental’s spa is this deep tissue tension-relaxing massage (from $1,000) specifically aimed at men to alleviate stresses in joints and muscles. The treatment is available for either 60 or 90 minutes; and the full ‘reviver’ experience will see you rubbed down with waxes and vitamin sports oils. Next… out comes the bamboo stick. Don’t worry, you’re not being transported to an Elizabethan court (‘wrack him!’) – the rolling stick is used to localise each muscle group in your body, and to stretch and strengthen the sensitive areas, as well as compressing your joints and tenderising the tissues. Initially you may groan at the pressure, but you soon slip under the sharply soothing treatment. Your back, shoulders, limbs and neck are given incredible amounts of attentive focus, and when the massage is complete you’ll feel like a loose limber athlete. Best of all, you have access to the LMO’s incredible heat facilities and their dimly-lit sanctuary room where you can nibble on fruits, read the newspapers and lie back with a pair of earphones.