When technology and wellness meet

By Issy von Simson

June 21, 2024

Science-based trends have long driven advances in the spa world, but what happens when tech wants to physically muscle in? Here’s how Mandarin Oriental strikes a balance

swimming pool at mandarin oriental hyde park, london

Can anything beat a really good massage? When the stars align and the therapist reaches all the knots, muscle tension melts away, the daily stress pauses, even if just for an hour. There are so many benefits that massage delivers, from improving circulation to strengthening the immune response, reducing stiffness and inflammation, even helping a better quality of sleep. The ancient practice, which dates back to India in 3,000BC, is the bedrock on which most spas are founded. The two-handed versions are, of course, wonderful. A four-handed massage, when it is totally in sync, can be otherworldly. But in a time of innovation and a desire to keep up with the cutting edge, how do you improve on human touch and technique?

Fans of the Hypervolt massage gun can answer that immediately. It’s not better than an actual massage – it’s something different. Used predominantly for sports injuries, or indeed the prevention of injury, the machine provides percussive therapy, which means repetitive pressure and vibration get deep into the muscle. It’s a targeted, turbo-charged massage, as good for warming up as preventing stiffness after exercise. The personal trainers at Mandarin Oriental Savoy, Zurich, for example, use these guns as an integral part of the recovery journey for guests.

In Greece at Mandarin Oriental, Costa Navarino, among other locations, you can sign up for a session in Normatec Boots, which similarly help with recovery. When I first tried these, it was with a little amusement and the slightly raised eyebrow of scepticism. It all looked and felt a bit silly. But they work as a compression device, inflating in sequence, from the feet up to the thighs, to help with lymphatic circulation. It’s not only effective, but also rhythmic and incredibly relaxing.

swimming pool at mandarin oriental, marrakech

At Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London, EMS treatment is integrated into workout programmes. Electrical stimulators are directed towards muscles to trigger contractions, which in turn improve muscle tone. It comes via a bodysuit that is worn over your gym kit. But this isn’t something that can be done while sitting on the sofa (like the lovely Normatec Boots). Here the tech has to function in parallel with the workout, activating, strengthening and also rehabilitating targeted areas. It’s a totally bespoke approach for each person. Why not just get a foam roller? Can’t you just stretch? Or work out a little harder? Is this all just a shortcut? Well, yes and no… and maybe. Machines can help unveil new perspectives and redefine methods of healing. A tech-driven, science-based approach is more relevant than ever now.

The advance of tech when it comes to skincare is much more broadly understood. Lasers and LED therapy, ionic cleansers and cryo tools are not only prevalent in beauty salons and spas but also on bathroom shelves and bedside tables. The super luxe French band Biologique Recherche, maker of the cult Lotion P50, not only champions the very best pure active ingredients but has been creating facial treatments using electrical currents and radio frequency waves for years. The state-of-the-art diagnostic tool, the Skin Instant Lab, is used in almost all the Mandarin Oriental hotels globally from Milan to Marrakech, Miami to Malaysia, to help therapists devise a personalised analysis of the guest’s skin needs. One size definitely does not fit all when it comes to faces. And the Remodeling Face Machine is wheeled out to do exactly what it says, stimulating muscle tone around the jawline, contouring cheekbones, encouraging cell regeneration, increasing the penetration of serums. More hands-off is the MLX i3Dome at Mandarin Oriental Bosphorus, Istanbul, which uses far infrared technology to help increase collagen production and rejuvenate skin not just on the face, but the body too.

Are these machines just a silver bullet? The results speak for themselves. Instead of replacing more traditional wellness techniques, they work to enhance them, delivering high performance and visible results. The wellness teams at Mandarin Oriental are always on the lookout for new innovations to make what is already very good even better. It’s hard to argue with that.

About the Author

Issy von Simson

Formerly the Editor-in-Chief of Loupe and Editor of Condé Nast Traveller, Issy writes for T+L, The Times, The Telegraph, BOAT and ES magazine and is the author of Secret Stays, published by Assouline.