With incredible medical and wellness experts sourced from East and West, state-of-the-art equipment, and modern decor that feels oh so fresh, a menu offering everything from emotional therapies to aesthetics, and even a conscious boutique gallery stocked with conscious merchandise, Asaya is Hong Kong’s most comprehensive and luxurious one-stop wellness shop. Compare Retreats’ founder Dervla Louli checks into the hotly anticipated Asaya wellness centre, retreat, and club as the very first guest for an integrated wellness programme that quickly rejuvenates her body, mind, and skin. Here’s everything you need to know about the new health haven led by Niamh O’Connell, the Group VP of Guest Experience and Wellness at Rosewood Hotel Group.
Urban Location
Asaya is located on the 6th and 7th floors of Rosewood Hong Kong in Tsim Sha Tsui’s Victoria Dockside and occupies 40,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space. The sweeping views overlooking Victoria Harbour are breathtaking and renowned New York designer Tony Chi created interiors that incorporate light, water, and stone to complement the natural blues beyond the window.
The overall effect is discreet and balanced, with all of Asaya’s elements connecting seamlessly together in a continual flow that helps harmonise guests with their surroundings.
When arriving at Asaya, the elevator opens onto the consciously edited Asaya Gallery and leads into the Fitness Centre, Harbour Studio, infinity pool, and Glass House on the left, and to Aroma, Tonic, and Beauty Ateliers on the right. Beyond the Ateliers lies the Tranquility Lounge, Urban Sanctuary Suites, and Bath Houses with laconiums inspired by ancient Roman bathing temples and water rituals.
Flagship Resort
Rosewood Hong Kong is an art-deco whimsical, and wonderful luxurious hotel with 413 rooms that truly transport. CEO Sonya Cheng spearheads the expansion of the hospitality brand and manages 18 one of a kind luxury properties in 11 countries, with 18 new hotels under development.
The hotel is a staycation favourite for a quick urban retreat and is also a hit with visitors travelling solo, in groups, or with families. Over 80% of the rooms have stunning views of the famous Hong Kong skyline and the hotel houses a remarkable art collection. Exclusive event spaces abound, and the event-arrival sweeping staircase and 25-metre infinity pool beside the Glasshouse are the two top photo-opp spots.
Swanky Accommodation
The bedrooms at Rosewood are large and luxurious, with 80% offering vistas of the harbour and city skyline. Rooms are spacious, modern, and plush with velvet sofas, crisp linen-clad beds, and brass furniture features.
The art-deco inspired statement bathrooms featuring large stand-alone bathtubs, dual sinks, marble walls, and mirrors are one of my favourite details of the property. Cats and dogs weighing less than 15kg are welcome but are not allowed in food and beverage establishments: a brilliant excuse to book the Harbour Corner Suite and order room service.
For a fully immersive wellness experience, I recommend booking the private and peaceful Asaya Suite with separate sleeping, living, and therapy areas.
Conscious Cuisine
Nourishing holistic cuisine is served at the large but personable Asaya Kitchen that covers both indoor and outdoor areas on the 6th floor. The overall ambience is light and inviting, with a welcoming open kitchen in the heart of the space. The food is clean and bright with seasonal plant-based dishes and fresh fish options dominating the menu. Executive Chef Renaud Marin takes inspiration from Japanese and Mediterranean cuisine, while ingredients are sourced from local artisans, fisheries and farmers.
Personal dietary restrictions are easily integrated into all of the menus, and no request is too big or small to accommodate. Wines are biodynamic, non-alcoholic options are inventive, and a zero-waste philosophy dominates.
Integrated Wellness
Everything at Asaya, including the extensive treatment and retreat menu, feeds back to five pillars: Emotional Balance, Fitness and Nutrition, Physical Therapies, Skin Health, and Community.
Experts meet you wherever you are in your wellness journey, and are incredibly knowledgeable on movement coaching, bodywork, naturopathy, nutrition, energy medicine, TCM, aesthetics (including Botox, fillers, and PRP), mindfulness, meditation and beauty treatments such as facials and massages.
Tech-infused therapies and holistic therapies are offered side by side, with 3D Facial Skin Analysis conducted before facials using organic products, and electro-acupuncture sitting beside traditional cupping on the menu.
Medical doctors and holistic wellness practitioners can help you begin or deepen your wellness journey, and many have decades of experience in their respected fields. And, while this is like no spa that you have ever seen before, the nail, hair, and beauty salons offer up the usual suspects ensuring everything from top to toe can be taken care of on-site.
The One-Day Wellness Programme is ideal if you want a quick and effective wellness pick-me-up and covers all of the five Asaya wellness pillars. I asked for a mini version of the programme and did three sessions in three hours that slotted easily into my schedule. My posture, stress levels, mindfulness, and facial congestion, were the main areas I wanted to address. After Spinal Mobilization with Terry Burges, Stress 360 with Dr Tal Friedman, and a Deep Cleansing Facial with Grace Nitar, I felt utterly refreshed. Armed with stretches to improve my posture, book and app recommendations for stress reduction, and Sunday Riley cleansing products, I was also considerably more equipped to prevent all of my complaints cropping up in the future.
Cleanse, Balance, Body Fit, Unplug, Greater Awareness, Family, Couple, and Children retreat programmes are other great options available. For something on the more exclusive side, the Glass House and Social House on the can be booked for private or corporate wellness days and experiences.
The treatment suites, tranquillity areas, and bathhouses are large and sumptuous with marble, wood, and glass features surrounding lotus-peppered ponds. All three ateliers are impossible to miss and are very apothecary-esque, an appropriate touch as each guest chooses their own essential and base carrier aromatherapy oils with the assistant of the resident clinical aromatherapist.
Personalisation is a detail that runs throughout the whole of Asaya. Practitioners tailor every class, treatment, and coaching session to make it perfect for you, and I was amazed at how well they curated and adapted everything for me.
While individual treatments can be booked, it’s the retreat core and signature programmes that offer the most benefit. I highly recommend going in for an initial physical, wellness, fitness, genetic, or facial assessment and following a prescriptive-like treatment plan to fix or prevent ailments.
Results
The 2020 wellness travel trend that most excites me is the rise of urban wellness retreats in major cities around the world. The opening of Asaya at the Rosewood Hotel in Hong Kong is something I’ve been looking forward to ever since I heard a whisper about the wellness wonderland being conjured up. After experiencing a transformational half-day retreat, I can say, without a doubt, that it has been well worth the wait.
What We Loved
My Asaya wellness journey didn’t stop once I left the Asaya thanks to the daily stretches, mindfulness exercises, and natural beauty products that I was recommended to add into my daily routine. I asked each expert about their favourite treatments on the menu and already have energy medicine and TCM sessions on my to-do list for my next trip. I also loved that everything and anything I could have dreamed of wellness wise was available on the menu.
Our Insider Tip
Make sure to save some time for exploring before and after your treatment or programmes. The male and female bathhouses are beautiful, and each Urban Sanctuary Suite has its own heated marble bathhouse with deep soaking tub, sensory rain showers, and private garden.
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