An eclectic treatment encompassing coffee, marine algae and slimming oils is one way to transition into a new season 

We’ve always found that our visits to Chuan Spa is often preceded by stress – the pressure from daily deadlines, usually, combined with the inevitable crush that greets us upon arrival in Mongkok. Yet every time we enter Langham Place hotel's elevator with its glass windows and we shoot up, quietly, towards the 41st floor, that stress starts to melt away like butter under the sun.

We have said time and time again that Chuan Spa has remained one of our top choices in the city, and the opportunity to experience the Spring Detox treatment – designed to ease tired souls from the dredge ends of winter into the warm embrace of spring – was high on our agenda. On a particularly dry and overcast Friday evening, I trudged into the spa mentally exhausted and ready for pampering.

As with many of Chuan Spa’s treatments, it all begins with a brief questionnaire over soothing herbal tea in the serene reception lounge. I answered questions that prompted me to identify my mood that day, as well as my preferences for seasons, colours and tastes. One curious question asks guests if they have a tendency to shout, laugh, sing, cry, or groan. There is one oddity with the app – if it deems you to be “in balance” after assessing your answers, you are not assigned any of the five elements (which include metal, wood, water, fire, and earth) and a brief face-to-face consultation takes place for further analysis. This was my case, and after a brief chat about the day’s stresses and a recent bout of gastroenteritis, the team decide that the dominant element in me is earth – which governs the spleen, stomach, muscles, mouth, lips and sense of taste.

Jessie, one of Chuan Spa’s most popular therapists, is assigned to take me through my treatment. The two-hour session includes a body scrub, moisturising or detoxifying wrap, scalp massage and a lymphatic detox massage using Thalgo Aromaceane Slender oil (a product that claims to help the breakdown of fatty tissue). Guests are invited to sample the spa’s signature tri-bathing ritual beforehand, an invigorating regime involving hot and cold waters, saunas, Jacuzzis and showers. Don’t do as I did and forget to bring a bathing suit, unless you want to miss out on this experience.

In my opinion, one of the highlights of the experience is the coffee scrub that kicks off the Spring Detox – the smell is not as overwhelming as I had imagined it to be, with a more subtle chocolate base note, and the brisk yet therapeutic strokes deployed by Jessie were a welcome change from DIY body scrubbing. Washing it all off in the shower (which Jessie prepped to the perfect steamy temperature a few minutes beforehand) was immensely satisfying as the coarse grounds slipped away to reveal much softer skin underneath – it’s here you feel the biggest difference in your well being, as you have quite literally shed a layer of old, tired skin.

Next up is the slightly less aromatic micronized marine algae body wrap – an effective detoxifying element, they say. A cool Plasmalg gel by Thalgo (designed to facilitate greater absorption of the good minerals and nutrients in the following wrap) is applied first, before the warm marine algae mixture is smoothed over. I’m conflicted at this point – the wrap feels divine, with its heat and thick, silky texture but, to put it gently, it simply pongs. Of course, this should have been expected from the presence of the marine algae, but I was struck by how the strong smell of the wrap was, and was glad when time came to wash it away in preparation for the 60-minute lymphatic detox massage using the Thalgo Aromaceane Slender oil.

This is where Jessie’s skills really came into the limelight, as she managed to target some of my most weary spots (shoulders and feet) with precise and firm movements that, like many of Chuan Spa’s treatments, clearly take their cue from acupuncture. A refreshing scalp massage woke me up from near slumber and, as with many massage treatments, the two-hour journey came to a close all too soon. Following the treatment, Jessie leads me to the spa’s beautiful relaxation room overlooking the glittering city lights, and furnishes me with a cup of hot camomile tea and a plate of chilled, refreshing watermelon, dragonfruit, and pineapple. I always find that I am parched after lengthy treatments, and this was a welcome touch to bring me back into balance.

Ironically, I could only enjoy ten minutes in the relaxation room before having to dash off to prepare for an evening of indulgent eats. I may have already started to undo Jessie’s good work soon after my detox treatment, but the experience certainly prepped me well until the next time I would be in her good hands.

The Chuan Spa Spring Detox package is HK$1,725 for two hours and is available now until April 30, 2014. Call the spa on +852 3552-3510 to book.