Perfect your posture: a review of Mandarin Oriental’s Intelligent Movement massage

By Elizabeth Winding

February 1, 2023

Can a massage help you move more freely? We head to Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London’s spa for a game-changing new treatment.

Modern life often means we’re moving less, with too much time spent hunched in chairs or tapping at laptops. If could-be-better posture and tight, tense muscles sound uncomfortably familiar, check in for a tailor-made Intelligent Movement treatment, available at Mandarin Oriental hotels worldwide. It combines trigger-point release work with deep muscle massage to target trouble spots and get the body moving more freely. Then, of course, there are the spas themselves: blissfully calm, restorative retreats, where real life feels like a distant dream.

The context

The treatment taps into Mandarin Oriental’s group-wide Intelligent Movement initiative. It’s a shift away from regimented exercise routines towards a more diverse approach, integrating all kinds of movement into everyday life – think feelgood beachside yoga in Miami, or tai chi on the lawn in Shanghai. Intrigued? The signature massage is an excellent place to start, combining spa pampering with powerful deep-massage techniques.

Arriving at the spa

I head to the spa at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London – a coolly contemporary hideaway, dotted with orchids and art. On arrival, your shoes are exchanged for pool sliders, while pre-treatment forms arrive with a fragrant lemongrass tea. After that, you’re free to explore the low-lit, serene spa (it’s best to arrive 45 minutes before your treatment begins). The space centres on a vitality pool, with bubbling massage jets, overlooked by three monolithic sculptures. Muscles pummelled, the misty steam room is the place to clear your mind, with a huge chunk of amethyst to promote healing and calm. Finally, there’s the sauna, where slow, pine-scented heat seeps into every muscle – recommended before a massage, as spa aficionados will know.

The pre-treatment consultation

If pre-treatment forms often seem to go unread, that’s not the case here – my therapist, Monika, has deciphered every scrawl, and tailors our session accordingly. Problem areas are discussed; in my case, a long and varied list, from tight hamstrings and knotted shoulders to mysteriously aching outer elbows. She’s also on board with my chosen massage style: firm. “Some therapists just stroke you, as if you’re a cat,” she smiles, which sums up many a pointless massage I’ve put up with in the past. Finally, before the treatment begins, I’m invited to choose an oil blend. I opt for Awaken, with its energy-boosting mix of neroli, lavender and grapefruit.

The treatment

The massage is firm, as requested, and impressively intuitive, easing away stubborn knots and deep-set tension. Monika gently bends and stretches my arms and legs, and investigates problem areas, from the lingering effects of a frozen shoulder to aching arm muscles. She also notices the smallest of details, from a blanket that’s starting to slip to a thermostat that needs tweaking (the body’s temperature drops during a massage). It makes for a seriously relaxing experience, and – at 90 minutes – one that’s pleasingly unhurried.

Halfway through the treatment, Monika uses a Hyperice device – a powerful, percussive massage machine that helps to increase blood flow and release trigger points. It’s strange at first, but oddly enjoyable, as the muscles vibrate at high speed (I feel like a pro athlete, recovering post-match). After that, I turn over for the rest of the massage, with an eye mask, comfortably tilted table and heated cushion on my lower back. By the time the treatment ends, with a single cymbal chime, I feel like a new person.

… And relax

I’m left in a contented daze, in need of a lie-down in the relaxation room. It’s a lulling space with gently colour-shifting lights and four blanket-swathed beds, which recline at the touch of a button. There’s a carafe of hibiscus and rose tea on hand, and lime-spiked energy balls to snack on, plus a stack of glossy magazines, which I’m feeling too Zen to flick through. Even getting dressed, I’m still in another world – too relaxed to remember my shoes are at reception, not stashed in the lockers.

The lowdown

The next day, my neck and shoulder muscles feel tender from the Hyperice machine, but that soon passes – and in the days that follow, I’m free of my usual tension headaches. My movements feel freer, and my body is relaxed. At night I’ve stopped tossing and turning, trying to find a more comfortable position. Post-treatment, I’m more mindful of my posture and bad habits, and find myself sitting a little straighter and stretching when I wake up. The verdict? This is a massage that really delivers, with benefits that go well beyond the immediate feelgood factor. Just remember that your shoes are at reception…

All offers and experiences available at time of publication. Please contact the relevant hotel team for more information.

About the Author

Elizabeth Winding

Elizabeth is a lifestyle and travel journalist, whose work has appeared in Times Travel, Condé Nast Traveler and The Telegraph.