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There are many things to love about the Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Miami. However, if we had to pin down our five favorite amenities at the Five-Star spa, we’d go with these:
1. Welcoming treat: You’ll be offered a cool raspberry hibiscus tea and chilled towel, presented on a tray garnished with a fresh flower, once you sit down in the waiting area at the Miami spa. These little treats instantly refresh and put you in a spa state of mind.
2. Perfect nibbles: Dried bananas (as well as the aforementioned raspberry hibiscus tea) are available in the relaxation area of the locker room. So you’ll have a little something to munch on while you wait for your therapist.
3. Experiential showers: The spa's Kohler experience shower is a unique shower room with multiple jets, sound and lighting that can be adjusted to simulate different environments. After a soothing massage, you might want to opt for the sunrise setting, which bathes the room in warm light and includes chirping birds as its soundtrack. It’s an energizing experience you never imagined you were missing before trying it.
4. Spa suites: There are six special spa suites located on the second floor of the hotel that overlook the bay. The attractive rooms include personal bathrooms, showers and additional space for specialty treatments like couples or Thai massages.
5. Spa shopping: The large and well-stocked spa boutique offers up workout clothing scented candles, spa CDs (including the ones played throughout the spa) and a range of skincare products.

The waiting area at the Five-Star Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Miami is spacious and sophisticated, with a style that takes its design cues from the Far East. Upon arrival, you’ll be warmly greeted by attendants in Mandarin-collared uniforms who will whisk you to a seat in the spa lounge. There, you'll complete a registration form and short medical questionnaire. In return, the staff will bring you a chilled towel and cup of cool raspberry hibiscus tea, which is a refreshing treat from the Miami heat. The whole process is designed to help you relax before heading inside to have a treatment, and it works. Attendants will take your shoes and give you a pair of spa slippers to put on before they escort you to the men’s or women’s locker room. The process is streamlined and seamless, paving the way for relaxation.

The Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Miami has a fitness center that’s located on the spa's second floor, and it's available for spa guests and hotel guests alike. Hop on one of its treadmills or elliptical machines and take in the great views through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the hotel’s pool and Biscayne Bay. The fitness center also offers new cardio and weight-lifting equipment from Technogym, including the Cardio Wave, which is a machine that uses a multiplanar motion that’s similar to rollerblading or skiing to tone your glutes and strengthen your core. Take a break from your workout here to take advantage of the numerous amenities, including fresh fruit, bottles of water, fresh and refrigerated towels, and complimentary headphones.

The relaxation area at the Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Miami is a small but peaceful space, filled with blanket-topped loungers and a soothing water feature. A selection of newspapers, including The New York Times, USA Today and The Wall Street Journal, are will keep you entertained, while the selection of refreshments such as chilled lemon water, raspberry tea and dried fruit and nuts will keep you sustained. Despite the personal reading lamps that are attached to each lounger, the low spa lighting makes it a little difficult to really get into any serious reading, but we say, who wants to read bad news when awaiting a massage anyway. So sit back, and take part in what this room was designed for: pure relaxation.

Most of the treatment rooms at the Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Miami do not have views - which hardly seems to matter when you’re face down on a massage table. However, on the second level of the Five-Star spa you'll find six lavish spa suites with amazing double-height, floor-to-ceiling views of Biscayne Bay. Again, you might not appreciate the views when you're focusing on centering your chi mid-treatment, but you can enjoy the glint of the sunshine on the water as you sip your tea post-treatment - the suites have sitting areas precisely for this purpose. The Mandarin and Oriental suites also have sunken whirlpool tubs that overlook the bay.

The Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Miami offers couples the opportunity to experience their treatments together in one of the opulent couples suites on the spa's second floor. These suites at the Five-Star spa have beautiful views of the Biscayne Bay, personal showers, and a sitting area for relaxation and reflection. In order to treat you and your mate to a couples massage here, you’ll have to hand over $360 per hour plus gratuity. You can also opt for the Thai For Two treatment that’s tailored for couples. This 2-hour-and-20-minute journey includes a welcome foot ritual, Thai massage, suite relaxation time, a Thai lunch and a spa gift for $740 per couple.

The interior design of the Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Miami echoes the décor of the hotel itself, incorporating Asian details into a contemporary style that's punctuated by splashes of Caribbean-bright colors. Most areas inside the 15,000-square-foot tri-level spa feel airy and spacious, and each of the 17 private treatment rooms incorporates bamboo, rice paper, glass and natural linens to create a feeling of Zen. Inside the six special suites, you’ll find floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the calm waters of Biscayne Bay. These windows to Miami flow seamlessly into the rooms themselves, making it seem like the water was part of the interior designer’s grand plan.

Two body wraps are offered at the Spa at Mandarin Oriental Miami. The first is the 80-minute Sun Ritual, which is perfect for replenishing sun-drenched skin after a long day of sunbathing on the beaches of Miami. The ingredients in this treatment include aloe, vitamin-E-rich body oil and cooling banana leaves - all of which are used to cocoon and repair your body. A healing rose quartz face massage helps calm and repair the skin and reduce water retention, and a mask hydrates the face and neck. The Sun Ritual also includes one of our favorite things: a luxurious scalp massage. The whole thing concludes with the application of a lavender balm to leave skin calm and refreshed. The other wrap, Personalized Ocean and Earth, aims to eliminate toxins from your body and begins with an all-over body exfoliation. Next, you’ll choose your aromatherapy oil, which is applied before your wrap. You can choose between Marine Mud, Algae and Oshadi Clay. Finally, an Oriental Head Massage will finish off this treatment. No matter which wrap you choose, you’ll pay the same amount: $180 on weekdays and $200 on weekends.

Whether you’re looking to be relaxed or healed, the Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Miami has a massage that will meet your body’s needs. If you’re a tired traveler or looking to relieve tension, opt for the Oriental Essence massage, which uses the Mandarin Group’s signature Quintessence oil. Or try the mood-boosting Therapeutic massage, in which the therapist uses her elbows and forearms to stimulate and energize your aching muscles. The Aroma Stone massage uses heated stones to generate energy and create a sense of calm; the Aromatherapy massage blends Eastern and Western techniques to relax your body and clear your mind; and the Thai massage is performed on a futon and involves acupressure and assisted stretching. Treat your neglected feet with the luxurious Oriental Foot Therapy massage; or, if you’re an expectant mom, indulge in a Maternity massage that’s designed to keep you calm and comfortable.

Nail services offered at the Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Miami include the Mandarin Oriental Manicure ($55) and Pedicure ($75) and series of five of each that reflect savings (5 manicures are $200, five pedis $300). The Anti-Aging Manicure is a specialized treatment that relies on vitamins to help treat skin damaged by the sun. With a double cleansing of the hands and arms, exfoliation, cool stone massage and paraffin treatment-plus polish application at the end-it’s pretty much like getting a facial for your hands. It’s $90. Similarly, the Reviving Pedicure is a more luxurious, in-depth version that incorporates Thai healing compress and lemongrass. It’s a 65-minute treatment for $120. Holistic Hand and Foot Treatments ($90 and $120, respectively) round out the nail service offerings.

The Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Miami offers couples the opportunity to experience their treatments together in one of the opulent couples suites on the spa's second floor. These suites at the Five-Star spa have beautiful views of the Biscayne Bay, personal showers, and a sitting area for relaxation and reflection. In order to treat you and your mate to a couples massage here, you’ll have to hand over $360 per hour plus gratuity. You can also opt for the Thai For Two treatment that’s tailored for couples. This 2-hour-and-20-minute journey includes a welcome foot ritual, Thai massage, suite relaxation time, a Thai lunch and a spa gift for $740 per couple.

The treatments at the Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Miami draw on therapies from around the world, blending Eastern and Western philosophies. The results? Total relaxation. Here are five treatments at the Five-Star spa that put us on the path to sheer bliss:
1. Mandarin Oriental Signature Spa Therapies: This treatment starts with a consultation with traditional Chinese medicine specialists, which is followed by a customized body massage and personal nutritional and exercise advice to take home (110 minutes, $320).
2. Time Rituals: Reserve anywhere from two to six hours at the spa for a customized day of wellness and relaxation. It all begins with a soothing foot ritual and is followed with whatever treatment the staff thinks would best suit you (prices start at $175 per hour).
3. Thai Herbal Compress Ritual: This 90-minute massage uses warm compresses of herbs and essential oils that turned us into a Zen noodle when we booked it a few months back ($250).
4. Opulent Rejuvenesence Facial: For the ultimate facial, book this two-hour luxury treatment that uses more than 10 products from the clinic of acclaimed Brazilian plastic surgeon Dr. Ivo Pitanguy.
5. Holistic Foot Treatment: Maybe it’s time to do something about those neglected feet. Pamper them with this 65-minute exfoliation, acupressure point foot massage that uses aromatherapy oils and warm paraffin wax treatment to leave soles and toes soft and supple.

Being a spa that focuses on eastern-influenced treatments, it should be no surprise that the Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Miami offers a few acupressure treatments for those looking to balance their energy. If you’re in need of a little healing , try the Thai massage, which is performed on a futon and combines gentle rocking motions with acupressure and assisted stretching to help relax the mind and body. This massage is delivered with you fully clothed, and feels like a tension-busting combination of yoga and traditional massage. The spa menu also includes the Thai Herbal Compress Ritual. This personalized massage incorporates acupressure, while applying warm compresses of herbs and essential oils to the body’s key muscles.

Those traveling with children should note that The Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Miami, requires its guests to be over 18 years old. However, there is a small menu of teen treatments available, including manicures, pedicures and a teen facial. Or book a make-up lesson, a nutrition and wellness consultation, sign your teen up for belly dance and salsa classes. They'll be able to take part in the adult fun of a day at the spa while you bliss out with a muscle-soothing massage. Teenagers over 14 can take part in any and all of these offerings with a signed consent from a parent or guardian.

The relaxation area at the Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Miami is a small but peaceful space, filled with blanket-topped loungers and a soothing water feature. A selection of newspapers, including The New York Times, USA Today and The Wall Street Journal, are will keep you entertained, while the selection of refreshments such as chilled lemon water, raspberry tea and dried fruit and nuts will keep you sustained. Despite the personal reading lamps that are attached to each lounger, the low spa lighting makes it a little difficult to really get into any serious reading, but we say, who wants to read bad news when awaiting a massage anyway. So sit back, and take part in what this room was designed for: pure relaxation.

The therapists at the Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Miami all have extensive training in their specific areas of specialty and practice, whether that's delivering pore-perfecting facials or soothing tense, tight muscles. They are schooled on spa standards, protocol, proper body mechanics, specialized treatments, contraindications, product training, safety procedures and any new treatments the spa introduces. On top of all this, these relaxation pros receive refresher training from ESPA International, the top spa brand behind this Five-Star spa, five weeks out of the year, and also go through heavy training on all treatments in the summer when business is a bit slower. The team at the Five-Star spa are qualified professionals who strive to achieve excellence and care with each ritual they perform for a client.

Though you won't be able to lunch or breakfast inside the Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Miami before or after your treatment, you can tide yourself over with the light snacks, including dried fruits and nuts as well as fresh fruits, provided in the relaxation lounges adjacent to the spa’s locker rooms. Or head to the hotel’s casual restaurant Café Sambal, for a hearth-healthy breakfast or sushi lunch. The poolside bar and beach club also offer edited menus of sandwiches and sushi; those who book one of the spa's all-day programs will be delivered a spa bento box directly to their loungers poolside or on the beach.

The Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Miami has a fitness center that’s located on the spa's second floor, and it's available for spa guests and hotel guests alike. Hop on one of its treadmills or elliptical machines and take in the great views through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the hotel’s pool and Biscayne Bay. The fitness center also offers new cardio and weight-lifting equipment from Technogym, including the Cardio Wave, which is a machine that uses a multiplanar motion that’s similar to rollerblading or skiing to tone your glutes and strengthen your core. Take a break from your workout here to take advantage of the numerous amenities, including fresh fruit, bottles of water, fresh and refrigerated towels, and complimentary headphones.

The locker rooms at the Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Miami are spacious and well appointed, with a soothing oasis-like feel. Both short and long lockers are available (to accommodate hanging dresses or taller guests), and there are separate powder rooms and showers . In the ladies’ locker rooms, leather seats surround a circular mirrored console that’s stocked with combs, hairspray, hairdryers and styling appliances. The luxurious experiential showers (with custom light, sound and water pressure settings) are stocked with shower gel, shampoo and conditioner, and dispensers of hand soap and moisturizer are placed alongside the sinks. Lastly, you’ll find a sauna and large steam room in the locker room’s shower area, a great place to retreat to post-service.

When you enter the Five-Star Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Miami, you're presented with a cup of cool, raspberry hibiscus tea. If you need a refill later on, you’ll find more of this refreshing brew in the relaxation areas adjacent to the men’s and women’s locker rooms. The spa also offers water with ice and slices of lemon. Choose one and then settle into the sculpted loungers in the relaxation room to snooze or leaf through a magazine. Should you get hungry, the lounge is stocked with mixed nuts, dried bananas and fresh apples. Or head outside to the pool terrace or nearby Cafe Sambal, where you can order up a dish from the spa menu or selection of fresh sushi.

The interior design of the Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Miami echoes the décor of the hotel itself, incorporating Asian details into a contemporary style that's punctuated by splashes of Caribbean-bright colors. Most areas inside the 15,000-square-foot tri-level spa feel airy and spacious, and each of the 17 private treatment rooms incorporates bamboo, rice paper, glass and natural linens to create a feeling of Zen. Inside the six special suites, you’ll find floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the calm waters of Biscayne Bay. These windows to Miami flow seamlessly into the rooms themselves, making it seem like the water was part of the interior designer’s grand plan.

The spa philosophy at the Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Miami draws on therapies, treatments and philosophies from around the world to create a menu of treatments that's grounded in cutting-edge techniques. Treatments here blend and span the ancient traditions of Chinese, Ayurvedic, European, Balinese and Thai cultures. East and West combine in a range of therapeutic treatments that cover the ground you would expect from a Five-Star spa. But while the treatments offered are unique, it's the service at this Five-Star spa that sets it apart. The staff is trained to deliver not just a great treatment, but an experience that's supremely pampering and restorative. Treatments are adjusted to your specific needs (tired? you'll be allowed to drift off without unwanted conversation; stressed? they'll target sore muscles and trigger points).The goal is to draw on the hotel brand's Asian heritage while allowing influences from local cultures and a instilling a unique sense of place in each location.

There are many things to love about the Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Miami. However, if we had to pin down our five favorite amenities at the Five-Star spa, we’d go with these:
1. Welcoming treat: You’ll be offered a cool raspberry hibiscus tea and chilled towel, presented on a tray garnished with a fresh flower, once you sit down in the waiting area at the Miami spa. These little treats instantly refresh and put you in a spa state of mind.
2. Perfect nibbles: Dried bananas (as well as the aforementioned raspberry hibiscus tea) are available in the relaxation area of the locker room. So you’ll have a little something to munch on while you wait for your therapist.
3. Experiential showers: The spa's Kohler experience shower is a unique shower room with multiple jets, sound and lighting that can be adjusted to simulate different environments. After a soothing massage, you might want to opt for the sunrise setting, which bathes the room in warm light and includes chirping birds as its soundtrack. It’s an energizing experience you never imagined you were missing before trying it.
4. Spa suites: There are six special spa suites located on the second floor of the hotel that overlook the bay. The attractive rooms include personal bathrooms, showers and additional space for specialty treatments like couples or Thai massages.
5. Spa shopping: The large and well-stocked spa boutique offers up workout clothing scented candles, spa CDs (including the ones played throughout the spa) and a range of skincare products.

Most of the treatment rooms at the Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Miami do not have views - which hardly seems to matter when you’re face down on a massage table. However, on the second level of the Five-Star spa you'll find six lavish spa suites with amazing double-height, floor-to-ceiling views of Biscayne Bay. Again, you might not appreciate the views when you're focusing on centering your chi mid-treatment, but you can enjoy the glint of the sunshine on the water as you sip your tea post-treatment - the suites have sitting areas precisely for this purpose. The Mandarin and Oriental suites also have sunken whirlpool tubs that overlook the bay.

Though the Mandarin Oriental, Miami just celebrated its tenth anniversary, The Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Miami looks as though it was just opened. This is due largely to a renovation that was completed in December 2010, and including the addition of a new retail boutique, remodeled locker facilities and relaxation areas and new heat experiences and experiential showers in both the men’s and women’s lounges. Take time to browse the products in the retail space before or after a treatment, and be sure to indulge in the Kohler experience showers in the locker rooms. The multi-jetted shower rooms can be programmed to deliver everything a gentle rainshower to a muscle-massaging water treatment.

The concierge team at the Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Miami handles last-minute spa appointment requests with ease, but if the spa is booked, there's only so much they can do. That’s why the Five-Star spa recommends booking as far in advance as possible to avoid disappointment. After all, you don’t want to miss out on such luxurious treatments as the Oriental Harmony, which involves four hands (that’s right, four) working to balance your body and rid it of all those nasty knots and toxins. There’s also something called Time Rituals, in which the spa encourages you to book a block of time, rather than treatments, so that the therapists can create a custom-made spa day just for you. If it sounds time-consuming, it is - two to six hours of time, to be exact. That’s why, once again, you'll want to book that appointment well in advance at the Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Miami.

The waiting area at the Five-Star Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Miami is spacious and sophisticated, with a style that takes its design cues from the Far East. Upon arrival, you’ll be warmly greeted by attendants in Mandarin-collared uniforms who will whisk you to a seat in the spa lounge. There, you'll complete a registration form and short medical questionnaire. In return, the staff will bring you a chilled towel and cup of cool raspberry hibiscus tea, which is a refreshing treat from the Miami heat. The whole process is designed to help you relax before heading inside to have a treatment, and it works. Attendants will take your shoes and give you a pair of spa slippers to put on before they escort you to the men’s or women’s locker room. The process is streamlined and seamless, paving the way for relaxation.

The Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Miami offers an online spa booking inquiry page, but it is much more efficient to call the Five-Star spa directly - either from within the hotel or from outside - and book your appointment over the phone. The affable staff can then tell you immediately about availability and suggest alternatives if your desired treatment is not available at the time you're available to visit the spa. While the online service is convenient and the staff here actually does return email requests quickly. nothing beats a good old-fashioned phone call, which will allow the staff to personalize your visit.

The cancellation policy at the Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Miami is pretty standard: You must cancel or reschedule a treatment 24 hours or more before your scheduled appointment to avoid a charge at the Five-Star spa. You’ll want to be diligent about this, because if you’re not, you’ll be charged the full price of your chosen treatment. A credit card number is required when you book your appointment, so if something does come up, make sure to call the spa immediately to avoid any fees.