A Heavenly Body-Warming Treatment At Andaz AO Spa

Beat the cold (and stress) this season with a self-awarding heart and body warming spa experience.

On a particularly cool, grey winter day, there is simply no better way of shedding the dullness of urban life than by visiting the beautiful AO Spa and treating yourself to a special body-warming experience. Situated on the 37th of Andaz Tokyo in Toranomon Hills, the AO Spa is an absolutely favorite stop of both visitors and locals alike, who enjoy the calmness of the sophisticated urban retreat in the heart of Tokyo.

AO Spa is an absolutely favorite stop of both visitors and locals alike, who enjoy the calmness of the sophisticated urban retreat in the heart of Tokyo.

Here I am on my most recent visit and I am warmly greeted by Rie, the Assistant Manager of AO Spa. She guides me into the facility and introduces me to the colorful apothecary style blend bar where a bountiful display of seasonal flowers, fruits and fresh herbs are used to fuse natural elements with the most up-to-the-minute treatment techniques in the AO Spa treatments.

I take a seat and sip on AO Spa’s seasonal welcome tea, and already I have the feeling of being transported to a luxury location far away from my everyday life. I am introduced to my therapist, Sachie, and she shows me through to the luxurious change rooms where I’m given a fluffy white robe and slippers to change into. Each guest that visits the AO Spa also has access to a steam room, spa, massage chair and relaxation area (complete with refreshments) so make sure you factor a little extra time when you visit to make the most of the experience. Once changed, all my belongings securely stored in my spa locker, it’s time for my treatment to begin and Sachie shows me through to the treatment room.

As soon as the door opens, I am immediately impressed with the AO Spa treatment rooms. The expansive corner suite has floor to ceiling windows offering breathtaking views of Tokyo, from Odaiba across to Hibiya Park and the city sprawling out to the horizon. Incredibly spacious, the room contains two treatment beds, a relaxation area, a decadent round bath tub and a full hotel-style bathroom. You immediately get the feeling that they know how to make you feel good at Andaz and they do it well!

The expansive corner suite has floor to ceiling windows offering breathtaking views of Tokyo, from Odaiba across to Hibiya Park and the city sprawling out to the horizon.

Today, I will be sampling the new AO Spa body-warming treatment menu, perfectly timed for the cold winter months that are now just around the corner. The warming treatment has two parts, first a warming Sweet Bath Time (30mins ¥7,500) to relax the body and mind, followed by Muscle Release & Relax Massage (90mins ¥25,000) — a full body hot stone massage.

There are three variations of Sweet Bath Time to choose from, and for my treatment I have selected the warming Orange Bath, a rich combination of orange, cinnamon and cloves. Alternatively, you can opt for the Cocoa Bath (a decadent blend of cocoa and skim milk) or the revitalising Apple Bath. When I enter the treatment room, the large round bath has already been drawn, compete with fresh oranges and a bouquet garni of orange, cinnamon sticks and cloves, infusing the hot bath with the most incredible natural scent.

I soak in this luxurious bath while overseeing the incredible Tokyo sights ahead of me and think that nothing I’ve done recently can compare to this experience. It’s a quiet, truly refreshing experience that makes your whole body relax and rejoice.

After twenty minutes, there is a gentle knock on the door to remind you that it is now time to towel off and ease yourself onto the comfortable treatment bed for your massage.

Once nestled in the cosy treatment bed, Sachie begins the massage, using the hot stones to smooth out stiffness and melt away any tension. During the massage, the hot stones are placed in specific areas of the body: hands, feet, between the toes and on the back, while other stones are held in the hand of the therapist while they work on massaging the body. The stones are incredibly soothing on the skin, and the thermal heat deeply warms the body to the core. Before long, I’m completely zoning out and enjoying a completely relaxed body and mind. When the massage treatment was complete, the stiffness in my neck and shoulders was miraculously gone and my whole body felt much better than when I had arrived. The overall feeling of complete body relaxation was undeniable.

After the treatment was complete, I was encouraged to gently ease myself back to reality in the relaxation area, sipping on delicious lime, cardamom and honey tea and soaking in the view of night falling over Tokyo. And all I could do while sipping my tea was think about how I never wanted to leave.

The AO Spa is the perfect place to escape the hectic pace of Tokyo life and allow yourself a complete check-out for a few hours. And just in case you want to share the happiness now that the holiday season is fast approaching — a voucher for the Winter Warming treatment would make the perfect gift for someone special, too!

The Deets

Andaz Ao Spa & Club
Address: 37F Andaz Tokyo, 1-23-4 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Tel: 03-6830-1234
Open: Appointments available daily from 10 a.m.–8:30 p.m.