Massage of a Lifetime

	The View From the Spa
	Photo: Mandarin Oriental

High above Columbus Circle in Manhattan, the Mandarin Oriental has an over-the-top spa with spectacular views of Central Park. And while raising the bar for service and ambiance, it is also raising the bar on what the market will bear for a simple rubdown.

With the recent surge of affordable qi gong joints popping up all over major cities -- not to mention practically every nail salon now offering to rebalance your chakras for $20 -- you'd be hard-pressed to pay more than $100 bucks for an hour of qualified deep-tissue attention.

Even nearby, high-end day retreats such as Bliss and Sanctuary top out at $200 for a hot stone or lomi-lomi massage. However, in the rarified world of the Mandarin-in-the-sky, a no-frills massage will set you back about a cool $500.

As Ricky Gervais shrieks in "Extras": "Are they having a laugh?"

Nope, not even a smirk. Moreover, in a city where time is always at a premium and results must be not only qualitative but also quantifiable, The Spa at the Mandarin takes itself very seriously.

And here's the surprise: You might very well consider it a bargain, too. The Mandarin, you see, has a secret weapon. It has Wafa (more on that below).

Known for luxury, discretion and, above all, extraordinarily intuitive service, The Mandarin has a style to which we'd all like to grow accustomed. The Mandarin Oriental New York was designed as an integral part of the shimmering new Time Warner Center, and it's as if the hoteliers have taken everything they've learned in the years since opening its namesake in Hong Kong and refined it for the Big Apple.

From the pandemonium of midtown, a private express elevator whisks you up to a world of New York that people dream of when they dream of New York. In the spa, the air is hushed, the flowers extravagant and copious, and marble is everywhere; the ceilings soar, and the carpeted balustrade gracefully curves upward into hidden heights.

And you'll be forgiven for not taking it all in at first, transfixed as you are by the wall of windows looking clear across the treetops of Central Park. Take it all in. It's a Sherman McCoy moment if ever there were one.

The desk attendant at The Spa will take your coat and shoes and deliver a pair of sandals on a tray. It feels a little odd -- socks and sandals -- but go with it; it's hygienic as well as an Asian tradition of leaving the world outside. A warm washcloth and mountain berry tea are then delivered to you on an orchid laden tray.

You should arrive a good 45 minutes early -- more if you can spare the time -- because these premassage rituals are half the fun, especially in facilities as indulgent as these.