The five-star hotels do spas better than anyone else, which was not the case until very recently, when a spa had been something of an afterthought. What changed was Hong Kong residents coming back from Thailand or Bali and fueling the demand for top-notch spa facilities. A revenue-earning opportunity was created and, miraculously, the major hotels began to find space for a spa. The latest, and most refined, is Espa in the Peninsula hotel; across the street, the I-Spa at the InterContinenal allows access to their fabulous pools, one of which has a stunning view of the harbor. The Four Seasons has a brand-new spa, the Landmark Mandarin Oriental boasts some 21,000 square feet of space; and the Grand Hyatt tops the lot with an entire floor devoted to rooms that are likely to appeal to health-conscious spa-goers. It is hardly worth venturing outside the hotel for massages or other treatments when they are available an elevator ride away. Nearby residents tend to join hotel spas—in fact, hotels serve a different function here to most of the world, in that local usage of them makes up a significant proportion of revenue.

This is the latest and luxest location of the reflexology spa Happy Foot. In addition, to a killer 50-minute foot massage, they offer Shanghai-style pedicures, lymphatic massage, manicures and Thai massage. A 30-minute hand massage is $180HK (about $25 U.S.) and a 50-minute reflexology treatment is $218HK ($31 U.S.). If you want to save a few dollars, the other locations are a bit cheaper. Walk-ins may have a short wait. Open every day from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m.