Banyan Tree takes root in Tianjin

James Bond - who often checks into a premium hotel spa for a massage after trouncing yet another super villain - might not have been surprised by the Banyan Tree Tianjin, but I was. Arriving at my room, I found an elegant folder on the bed with a "bath menu".

Banyan Tree, of course, is famous as a luxury spa destination. At the relatively new Tianjin hotel, guests include many weary Beijingers who take advantage of the half-hour bullet train from the capital to slip down for an overnight pampering. My surprise was to find that the tropical-garden spa concept extended all the way to my fifth floor room. With two hours' notice, I could submerge in a mixed herb bath, with the calming effects of lavender oil and an accompanying pot of herbal tea.

Other options include a more vigorous start: a scrub bath with therapeutic oils and scented candles, with your choice of auras from kieffer lime, tropical fruit, lemongrass and cucumber or the "romance scrub" for two.