Would You Pay $220 for a Tech Detox?

Texting photo by Adam Fagen on Flickr/Creative Commons

Would you pay $220 to get away from technology for a little while? If yes, look no further than the Mandarin Oriental.

The luxe spa is offering a new “Digital Detox Retreat,” aimed at helping guests unplug and embrace the IRL world. Either Mandarin Oriental staffers have read the studies about potential technology-related health risks, or they’re just sick and tired of clients texting during services.

First, you surrender your devices. Next, you move into an 80-minute appointment including—take a deep breath—”a cleansing foot ritual that uses the powerful properties of the Shungite stone to shield the body from electro-magnetic radiation given off from electronic devices”; a massage focusing on technology-strained areas including the neck, shoulders, and head; and a hand and foot massage, accompanied by Tourmaline gemstones on the palms and solar plexus, to absorb “any remaining negative energy.” When you leave, you’ll reunite with your—freshly cleaned!—electronics. The whole shebang costs $200 Monday through Thursday, or $220 Friday through Sunday.

Not quite ready for gemstones? The spa is also weaving digital diet tips into the rest of its services. All guests are encouraged to hand over their devices when they arrive, and instead journal, color, or meditate while waiting for an appointment. Mandarin Oriental also consulted the Mayo Clinic on a set of wellness tips and technology guidelines for clients.

Is it frivolous? Sure. But if a spa day is what it takes for you to look up from your screen once in a while, hey, who are we to judge?

$200-$220, Mandarin Oriental Boston, 776 Boylston St., Boston, mandarinoriental.com.