Key facts
- Hotstone Yoga, a chain operating for over a decade, has ceased operations across Hong Kong without notice.
- Authorities have received 694 reports from customers concerning service contracts worth approximately HK$7.8 million.
- The Consumer Council has logged 416 complaints from customers, with claimed losses totaling HK$5.42 million.
- A 61-year-old male company director was arrested on suspicion of accepting payment without the intention or ability to supply services.
- Customers reported being sold packages as recently as last month, despite the company's closure.
- At its peak, Hotstone Yoga operated up to seven branches and employed over 100 instructors.
Hotstone Yoga, a chain known for its hot-stone yoga classes, has ceased operations across Hong Kong without notice, leaving numerous customers alleging they were still being sold packages as recently as last month. The Customs and Excise Department reported receiving 694 complaints as of Sunday, October 4, 2026, involving service contracts valued at approximately HK$7.8 million. The Consumer Council stated it had logged 416 complaints by the same day, totaling HK$5.42 million in claimed losses.
Authorities confirmed that a 61-year-old male company director was arrested on Friday, October 2, 2026, on suspicion of unfair trade practices, specifically accepting payment without the intention or ability to supply services under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance. Investigations are ongoing into the business's operations and finances prior to its closure, and officers have not ruled out further arrests.
The company announced its decision to wind up on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, citing operational and practical considerations, and declared that day as its final day of trading. At its peak, Hotstone Yoga operated up to seven branches and employed over 100 instructors, marketing itself as a pioneer of hot-stone yoga in Hong Kong. Upset customers have gathered outside branches seeking redress.
A customer named May reported paying nearly HK$20,000 in July for a package that now leaves her with unused class credits. A yoga instructor, Kan, stated she still received class schedules on the day of the closure, noting that class numbers had been significantly reduced the previous month, and confirmed there were no unpaid wages.
Lawmaker Bill Tang suggested that the government should uniformly regulate all prepaid services, as yoga currently falls outside the scope of proposed rules that target only fitness and beauty industries. He urged consumers to use credit cards for prepaid transactions to allow for payment cancellation if a company folds.