Hot new trend to chill out

The UAE beams with the wealth of wellness.

Your life follows a predictable cycle — rush to work, cook dinner, take out the trash, do the laundry, put the kids to bed... and begin all over again the next day. A trip to the spa can change this monotony and add zing to your routine.

"I like the feeling of relaxation and de-stressing that usually goes with a visit to a spa. I try and visit a new spa occasionally, as there is that anticipation towards that unique treatment that you are bound to receive. Since a spa visit can get expensive I convince myself to look at it as a doctor's recommended visit, a much-needed chance to unwind and forget about the kids and chores at home. I love the feeling of being pampered and attended to — it's addictive," says Natasha Acuna, a 27-year-old Dubai-based homemaker.

Acuna has visited the Assawan Spa at the Burj Al Arab, the Akura spa at the Aviation Club and the SensAsia Urban spa in Dubai.

Anni Hood, Spa Director, Jumeirah Group of Hotels, feels that the spa culture has finally come of age in the UAE. "The spa scene in the UAE is growing. The key growth area is hotel spas — the rate of spa growth is almost a perfect match to the rate of hotel growth as there are very few properties being built without a spa facility.

The generic prediction is that Dubai will become a leading spa capital of the world. Dubai Healthcare City is another leading component that will shape the spa and wellness industry in Dubai," says Hood.

The management of the newly opened Raffles Dubai feels that it is important to position Raffles Amrita (the hotel's in-house spa) as one of its main features. "Dubai is attracting an interesting mix of leisure and business travellers. Spas in the UAE are offering the best of both continents — Europe with its advanced techniques and Asia with its focus on rejuvenation and soothing the mind and the body. Spa staff in the UAE is recruited from all over the world, and they bring their professional training and experience to the spas in the UAE," says Pia Newport, spa director, Raffles Dubai.

Emma Franklin, director of The Grand Spa, Hyatt International, says that the aim should be to make Dubai a top spa destination. "We need to provide the whole package — sun, beautiful hotel and a tranquil spa. Enetring the spa, the guest steps into a world of candlelight and relaxing aromas. The most important thing is that the guests forget the outside world and they remain on their spa journey until the treatment is over," says Franklin. Shaza hotel is scheduled to open on Shaikh Zayed Road, opposite Mall of the Emirates, with other projects coming up in Bahrain, Muscat, Doha and Jeddah. Shaza has partnered with one of the world's leading spa operators, MSpa, to operate its spas in its properties. "Regional leisure travel is booming and we are witnessing a large concentration of travellers from within the GCC who are looking to relax and rejuvenate within the UAE," says Chistopher Hartley, CEO, Shaza Hotels.

According to Hartkey, the overwhelming response to the Shaza concept is largely due to its authentic approach, and its unique spa offering. "We aim to recreate the truest Hammam Spa experience possible, offering a sanctuary that replicates the décor, ambience and social setting of a traditional hammam, while merging elements from different cultures," he says.

Decadent chocolate and coffee facials, orange and strawberry infused body wraps and sugar scrubs. Talise, the new spa at the Madinat Jumeirah, offers the Liberty package with a lemon and lime foot soak and a neck and shoulder massage, followed by a grapefruit and lemongrass full body salt scrub before the guest is wrapped in a peppermint and geranium mask, then given a facial.

For Christmas and New Year, the Grand Spa has introduced three special treatments: the Arabian cocoon treatment, the gingerbread creme body cocoon and the cranberry fig antioxidant wrap.

Spas for men

The concept of a male spa is also gaining popularity in the UAE.

"H2O The Male Spa is a unique, modern spa for men located in the Jumeirah Emirates Towers. It is a place for men to slow down, de-stress and restore their energy levels. The spa has a menu of over 30 individual treatments, designed to dispel the discomforts that so often accumulate after long haul flights, constant travelling and long meetings," says Hood.

Also part of the growing list of male spas in Dubai: Urban Male Lounge (at DIFC) and 1847 (located at Emirates Towers Boulevard and Grosvenor House.) "Though 1847 is not a spa in the strictest sense, it is a modern twist on an old fashioned barber shop, with manicures, pedicures and shoe shines. My favourite there is the hot water shave," says Naser Abdullah, a 26-year-old marketing professional.

A short drive up a small hillock located between the Hajjar mountains, Ras Al Khaimah's brand new Khatt Springs Hotel and Spa retains the smell of fresh paint and an enthusiastic staff. "The main focus of the hotel is on the spa and hot springs. Along with our 16 treatment rooms in the main spa, there are nine rooms in the hot springs which enable us to treat almost 150 people in a single day," says Marian Fernando, Spa Manager, Khatt Springs Hotel and Spa.

The Khatt spa offers special treatments such as seaweed wraps, hot stone massages, hydrothermal therapies, rasul treatment, anti-aging facials, precious stone therapy, reflexology, mineral mud baths and ayurveda treatments. The spa also has an ice grotto to blast your pores shut after a steam bath.

The Khatt hot springs are located adjacent to the main hotel.
"Khatt has the potential for becoming the ultimate destination for a spa holiday in the UAE. The hot springs has proven curative value for dermatosis and rheumatic ailments. Our ayurveda treatment rooms are near the hot springs as these facilities complement each other," says Nagarajan J Udupa, General Manager, Khatt Springs Hotel and Spa.

Khatt also special pamper packages for brides-to-be that includes a Cleopatra bath and massage, gold facial, sensational eye treatment, and a spa manicure and a pedicure. "We're the only spa in the UAE that offers the precious stone therapy to balance your chakras and scentao treatment. The scentao treatment is a relaxing massage combined with a facial and a hot stone massage," says Fernando.

Khatt Springs

"I have been coming to the Khatt Springs for the past few years. With the hotel taking over, the facilities have definitely improved," says Tayeba Hussein, a 40-year-old Fujairah-based school teacher.

Sharanis Wellness Day Spa located in Khalifa City in Abu Dhabi, offers all essential spa services under one roof. "We are the only female spa in Abu Dhabi. We have 17 rooms for guests to use, including a nail spa, eight intelligent massage chairs, a coffee shop, a spa boutique shop, Elemis gift items, a henna room and a relaxation area. We offer all-day and wedding packages, ear candling, aromatherapy, iridology, Thai massages, hamam and waxing," says Sharon Moore, Managing Director of the spa.

According to Moore, the initial response to Sharanis has been overwhelming as clients have responded positively to its unique features such as double treatment rooms (to enable friends or family to have treatments together), apart from image consultants, and pilates and yoga classes. "We also plan on opening a male spa next year," she says.

Taking out time to relax, after all, isn't just a woman's prerogative.