Satori Spa, Bab Al Shams Desert Resort & Spa
As the 2015 World Luxury Spa Award winner, this luxurious spa nestled into the dunes of Dubai has plenty to offer, with indoor and outdoor relaxation areas, two couples treatment rooms, an outdoor yoga area, a fragranced steam room, sauna and a sunbed massage area, ideally located beside the pool.
Must try: Blissful Desert Rose Experience; 3 hours; Dhs 1,400 (US $380)
The longest of Satori’s four signature treatments, this holistic experience consists of five treatments to revive your skin, leaving it feeling silky smooth, dewy and delicately revitalised, as well as re-energising and relaxing your body. Beginning with a body exfoliation using Renew Rose Body Wash, which is followed by an aromatherapy massage with rose-infused body oil and gel, using Swedish and neuromuscular techniques to stimulate the nervous system, you can continue to relax as your body is layered in hydrating rose body cream and enveloped in a cocoon of heated blankets. The treatment is polished off with a luxurious facial and scalp massage with a frankincense inhalation to release tension and encourage deep relaxation and spiritual awareness.
Al Qudra Road, Dubai, UAE; +971 4 809 6100; www.meydanhotels.com/babalshams
Six Sense Spa, Six Senses Zighy Bay
Providing the same rustic-luxe bliss as the rest of the secluded Zighy Bay resort, Asian and Middle Eastern therapeutic techniques are skilfully provided amid a tranquil environment inspired by traditional Omani summer houses. In addition to their ongoing menu of treatments, acclaimed therapists are hosted for limited sessions throughout the year – spa-goers this month can take advantage of traditional Thai master-masseur Khun Pot Poonsab, who is considered an expert in alleviating pain and encouraging wellbeing through massage.
Must try: Wonders of Oman; 180 minutes; OMR 120 (US $310)
Fully immersing you in the Omani atmosphere, this ritual starts with a refreshing sea-salt bath with fresh mint, and a body scrub created with local dates, honey and almond powder. A slimming and purifying ghassoul mud wrap and draining massage complete the cleansing journey so you can head back to the city showing off a healthy dose of Oman’s laid-back lifestyle.
Dibba, Musandam, Oman; +968 2673 5555; www.sixsenses.com
Talise Spa, Jumeirah Messilah Beach Hotel & Spa
Modern and expansive, this Kuwaiti spa ticks all the boxes with numerous treatment rooms, hydrotherapy baths and an ultra-calming salt room kitted out with a ceiling of twinkling stars and warm waterbeds – just to name a few of the amenities.
Must try: Diamond Magnetic Ritual; 85 minutes; KWD 75 (US $250)
Ladies will most likely enjoy an indulgent treatment with their best friends – diamonds, that is. This ritual uses precious gems to balance chakras and purify the mind through a luxurious blend of magnetised minerals and diamond dust that is massaged into the skin. After this glittering exfoliation, magnetic tools remove the mineral scrub – with a pleasant tingling sensation – while leaving the diamond dust behind for soft skin that literally sparkles.
Al Ta’awun St., Kuwait; +965 2 226 9688; www.jumeirah.com
Spa Alilia, Alila Jabal Akhdar, Oman
If you love heights and spa delights, the serene, rugged beauty of Oman’s Jabal Akhdar, part of the Al Hajar mountain range, makes a blissfully intrepid spa getaway. Perched some 2,000 metres above sea level overlooking a dramatic gorge, the spa offers Asian-inspired treatments, while Alila’s branded wellness products – all 100 percent natural and free from synthetic preservatives and additives – are brimming with therapeutic, organic ingredients fused with plant, fruit, herb and spice extracts.
Must try: Balinese Beauty Ritual; 145 minutes; OMR 80 (US $210)
Ingredients like fennel seed, star anise and fenugreek might sound as though they belong in the kitchen but they are among the scented delights that are part of a powerful healing remedy known as the Balinese Beauty Ritual. The treatment starts with a 15-minute herbal steam to open pores and is followed by a traditional body scrub using lulur, an ancient remedy originating from the rice farmers of Bali, thought to warm the body and sooth the skin and joints.
The scrub takes place on one of Alila’s heated terrazzo beds, and is followed by a dreamy 60-minute Balinese massage, a skin-softening body mask and a brightening mini-facial. If you can muster up the energy, a post-treatment dip in the resort’s heated infinity pool, overlooking the misted valley below, is a fine way to finish your spa journey.
Jabal Al Akhdar, Nizwa, Oman; +968 2534 4200; www.alilahotels.com/jabalakhdar
Six Sense Spa Doha, Sharq Village & Spa
Stroll through this traditional Qatari-village-inspired spa, making your way down alleyways and past local artwork and water features before retiring to one of 23 treatment rooms – each modelled after a typical village residence.
Must try: Sensory Spa Journey; 180 minutes; QAR 1,200 (US $330)
The spa menu offers up an astonishing 250 treatments, from Arabian, Thai and Swedish to holistic experiences, but if we had to pick just one it would be this signature journey. Here, let yourself go for 80 minutes while two therapists perform a facial and body massage in unison. Starting with a warm footbath and surrounded by fresh scents, the four-hands massage is a more unusual aromatic therapy, as long, smooth strokes are completed in a synchronised manner. A cleansing facial and scalp massage intended to dissolve any stress and tension complete the sensory treat.
Ras Abu Abboud, Doha, Qatar; +974 4 425 6999; www.sixsenses.com/spas/doha
Chi, The Spa at Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa, Muscat
The sound of trickling water in the CHI Water Oasis, which has a vitality hydro pool, a herbal steam room, tundra and tropical showers – is enough to relax anyone, but any one of the treatments in this gorgeously appointed spa complex – with the largest spa villas in Muscat – is pure, indulgent escapism.
Must try: Indulgence of Time; 2.5 hours; OMR 102 (US $264)
As one of CHI’s so-called “Journey” experiences, this lengthy ritual begins with a cleansing footbath, a gentle foot scrub and massage, which is followed by a a sumptuous trio of treatments. First up is a long soak in an Aroma bath, followed by a CHI Balance massage, which is gentle enough to soothe frazzled nerves yet energising at the same time; the therapist uses penetrating acupressure techniques drawn from tai chi and beautifully scented harmonising oil.
You should feel suitably soothed and relaxed at this point but the journey continues with a CHI facial to suit your complexion. The Rejuvenating facial, which uses serum from rain forests and pure rose otto to boost micro-circulation and tone, leaves skin plump, smooth and refreshed.
Shangri-La Barr al Jissah Resort & Spa, Muscat, Oman; +968 2477 6828; www.shangri-la.com/muscat/barraljissahresort
The Spa at Four Seasons, Hotel Bahrain Bay
Flowing through four connected buildings linked by winding pathways and lush gardens, the Turkish- and Moroccan-inspired Spa at Four Seasons Bahrain Bay is comprised of 17 spa treatment rooms and two fitness centres.
Must try: Opulence Oud Ritual; 180 minutes; BHD 160 (US $425)
Inspired by the Arabian Peninsula’s rich and ubiquitous fragrances, skin-care expert Sodashi has created an exclusive line of oud treatments specifically for this spa. For the full experience, the Opulence Oud Ritual is a relaxing anti-aging journey that begins with a full-body massage and a unique mix of oud oils that helps clear the mind. Once suitably free of stress, a facial encourages healing and a youthful appearance through a rose-quartz crystal massage and Sodashi’s Samadra elixir, which promotes skin cell renewal and elasticity while achieving a glowing complexion.
Bahrain Bay, Manama, Bahrain; +973 1711 5000; www.fourseasons.com/bahrain
Banyan Tree Spa Al Wadi, Ras Al Khaimah
Surrounded by swathes of rolling dunes at the desert resort of Banyan Tree Al Wadi – where you are likely to spot an oryx or gazelle nibbling at some foliage – the award-winning Banyan Tree Spa is one of those places where you can be certain to float away post-treatment, with all therapists trained at the Banyan Tree academies in Indonesia and Thailand. Treatments take place in spa pavilions, with a pleasing mix of traditional Arabic architecture and Asian elements creating a serene environment.
Must try: Harmony Banyan; 150 minutes; AED 1,430 (US $389)
Given the unhurried pace of the desert surrounds, it makes sense to take your time at Banyan Tree Spa and this treatment (one of the spa’s signature “Indulgences”) is a leisurely head-to-toe, skin-invigorating, muscle-revitalising ritual. After a gentle green tea and honey foot scrub, two therapists work in unison to scrub every inch of skin with a mix of fresh pineapple and coconut.
After a quick rinse in the shower, they work in magical harmony to massage the body, leaving no area wanting – and this includes generous head and foot massages. Post massage, you can unwind in solitude snacking on yoghurt and fruit and herbal tea in a fragrant, petal-filled bath topped with a surprising (yet wonderful) pour of fresh apple juice and green tea. One thing is for certain, this is a treatment that will restore you to your glorious, glowing self.
Al Mazraa, Ras Al Khaimah, UAE; +971 7 206 7777; www.banyantreespa.com
Jaula Spa, Grand Hyatt Doha
Meaning “journey” in Arabic, Jaula is the Grand Hyatt Doha’s award-winning spa, resembling a royal palace with elegant pools, Arabian-inspired architecture and candle-lit spaces. Treatments blend the timeless scents of rose, lavender and jasmine with innovative European techniques in three types of experiences – royal, active and serene – to ensure spa-goers receive the results they’re looking for.
Must try: Grand Royal Experience; 240 minutes; QAR 2,000 (US $550)
Set a day aside to for a four-hour treatment that will leave you feeling like a king or queen. Exfoliating and polishing with black sand to remove dead cells is the first step in the experience, and the second is a spirulina body wrap – a seaweed rich in nutrients and moisture – followed by the Aromassage and Haute Facial, the latter of which is customised tyour skin’s specific needs – just as it should be for royalty.
West Bay Shoreline, Doha, Qatar; +974 4 448 1056; www.doha.grand.hyatt.com
Evania & Seba, Park Hyatt Jeddah - Marina, Club & Spa
This 2.5-acre complex spread across Park Hyatt Jeddah’s waterfront grounds is split into two distinct sections: Evania, exclusively for ladies, and Seba for the gentlemen. With plenty of facilities to keep you fit as well as pampered – Technogym equipment, indoor and
outdoor pools, a hammam, an aquamedic pool, hydrotherapy suites, nutrition professionals, a beauty salon, squash and tennis courts, and even a playground for the kids – a wonderland of wellness is proffered to guests.
Must try: Signature Caviar facial; 90 minutes; SAR 800 (US $210)
A delicacy not only for gourmands, the Signature Caviar facial treatment is a rich therapeutic experience that will firm, tone and hydrate thanks to powerful proteins and antioxidants found in roe, leaving spa-goers with age-defying results and a luminous visage.
Al Hamra District, Southern Corniche, Jeddah, KSA; +966 12 263 9792; www.jeddah.park.hyatt.com
The Spa at The Chedi Muscat
At 1,500 sqm, The Spa at The Chedi Muscat is the Omani capital’s largest wellness centre. Surrounded by dramatic, but tasteful, Omani architecture, 13 peaceful spa suites host spa-goers treating themselves to Balinese, Indian and local therapies.
Must try: The Chedi Oriental Ritual; 150 minutes; OMR 170 (US $440)
Their menu of Indulgent Oriental Rituals is just that, with this offering the ultimate in head-to-toes spoiling. Beginning with an aromatherapy foot polish with fragrant ginger and jasmine to remove dry skin and hydrate, the Nam Hai Jade Massage follows to dissolve tension deep in the muscles. Then settle in for a 60-minute facial – the VOYA Illuminating or REN Bioactive Facial, whichever tickles your fancy – and some Thai-style foot reflexology that encourages overall well-being. Capping off the experience is a Himalayan Crystal Polish to stimulate circulation and help remedy cellulite and, finally, a dip into an Oriental Bathing Ceremony that includes aromatic may chang and grapefruit.
St. #46, North Ghubra 32, Muscat, Oman; +968 2452 4400; www.ghmhotels.com/en/muscat
Remède Spa, The St. Regis Doha
Clocking in at an impressive 16,000 sqm, The St. Regis Doha’s Remède Spa, with an Olympic-size pool, a private beach and cabanas fitted with Jacuzzis, is practically a destination in itself.
Must try: The Remède Customised Facial; 90 minutes; QAR 750 (US $205)
This thorough facial turns back the wheels of time after a one-on-one consultation and skin analysis determines your skin’s individual needs. While a warm paraffin foot wrap, foot and scalp massages, and eye and lip treatments are applied for each spa-goer, specialised treatments like double exfoliation, microdermabrasion and an oxygen spray that results in brightened, glowing skin, can help skin recover from jet lag, blotches and even encourages anti-aging. In just 90 minutes, you’ll be ready for that close-up.
West Bay, Doha, Qatar; +974 4 446 0000; www.remedespadoha.com