The mid-afternoon sun is casting its golden glow on the rooftops of Business Bay’s megastructures. At their base, the roads heave with traffic as the area’s occupants and workers hurriedly go about their schedules without a second to spare. Some 69 storeys up, I peer down at this bustling scene in a realm of calm and peace; completely removed from chaos, completely removed from the stress.
Stretched out on a lounger, I am in the relaxation lounge of Ciel Spa at SLS Dubai Hotel & Residences, sipping up on a peppermint tea and nibbling on salted popcorn, trying to revive myself from a blissful state of comatose. The previous 90 minutes has seen me indulge in the Get Glowing experience—a 60-minute massage and a 30-minute express facial—and I am certainly in no rush to leave this lofty perch.
-y92lzk.jpg)
Sitting on the 69th floor of the giant 76-storey property, Ciel Spa invites guests into a place of serenity, full of neutral tones, bronze accents and potted foliage. It’s minimalist in design and layout, offering credence to the adage of ‘decluttered space, decluttered mind’. Split into male and female zones, there are dedicated relaxation lounges, a Jacuzzi, plunge pools, herbal steam rooms, experience showers and treatment rooms, replete with custom massage beds. There are even two outdoor terraces for those who wish to bask underneath the sun once their session is complete, or enjoy a yoga class on Wednesday evenings and Saturday and Sunday mornings.
Upon arrival, guests are led to plush cream sofas that provide the perfect vantage point to admire those city views. They are greeted with a cool towel, a welcome drink of hibiscus tea and a chocolate duck—a SLS signature—and a spa menu brimming with choice. Signature treatments include the Oud Silk Mood Massage, Cloud 9 Massage and Bellabaci, a modernised cupping massage therapy designed to improve circulation and expel toxins. Elevating the experience, guests can choose to select from the Of The Islands menu, which utilises magnesium to help balance and protect the body. Or for those seeking quick hydration and revitalisation, Ciel Spa offers IV Drip Therapy that has options designed to assist with stress, immunity, weight-loss and aging.
Formalities complete, my therapist, Melissa, guides me to Treatment Room 3. The interior sports bright white tones with the massage bed adorned in Ciel Spa-branded coverings. Gentle chimes fill the air and with the room darkened, Melissa begins working her magic, massaging away the knots that forever call my shoulders home. The 60 minutes disappear almost instantaneously and we move on to the facial that will nourish and soften my skin. It sees me slip out of consciousness. Alas, all things come to an end, so I open my lazy eyelids with great difficulty, redress and head to the relaxation lounge where I take a prime position to gaze out at the city’s skyline.
Dubai is not short of opulent spas and wellness centres that wrap up guests in luxurious relaxation through a series of blissful treatments. However, few can lay claim to melting away your stress while being amongst the clouds like Ciel Spa. Exceptional panoramas, a tranquil ambience and exquisite treatments make for the ideal sanctuary for those seeking to escape the bulging intensity of Dubai’s Business Bay. I will be back.
