7 restorative hotels in the Middle East for your next wellness escapes
These Middle Eastern wellness retreats were made for rejuvenating the mind and body…
Dubai: Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa
Retreat to the rolling dunes of Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve and check-in at Al Maha, Dubai’s most luxurious desert resort. Here, guest digs are delightful, Bedouin-inspired villas, all with private pools, dotted across a sprawling estate, where you’re more likely to encounter an Arabian oryx or gazelle than another guest. The natural surroundings and array of spa treatments will encourage you to completely switch-off. Treatments are coupled with a plunge pool, steam room and an outdoor swimming pool.
Dubai: Nikki Beach Resort & Spa
The Nikki Beach brand may be more synonymous with legendary hedonism than sumptuous self-care, but at Nikki Beach Resort & Spa, the spa element is just as important as the Nikki Beach DNA. Spacations are all part of the program at this seafront resort on the Pearl Jumeira, where days can be whiled away by the temperature-controlled pool or at the hidden outdoor relaxation lounge. Treatments range from relaxing massages using revitalizing Clarins oils, to facials that give that sought-after dewy glow.
Ajman: Zoya Health & Wellbeing Resort
Priding itself as the region’s first fully integrated wellness experience, Zoya is Ajman’s answer to myriad health and wellness concerns. Fusing holistic wellness with best-in-class medical practitioners, put yourself in the safe hands of the experts who can devise bespoke well-cations, whether your goal is weight management, health optimization or anti-aging. The minimalistic, contemporary space has been designed to evoke peace and promote rejuvenation, whether simply soaking up the natural surroundings of the majestic mangroves and calming water or embarking on a six-night detox program complete with massages, IV drips and body composition analysis.
Oman: Six Senses Zighy Bay, Oman
Six Senses Zighy Bay’s remote location next to Musandam is as much of its appeal as its barefoot luxury bliss offering. While it might not come with the advanced, medically-based experiences of some of its counterparts, if you’re looking to immerse in zen surroundings, few can compare. But the famed Six Senses Spa ensures self-care is a high priority, and alongside relaxing and reinvigorating treatments, there’s wellness screenings that offer an extensive analysis of what’s going on within. Between treatments, there’s also the opportunity to embark on some conscience wellbeing, with participation in the ocean and beach clean ups, or a visit to the Earth Lab.
Saudi Arabia: Banyan Tree AlUla
In a neat enclave in AlUla’s Ashar Valley you’ll find Banyan Tree AlUla. Guests check-in to one of the one- to three- bedroom villas, many of which come with private pools, and are immersed in the earthy, desert palette that extends from the outdoor spaces in. As is customary with Banyan Tree, there’s a big focus on wellness, and a dip in the Rock Pool between the rock formation in the heart of the resort is an unmissable sunrise experience. The spa itself boasts a collection of treatment rooms, including a couples’ treatment room, where guests can enjoy massages, wraps, scrubs and facials that fuse ancient Arabian practices with Banyan Tree’s Thai roots.
Qatar: Zulal Wellness Resort
One of Thailand’s most renowned wellness retreats, Chiva-Som, gave Qatar’s hospitality scene a shake up when it opened Zulal Wellness Resort an hour outside of Doha. The region’s largest holistic wellness resort is not only home to the world’s first contemporary showcase of Traditional Arabic Medicine, but an array of curated retreats that offer traditional wellness solutions alongside more inventive ones. Unlike many of its counterparts, Zulal focuses on family wellness, with the likes of mother-daughter retreats and family activities designed to encourage connection and positive habits.
Jordan: Kempinski Hotel Ishtar Dead Sea
At the lowest point on earth, nature unlike anywhere else in the world provides the backdrop for one of Jordan’s bucket list wellness experiences. While there’s an array of resorts dotted along the Dead Sea for overnight stays between sessions floating on the mineral-rich waters, Kempinski Hotel Ishtar Dead Sea stands out for its facilities above and beyond that. Guests can choose between nine outdoor swimming pools, check-in to one of 345 rooms dotted within the Babylon-inspired gardens and indulge in pampering in one of 20 treatment rooms in the spa.