If you are looking for a regal spa experience, book an appointment at Zabeel Ladies Club. The wellness and beauty centre does things differently – and very well.
Tucked away in a leafy district behind Dubai’s World Trade Centre, the strictly ladies-only club feels incredibly private.
Once inside the imposing entrance hall, four main wings cater to different health and relaxation needs.
There is Jude, which is dedicated to fitness and includes a pool, gym, tennis and basketball courts. Oud Metha offers high tea and nutritious snacks. Eden houses a full-time doctor and physiotherapist to attend to your bodily concerns, aches and pains. Then there is Ghazal, focused on beauty and pampering, which is where I ended up after climbing a grand staircase.
My consultation was with a therapist named Elaine, who recommended a Lomi Juma massage to restore body-mind balance and relieve muscle tension.
I was escorted to the Argan therapy room, which closely resembles a top suite in a luxury hotel. It was vast and boasted not one, but two treatment tables.
There was a relaxation area with plush loungers, beautifully upholstered armchairs and tables bearing treats such as ginger tea, dates and nuts. I also had a private shower, steam, sauna and changing area.
The piece de resistance, however, was a sunken Jacuzzi, positioned on a mezzanine level, surrounded by candles and vases of magenta bougainvillaea.
What further raised the bar was my treatment table, which had a base of gently warmed quartz pebbles.
Based on the ancient Egyptian and Greek concept of psammotherapy, which used heated sands to alleviate pain, the bed instantly enveloped and relaxed me as I settled on its surface.
To commence the ritual, the therapist ran a baton around the rim of a metal bowl to make a low humming noise, before walking slowly around my body.
The massage itself turned out to be a fusion of two key approaches. First, Hawaiian, with its kneading and knuckle-pressing, then Mediterranean, with deep-tissue massage and manipulation. The combo proved a winner, inducing sensations of harmony, well-being and relief from back-muscle tension.
The creams used for my treatment were first-rate, predominantly by global skincare experts Natura Bisse.
I was also given a choice of three essential oils, from the UAE firm Hemani, to encourage a state of calm, romance or increased energy.
I chose the latter, which left my skin still soft and perfumed with a lemon-basil-eucalyptus infusion for hours.
I came away from Zabeel Ladies Club uplifted, reenergised and vowing to return.
With reasonable prices, it is a discreet venue offering customised therapies and a VIP experience that is guaranteed to leave you glowing.
One-year club membership
Costs Dh18,000 annually
Includes unlimited gym access
10 complimentary personal-training sessions and aquabike classes
Complimentary quarterly fitness, postural and body assessments
Massage and facial privileges, Moroccan hammam vouchers
Guest passes, 20 per cent discount in stores, beauty vouchers
Short-term memberships
Three-month access to Jude, the fitness wing, its facilities and select classes costs Dh4,000
Other three-month packages start from Dh8,000, with unlimited gym and group-exercise classes
Facial, massage and hammam vouchers are also included
Benefits also extend to complimentary foot/core screenings, consultations and select therapy sessions
•All spa services at Zabeel Ladies Club are available to the public. The Lomi Juma massage costs Dh450 for 60 minutes and Dh650 for 90 minutes. To book an appointment at Ghazal in Zabeel Ladies Club, call 4 3820019
rduane@thenational.ae
