SPA Spotlight

My room is like a welcoming Arabic home with pretty lampshades and woven carpets. The sofa’s Bedouin-style fabric is soft to touch, and the highpile carpet coddles my feet before I’m treated to a heavenly foot soak and scrub, followed by a relaxing massage for my tired soles.

First comes the spa’s new 90-minute Body Fortifying Massage, targeting aching muscles with deep pressure using hot volcanic stones – a first for me! Ningnong smooths steaming rocks across my back and legs. It feels tingly and intense. She follows each section of my body with a massage, working deeply on the knots around my shoulders and lower back. The citrus and menthol in the massage oil refresh and revitalise my tired bones, and active stretching between the stones and the massage promotes suppleness.

My mind drifts to my surroundings – crisp, silky white sheets, a soft mattress, pleasant temperature and calm classical music. I can hear birds outside in the private courtyard, and notice the soft glow of a single shaft of sunlight. I really could do this every Thursday afternoon.

Ninety minutes fly by. In my post-massage invigoration, I opt for a 60-minute Youth Renewing Facial. Ideal for skin looking tired from pollution and suffering from fine lines - the perfect Doha antidote! Komang, my facial therapist, explains that they use Amala products, a brand with decades of experience rooted in the German alpine region. The main ingredient for the Rejuvenate range used in my facial is cocoa laced with both pre and probiotic infusions. Excellent for firming skin and an effective remedy for uneven texture and dehydration.

Komang first applies a delightfully scented jasmine cleanser, followed by a cocoa bean toner, then a soft jasmine and fig exfoliant scrub. Fruity and delicious, the scent is divine! I’m then spoiled by a jojoba oil face massage and start to feel lighter, my skin clean as a whistle. The algae mask hydrates and purifies, after which Komang delicately applies hyaluronic serum, youth-renewing powerhouse face cream, and finishes with a touch of velvet shea butter lip balm. Utterly fantastic. Properly pampered, my skin is pure and my tired muscles at peace. What a heavenly feeling. This is a true Arabian sanctuary, to which I will certainly return.

For more information or to book an appointment, please call The Spa at Sharq Village & Spa, a Ritz-Carlton Hotel, on 4426 6690.

@sharqvillageandspa