Award-Winning Spa Taj Exotica Resort & Spa.
One thing I love about living in Dubai and the UAE is the standard of service you get at hotels, particularly when it comes to five-star spa hotels. I have a few favourite spas in Dubai, which I will share with you later, but one which simply must be mentioned is Jiva spa. Every so often, my husband and I love to surprise each other with a good couple’s massage – particularly when it comes to a birthday treat. Recently, Taj Exotica Resort on The Palm opened its doors to the world, and along with it is Jiva, an award-winning spa and holistic wellness destination, which is inspired by traditional healing methods, drawn from the rich and ancient Indian wellness heritage.
But before we talk about the actual experience of the couple’s spa treatment, I’d like to add that if you are coming with the kids on tow, you can easily drop them at The Popsicle Kids Club, which consists of both indoor and outdoor play activities. It is perfect all year around, especially when it’s summer and temperatures soar to over 40 degrees Celsius because the indoor play area is a haven during this time. You’ll also find that the staff are fantastic at the kid’s club (and throughout the hotel and spa in fact) so you will feel at ease that they’re in good hands.
Once the kids are at the kids club you can head to the spa. Instantly you’ll feel grounded with the earthy tones of brown hues and rich green. As expected from top-level Dubai standards, its design and interiors are very contemporary, chic, clean and elegant. Looking at the spa menu, it doesn’t disappoint. Guests will feel engulfed with all the holistic Ayurveda to Indian wellness massages on offer. There’s an array of treatments focusing on age-old Indian healing techniques using the finest ingredients, meaningful rituals, and ceremonies designed to create a sense of complete serenity. And that is certainly what we felt – complete serenity! When we checked-in at the reception, we filled in a form expressing any concerns with our health and wellbeing, then we were ushered into the spa separately (through the male and female sections) until we reached the couples massage room where we were reunited. The candlelit room looked warm and inviting. There is a large bathtub and waterbed, along with two very cosy looking massage beds and a separate private changing room and bathroom.
For the couple’s treatment, I chose the Vishrama treatment for us. The treatment starts off with a soothing foot massage with a bowl of warm water and tender aromatic oils to put your mind, body, and emotions at ease. The therapist pushes on tender parts of your soles with her fingers, making you coo with glee. Then you are told to lie on the massage bed for 120 minutes of what feels like sheer spiritual and physical bliss.
We both needed a deep tissue massage, but I was feeling rather bored of a typical deep tissue, or hot stone massage. If you are wanting something that’s another level, you’ll love Vishrama. It’s not only a deep muscular massage but it involves stretching, deep muscular pressure points being targeted, loosened, and released. It hurts a lot at first - like a love-hate relationship – but soon any pain disappears, and tension and stress just melt away, along with the warm aromatic oils that melt into your skin. The highlight of the experience is not only the beautiful massage but a special blend of fragrant signature oil like kewda, frankincense and brahmi infused in sandalwood and sesame. Then an application of hot compress, of therapeutic Indian herbs, work on your tired and sore muscles. The gentle pounding of the hot compress on our aching muscles will probably send you to sleep because you feel so utterly relaxed. And alternating palm and thumb strokes, in fragrant signature oil blends, release knotted nerves. I mean honestly why wouldn’t you want to try this!?
What I loved about this treatment is your therapist will give you a bespoke massage depending on what your body really needs. I had a lot of stretching and muscle knot release, using her hands. Whilst my husband had his therapist stepping on his body, easing the muscle tension with her feet. What makes this spa special? Each therapist goes through a special three-month training programme undergoing various therapies, learning about Indian rituals and energy healing techniques. They practice self-healing daily, which helps them treat clients at the spa.
The conclusion: My body and mind truly felt realigned and my energy flow within me felt restored. I’ve got to point out that I fell asleep after about 45 minutes into the massage, which I always think is a good sign. After the treatment, I felt so relaxed. In fact, neither myself nor my husband could do much for the rest of the day. We both passed out for a long nap once we got home.
Final notes: I think the therapists must have healing hands because my husband, Yousuf, was told by our physiotherapist Dr Paul Morana at Joint Space in Dubai, that he needed another five to seven treatments to heal his bad shoulder as he didn’t want to have any dry needling done to fix it. Yousuf only had one physio session before we went to Jiva Spa for the couple’s massage and on his second visit, back at Joint Space, Yousuf was told he didn’t need to come back!
Vishrama, Dhs1,200 for 120 minutes
Call: +971 4 275 4444