Our wellbeing specialist, Lisa returns from The Retreat Palm Dubai which is the first holistic wellbeing resort in the Middle East and gives us the low down of her trip…
If I’m honest, I really didn’t know what to expect during this retreat. Dubai is so well known for its bright lights, skyscrapers and glamour that I really couldn’t understand how a wellness hotel could work. But I’m pleased to say I was very pleasantly surprised with the wellness offering at The Retreat Palm Dubai.
My first impressions
I arrived in Dubai early in the morning after my overnight flight from London feeling tired and in need of some rest, so I was so happy when I arrived at the hotel and was warmly greeted by the friendly staff. The hotel is located on the east crescent of The Palm Jumeirah with palm and sea views all around. As a wellness guest, I was met by Alajendra, the in-house nutritionist and shown to my room. I had a colour therapy treatment which involved choosing an aromatherapy to balance my chakras. This was my first introduction into their holistic philosophy here.
The hotel itself is big but cosy at the same time and I loved that there were plenty of staff around. Plus, they really make an extra fuss of solo travellers so I felt like a VIP!
What makes it so special?
It’s the first holistic retreat in the Middle East which makes is unique and sets it apart from all the other hotels in Dubai. The wellness staff are incredibly passionate and knowledgeable about health and wellness which really translates into the whole hotel atmosphere. There are two in-house Ayurvedic doctors as well as naturopathic doctors, a nutritionist and life coach and even a healer if you’re looking for a spiritual experience.
All wellness guests have an initial consultation with the naturopath (or Ayurvedic doctor if you prefer) and this is when you discuss what you are looking to achieve during your stay. I had a really busy few months so simply wanted to relax so they tailored a yoga and meditation programme for me which was perfect.
What were the rooms like?
With the hotel only being a few years old, everything is still sparkling new. There are 255 rooms in total which are spread across 7 floors. I would recommend upgrading to a palm view room if budget allows as the views are much nicer. If you book the club rooms on the top floor, you also get use of the club lounge which serves tea and snacks throughout the day and offers another terrace to relax. The rooms also have a healthy mini bar to avoid temptations and this ties in nicely with their healthy food philosophy.
What was the food like?
The food is consisted mostly of vegan and vegetarian options. I dined in VIBE which is the casual buffet style restaurant. They do not use any sugar in their food and honestly the food was incredibly delicious. It was a welcome change to most buffets I’ve been to in the past. They also had another a la carte restaurant called The Social Kitchen which serves healthy Levantine cuisine. And in the lobby, there is a Chapter’s Café which serves juices throughout the day as well as snacks. This is where I came to get my daily detox juice.
What is the wellness offering like?
The Rayya Wellness Centre is inspired by a holistic wellness concept with the aim to help you achieve transformation of body, mind and soul. As well as usual spa treatments (massages, facials etc) you can explore wellness on a much deeper level with life coaching sessions, NLP sessions as well as tapping and healing. The team take great pride in each individual guest to provide a personalised experience based on what you are looking to achieve.
What was your favourite treatment & why?
I was very spoilt during my stay but I would have to say that my favourite treatment was the personalised facial followed by a full body massage. Honestly it was bliss and I left feeling like I was on cloud nine.
What is there to do?
If you have chosen to do a spa programme, your treatments, fitness classes and consultations will be scheduled throughout your stay so you’ll be busy doing this. But when you have some time to chill out, head to the gorgeous outdoor swimming pool and private beach which really is a show-stopper. Around the pool, you’ll find table tennis, chess, eco-golf and a volleyball court too.
The spa has plenty of facilities including two gyms (one is ladies only), sauna, steam room, hammam, experience showers, the wellness lounge as well as the Oxygen bars. The retreat has a daily schedule of group fitness classes too such as yoga, meditation, Pilates and higher intensity fitness classes. Even if you’re the only one who turns up, they still run the classes so you end up getting a one-to-one class which is cool!
Seeing as you’ve come all the way to Dubai, you must make time to explore the city. It’s easy to grab a taxi around the city but also the hotel offers a free daily shuttle bus to the famous Dubai Mall.
Who should go here?
This isn’t the place to come if you want to be completely immersed in wellness but if you want a good introduction into wellness with the option to explore wellness on a much deeper level, there is the opportunity to do this. They do allow families, so you’ll find some children around the hotel (although I rarely saw any as they were in the kid’s club most of the time). And it’s also popular with couples and friends as well as solo travellers looking to invest in their health.
The good thing about the retreat is that it’s so easy to get to from London on a direct 7-hour flight followed by a 30-minute transfer so you can begin your wellness retreat as soon as possible!
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