If you have ever set foot into Etihad Towers then you will know all about their great service, amazing décor and sensational restaurants. Imagine, then, our extreme excitement when we were invited to come along for an afternoon to try not one but three treatments in the hotel spa. Talise Spa is tucked away from the main part of hotel lobby, you enter by a sunken ramp. The spa has been very thoughtfully designed so that it is a quiet retreat. Our first impression was that this is a truly luxurious space. Marble finishing, amazing light features and modern décor set a chic yet relaxed feel.
The treatment step by step:
We were greeted in one of the relaxation rooms, by the lovely and super efficient spa director, Arlene. She talked us through what we wanted to get out the treatments and we filled in a form noting the areas we were concerned with. We were assigned to Wilailuck, a super friendly and professional therapist who took us through the amazing treatment room and ushered us into the bathroom to get changed into the gorgeous robe and slippers provided.
The room that we were given for the treatment was huge and tastefully decorated. While our feet were massaged during the foot ritual we talked about what sort of pressure we would like for our massage and chatted about skin concerns.
As we lay down to start the massage part of our treatment, we realized that the massage table was heated – it felt like a luxury bed that you would find in the actual hotel rooms rather than a hard massage table. It was a very welcome treat.
The Talise Signature Massage is a combination of Lomilomi, Thai, Swedish and Balinese massage. Wilailuck’s touch was incredibly strong (which we had asked for) and she did a superb job of getting our knots out while making sure we were not in too much pain. Two heat packs were moved around different sections of our body during the massage. After 30 minutes of this bliss, which left us very relaxed, it was time for our body scrub.
Our skin was diagnosed as very dry so the Four Tea Body Scrub was welcome to our tired and lackluster skin. The four tea elixir and bamboo powder was scrubbed all over to remove dead skin cells. Once we were fully scrubbed we washed the product off and then lay back down on the table to have a decadent body balm made from apricot oil and shea butter worked into our ‘new’ skin. We couldn’t believe the instant hydration this gave our now silky smooth skin.
After that it was time for our deep moisturising facial, designed to rehydrate. The facial started with delicate stretching of our neck to improve circulation. It also incorporated shiatsu massage movements to create a deep relaxation and to tone the facial muscles. Once our face was thoroughly cleansed and exfoliated it steamed and then an amazing rich mineral mask was applied to intensely hydrate and revitalized our skin.
Pros:
Wilailuck was super professional and very good at her job. She is one of the best therapists that we have ever had. The spa is truly amazing and we love how the treatments are specially designed for each individual and we didn’t feel rushed though in any way like some spas.
Cons:
You have to leave at the end. Sob.
The verdict:
Everything about this spa evokes an oasis of relaxation and rejuvenation, offering much more than just a feel-good experience. The personalised treatments that cater to you individually make you feel like the staff really cares and that they want you not only to enjoy the treatments but to benefit from them.
The Talise signature massage costs Dhs620 for 90 minutes, the four tea body scrub costs Dhs300 for 30 minutes and the deep moisturizing facial costs Dhs450 for 60 minutes. Jumeirah at Etihad Towers, Corniche Rd (02 811 5555).
