Polish Nails Care & More is tucked away in a business tower off Airport Road and opened approximately nine months ago. Their aim is to treat each client as a VIP. They’ll remember your favourite type of tea and magazine and have it waiting for you on arrival.
The spa is fresh and modern, mainly decked out in white and there is loads of light in the salon. Offering everything from nails (including polish from OPI, Essie and Bio-Sculpture), hair services, massages, facials and much more, it’s the kind of place you could go to for two or three hours to be totally made over.
Feeling in need of some serious pampering, we visited with a few treatments in mind. We’re most looking forward to the Moroccan bath and Cleopatra soak, but will also be enjoying a hair mask and massage, to wrap the whole day up.
Our first stop is the basins where the hair treatment is applied. It will stay on through the rest of the session for best results. Our hair is dry and looking a little lacklustre so a hydrating mask is applied after it is washed. The hair mask will also bring shine back to our dull locks.
Once this is applied our hair is wrapped in plastic so the treatment can soak in and we are then ushered into a room to get changed into a robe and slippers provided, ready for our Moroccan bath and Cleopatra soak. The hammam room we are given for the treatment is tastefully decorated. Very low lighting is featured throughout and the tile-covered room has a really decadent feel without being over the top.
All products used during the Moroccan bath are organic. We are first rinsed off and then lie on a table for 15 minutes while the room is filled with steam to open our pores. We’re then rubbed head to toe with a mandarin scrub that smells absolutely divine. The scrub removes all of our dead skin and we can already feel the difference. We then move into the bath for the Cleopatra soak.
The tub is filled with water, milk, rose oils and rose petals. The soak is very hydrating and as we relax, feeling utterly decadent and very much like Queen Cleopatra herself, we are indulged further with a head massage. We hop out of the bath and are smothered in a rich mandarin body mask, wrapped in plastic film and left to relax again for another 15 minutes in the steam. Once our time is up we are rinsed off to reveal baby-soft skin.
We move next door to the massage room where we mention that the top section of our back is to be concentrated on as it is our main problem area. We’ve chosen the aromatherapy massage to loosen our knots while fully relaxing our body. The oil used will also act as a final step to the Moroccan bath to make our skin even more soft. The aim of this massage is to enhance body movement and decrease muscle pain while still promoting relaxation and well-being. After this 60-minute blissful experience, which leaves us so relaxed that we’re almost asleep, it’s time to address our hair again.
The mask is rinsed out and a leave-in conditioner plus serum is put in before our hair is blow-dried with a nice wave to it. The salon also offers haircuts and colour and the trained professionals are very good at their jobs. We leave feeling totally pampered and completely overhauled.
Throughout the time we spent at Polish Nails Care & More, the staff consistently made sure that we are comfortable and genuinely wanted us to enjoy the experience without hovering over us, and the treatments were excellent. The services on offer are also reasonably priced compared to others in the city. Something very unique here is that they offer iPads with free internet access and movies, which is great especially when you are sitting getting your nails and hair done. The one thing we could say against the salon is that it is a little tricky to find, but give them a call for directions and you shouldn’t have too much of a problem.
Ultimately, 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 care. A perfect spot to visit regularly for beauty services.
The Moroccan Bath and Cleopatra soak costs Dhs350, the aromatherapy massage costs Dhs200 for 45 minutes and the hair treatment and blow-dry costs Dhs180. Polish Nails Care & More, off Airport Rd, behind Al Hilal Bank, next to the Universal Hospital (02 445 2053).
Other hammams worth trying in Abu Dhabi
Espa: offers a relaxing and indulgent treatment. We suggest trying their light-therapy room afterwards to wind down.
Yas Viceroy (02 656 0862).
Samer Spa and Salon: one for the gents, their Moroccan bath is invigorating and removes all of life’s dirt and grime.
Al Muroor (02 642 2264).
So Spa: their rose hammam is great for dry skin. Expect a really deep scrub.
Sofitel Abu Dhabi Corniche (02 813 7777).
