It’s summertime and the living is anything but easy. Soaring temperatures, gridlocked traffic and the routine demands of life in the capital are like expat kryptonite. It’s not all bad news, though, because without blistering heat and cars backed up to Al Ain, I wouldn’t have an excuse to visit the Hiltonia Spa and partake in their Tropical Bliss treatment.
Arriving a little early, I decide to enjoy the amenities in the ladies locker room. Bypassing the Jacuzzi for the steam room, I top things off with a blast of water from the cold plunge shower. A few minutes before my treatment is to begin, an assistant leads me to the spa proper. Softly lit and decorated with dark wood panelling, it’s a simple, calm space. Sitting on a chaise longue in a robe and slippers with a cup of mint tea, all thoughts of Abu Dhabi melt away and I find it difficult to believe that outside, cars are carving up the corniche.
My therapist, a petite Thai woman with an inviting smile, arrives and ushers me into an adjoining room. There, she washes my feet in a basin filled with warm water and flower petals before leading me to a massage table. After I’m draped with a sheet, a second therapist silently enters the room. Hot scented towels are pressed against my back, flooding the room with the smell of fresh lemongrass. Next, one of the therapists cleanses my face before treating my skin with essential oils. Her partner begins exfoliating rough patches on my arms and legs, and I imagine this is what rehab must be like for Lindsey Lohan.
When she finishes, I turn over and they work in tandem to knead my sore muscles into submission. I’m surprised by their strength – after a few minutes of deep massage, I’m fairly convinced that they could crush walnuts with their bare hands. They travel the length of my body, accessing pressure points and rooting out every knot and kink with expertise.
By the time I’m done, I’m a world away from the frazzled woman who walked through the door 90 minutes before. Every inch of me has been cleansed, scrubbed, massaged, and otherwise pampered. Best of all, the benefits continue the next day when I notice my recent headaches have cleared and my complexion is practically glowing – bliss indeed.
Tropical Bliss, Dhs695 for 90 minutes. Hiltonia Beach Club, call 02 692 4324 to book a treatment.
