Walking through the doors of the Jumeirah Talise Spa in Dubai is a bit like stepping in the spa equivalent of Narnia – a cocooning oasis that’s a dreamy land of its own, where you can easily spend hours letting stress and tension just drift away.
CF’s beauty editor Becki Murray booked in to get a taste of Madinat Jumeirah’s new Wellness Escapes, including bespoke massages and mind-boosting therapies that take your journey to greater wellbeing one step further; all just steps away from Dubai’s inviting white sands.
THE LOWDOWN
Drawing up to the spa by abra boat, the heart-calming lapping of the water sparkling all around you, the first thing you’ll notice about The Talise Spa at Jumeirah Al Qasr is that it feels more like a spa village than a traditional spa space. The 26 private villas, including three for couples, are spaced out along lush banana and mangrove tree-lined pathways, with your therapist guiding you past Moroccan-tiled walls and running water fountains, as well as over wooden bridges glimpsing out to the resort beyond, as you slowly start to leave your stresses and tensions behind. By the time you arrive at your private spa villa, the outside world feels very much far away.
Access to the spa is available for anyone staying at one of the Jumeirah group hotels in Dubai, as well as outside guests, but the sprawling space and deliberately limited appointment slots means it never feels crowded. The space is also split more or less in two, with separate male and female areas, complete with cosy relaxation areas where you can unwind in your soft towelling robe, before enjoying the sauna, steam room and plunge pools pre-treatment to relax your muscles (and your mind). A word of advice: arrive with plenty of time before your appointment to make full use of these facilities.
THE WELLNESS PROGRAMME
If you’re looking for a massage that gets out every single knot of tension, or have been dreaming of a facial to give your skin back its glow, you’ll certainly find what you are looking for at Talise Spa. (If you have time for only one treatment, make it the Bespoke Deep Tissue Massage, which leaves you floating on a cloud).
However, with the launch of its new wellness programmes, Talise Wellness, the spa’s commitment to luxury wellbeing has taken a further leap forward. In simple terms, whereas previously you might enjoy a massage and then head straight back to your hectic lifestyle (even on holiday), the programmes facilitate experiences that mean you emerge with more energy, reduced stress, and a clearer mind in a way that extends beyond your return home from the spa.
The overall concept is built on four pillars of wellness – Mental Wellness, Mindful Movement, Internal Wellbeing and Restore – with each pillar covering a wide range of therapies, treatments, nutrition, and meditation. That includes uplifting yoga and Tai Chi practices in the spa’s meditation garden, health-boosting meals based on enjoyment not restriction, and innovative wellness technologies that combine centuries-old healing therapies with state-of-the-art devices.
You can either dip in-and-out of the expansive wellness offering on a treatment by treatment basis, for example by adding a session of sound healing on to the end of your massage therapy. Or, book on for a full three to five day experience, with tailored programmes for sleep, stress, and recharge, turning your holiday into a mini wellness retreat. There is even a fully tailored programme for mums-to-be, so pregnancy doesn’t have to limit your spa experience.
THE SPA EXPERIENCE
As someone who struggles to switch off, it was the new sleep-tailored attributes of the Talise Spa menu that really caught my eye. The first indication that the spa is offering something a little special was that instead of simply promising better sleep through a simple massage, I was recommended a clever combination of two treatments – the 75 minute Mindful Dream Massage, followed straight after by a meditation and sound therapy-based therapy called the Satori Wellness Lounger. In a style that neatly defines the whole wellness experience at Talise, this wasn’t just about making me ‘more sleepy’ or ‘more relaxed’. It aimed to go a little deeper and give my brain a mini reset.
My massage in the private spa villa was exceptional. With soothing meditative music filling my ears, my therapist used light but targeted strokes to ease out even deep tension around my shoulders, all while encouraging me into a half-sleep state. That’s normally a tricky combination considering I hold a lot of tension in my muscles. Her use of sleep-inducing lavender oil was delightfully familiar for a sleep-inducing massage, but the inclusion of rosemary oil for mental clarity too, meant I emerged without any annoying grogginess. And, at 75 minutes in length, there was enough time for a really thorough head massage, which I’d indicated I loved on my pre-consultation form.
The second half of the experience – the Satori Wellness Lounger Power Nap Program – neatly demonstrates how holistic therapies and high-tech devices are increasingly combined at luxury spas like Talise. (Other options include the combination of light, sounds and meditation for increased relaxation offered by Lucia Light Therapy, sound meditation for mindfulness, and PSYCH-K energy psychology, which is all about encouraging you to re-centre your thoughts).
THE LITTLE EXTRAS
Not quite ready to leave the cocoon of calm after your treatment? You don’t have to. After you’re served your signature detoxing herbal tea in the relaxation rooms, you can make your way to the private outdoor pool area instead of straight back outside. With loungers to recline on as long as you wish and inviting temperature-controlled waters, it’s also the main unisex area of the spa, nestled between the female and male sides. That means you can easily meet up with everyone you are travelling with post-massage to carry on your path to further tranquility.
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