During our stay at Nassima Royal Hotel, we were booked to have two treatments at their Spa Zen. My husband, Mohamed, was set to have their Spa Zen Royal Massage, and I was booked for a facial the following day.

We booked Mohamed’s massage so that it would be an hour after our check-in at the hotel, but unfortunately we were running very late because of the insane amount of Thursday evening traffic. We called them and asked it to be pushed back an hour and they were more than happy to oblige, which I later found to be especially impressive since they seemed to be quite a  busy spa, at least when I went in for my appointment.

Spa Zen Royal Massage

After checking in and getting acquainted with the room, my husband headed down to his massage. When he was done, he came back upstairs and explained just how beautiful it was, and that I should really be excited about my spa time the next day. He loved the decor of the place and his treatment took away all the stress that he had from the long bumper-to-bumper drive.

Before the massage, he was able to take advantage of the sauna and steam room, which is available for any spa guest to use before or after their treatment. He also really liked the fact that the massage rooms are incredibly spacious and even have their own private changing rooms, so you don’t have to walk around the spa in a robe. It’s very convenient and thoughtful of them to have built-in changing rooms.

His massage, the Spa Zen Royal Massage consisted of four different techniques, Swedish, Thai, Hilot and Shiatsu. It’s an energizing massage because it relieves knots and focuses on certain pressure points, and the fact that they used lemongrass-scented essential oils made him feel even more refreshed. His masseuse was very good at applying the right amount of pressure, and he loved the experience. After the treatment, he had a bit of time to go to the relaxing room and enjoy a cup of white tea, before heading back upstairs.

He came back completely rejuvenated and even ready to go out, while I was still exhausted from the drive!

Deep Pore Cleansing Facial

The next day, a little after breakfast, I headed down to experience for myself, what the spa had to offer.

Mohamed really wasn’t kidding about the beauty of the spa. I would have never expected it to be so spacious and beautifully decorated. The ambiance is absolutely perfect– the low lighting and ‘zen’ decor really makes you feel instantly like you’re in a calm, relaxed state of mind.

I went up to the receptionist and they already knew who I was by name! I really don’t know how they knew, because they had several other guests there, but perhaps it’s because I had come right on time for the treatment. I was told to take a seat and fill out a short form which questioned my daily facial routine and if I had any medical history. While filling out the form, I was given a welcome drink of white tea and cucumber and then asked if I would like to enjoy their amenities, including the steam, sauna or jacuzzi. Unfortunately, I had to get back to the room as quickly as possible since my little Khalifa would be waking up from his nap within an hour or so, so I opted to go straight for the facial.

The facial therapist lead me to my treatment room and I was so impressed by not only the decor, but the sheer size of the room. It’s definitely a lot larger than your typical spa room, and just like Mohamed had said before, there’s even a private changing room, fully equipped with a built-in closet and all the supplies that you may need before or after your treatment, including a comfortable robe, brand new slippers, combs, earbuds, disposable underwear, etc. If the room had been a little bit bigger, had a real bed and a toilet, it could have easily been a hotel room!

After changing into my robe, I went out of the room and the facial therapist was ready with all of the products she would need for the treatment. I opted for a deep cleansing facial since I rarely get time to take care of myself (I’m sure most mommies can relate to that), so I wanted to get a really effective facial. I explained my concerns of a bit of dry skin here and there, and my usual daily face routine.

She got straight to work– first she took off excess make up, and prepped my skin for what was to come. After the initial clean up, she used a mild cleanser and then a used a facial steam. The steam lasted quite a while, which I was really happy about because I wanted it to open up my pores as much as possible. Then she did the really “deep cleaning” part of the facial, which was getting rid blackheads. After that, there were a few more applications of products which were meant to more thoroughly clean, even out and moisturize my skin.

I loved the finish result! I felt like she really ‘got in there’ and cleared up some blackheads, as well as properly moisturized my skin. As to be expected, there was a bit of redness, but that subsided in an hour. I was very happy with their Deep Pore Cleansing Facial and I think its a great treatment to have every few months or so, in order to maintain clear skin. Would I come back to this spa? Oh yeah, I would! Just as soon as I can convince Mohamed to handle little Khalifa again.

The Spa Zen Royal Massage for 1 hour is 425 Dhs, and the Deep Pore Cleansing Facial is also 425 Dhs. 

To book at Spa Zen, call +971 (0) 4 308 0531.