By Anand Holla
Walking into this gently lit rejuvenation hub may make you feel like it’s your personal spa. Inspired by the four elements – Earth, Air, Fire and Water – the recently opened Elements Spa at the plush Al Jasra Boutique Hotel in Souq Waqif, promises a compelling spa experience with its full-fledged Moroccan bath and an unwavering focus on privacy.
In a city that has spas coming out of its ears, it sure is tough to stand out. That’s why Elements Spa doesn’t believe in having a dozen rooms bustling with patrons like a free-for-all relaxation shop. Instead, it sticks to providing a highly personalised approach to its guests by tending to them in a few rooms with zero interference.
Margarida Pinto, Spa Manager, said, “A sizeable number of our clients are Qataris. When I moved to Qatar, I learnt that Qataris love privacy. That’s why we have tried to keep both, our facilities and our treatments, as private as possible. Also, we have focused on customising them. We are not a big spa. But our focus on each guest is what makes us special. Exclusivity is our USP.”
Elements has the usual spa fixtures like massage, couple’s massage, foot bath, body exfoliation, express facial, jacuzzi and sauna, and then some more. Pinto said, “Our menu offers services based on the four elements. For instance, the element of water includes steam and hammam.”
And therein lies another distinguishing factor – the fifth element, if you will. To top its warm Arabic elegance peppered with Thai concepts and a refined sense of style, the spa houses a traditional Moroccan hammam. Stepping inside the charmingly designed bathhouse may have you believe that you are in a hammam in Marrakech.
Once the sizzling heat in the rooms opens up your pores and your body soaks in the oils from the soap the therapists rub all over you, a good scrubbing with the exfoliating kessa glove will leave you thoroughly refreshed. Kessa glove, which is known to rid your body of dead skin, toxins and improve blood circulation, is a key element of the Moroccan hammam.
“From traditional tiles all over to using kessa gloves or the therapist pouring water on the guest, we give our guests a completely private, 101 Moroccan hammam experience. We take care of every detail there is,” said Pinto. For those in the mood for a more laidback time though, there’s the wholesomely pampering Royal bath which adds “a soft, silky touch.”
Combining ancient and modern restorative techniques for its many beauty treatments, the spa offers everything from steam therapies and bath rituals, to elaborate facials and healing massages in an agreeable ambience.
While therapies include interesting variants such as herbal sauna and rose petal foot bath, massages cover them all from Arabic and the special Elements Spa to the traditional Balinese which uses the finest Indonesian oils and other exotic massages that rely on natural volcanic rocks.
The spa – open from 10am to 10pm – is set alongside a cool gym, where you can get yourself a personal trainer and a membership package as well. Moreover, all visitors are welcome to use the spa, which is not exclusive to hotel guests. “Our effort is to provide a completely private and a most refreshing spa experience,” said Pinto.