When Sheikha Moza bint Nasser visited Thailand’s luxury resort Chiva-Som, she was so impressed with the 30-year-old resort’s wellness therapies that she decided she had to recreate the concept for the people of her home country.
But the strict sheik, mother of Qatar’s emir Sheikh Tamim, adhered to two conditions: first, that the retreat’s Middle East base include robust wellness programs for children, and second, that it incorporate the principles of traditional Arabic and Islamic medicine (known as taim) as set out by Arab philosopher and physician Ibn Sina in his book “Arabic Medicine.” Medical norms In the 11th century.
Zuraar by Chiva-Som opened on Qatar’s north coast in 2022. It is the first and only Chiva-Som property outside of East Asia and firmly maintains Thyme’s sensibility.
These things are immediately apparent when, after a 90-minute drive from Doha airport, we’re whisked away to check in to Zulair Serenity, a 60-room adults-only building. Just nearby, the 120-room Zulair Discovery is more family-friendly, welcoming children of all ages.
Grilling fish and steaks is easy, but satisfying vegan guests is one of the biggest challenges
Executive Wellness Chef, Meisam Abdulkhalek
Though the site spans 250,000 square metres, you could spend the whole day in the Serenity Wing’s four corner “lobbies” and immerse yourself in a book from the House of Wisdom library while your paperwork gets done. Or, depending on the time of day, you could pop into the Tea House for a relaxing or invigorating blend, or chat with the pharmacist who runs the apothecary about the fascinating properties of a range of bottled herbs native to the Arab world.
Or you can do what Zuraar’s founder Sheikha often did when he visited the hotel, and practice your breathing while looking down at the sculpture that sits at the center of the lobby. Made from 10,000-year-old sedimentary rock, it sits in a cube-like room. In the center of the stone, artist Anish Kapoor has carved an endless hole, like an abyss. If you meditate here long enough, I’m told, the emptiness can offer a glimpse into the concept of infinity, or at least a peaceful realization.
One of the things I loved most about Zular was that there was so much to do, see, and drink at every turn, from the state-of-the-art spa, complete with Himalayan salt room and ice cave, to a lagoon-style pool dedicated to floating meditation sessions.
It’s no wonder that modern wellness retreats have earned bucket-list status on many luxury travel plans; they simultaneously tick the boxes of premium, privacy and relaxation, providing the me-time many crave. At Zraal, for example, mobile phone use is possible and permitted only in the bedrooms (each of which, of course, comes with a walk-in closet and a private pool). And yet, given the meticulous daily programming, you’ll likely spend very little of your waking hours cooped up in your room.
If you find yourself feeling overly irritated, try walking barefoot on the grass or sand or dipping your hands in water.
Bibi Aisha Lockhat, Time Expert
Stays range from three to 14 nights and include a first-time “Taste of Zular” package, as well as packages focusing on wellness, beauty, fitness, natural weight loss and therapeutic cleansing. Room rates range from 1,500 Qatari Riyals (approximately $412) for Deluxe Rooms at Discovery, to 3,500 Qatari Riyals for Junior Suites at Serenity, and up to 17,000 Qatari Riyals per night for the 323-square-metre Sinan Suite.
The 744-square-metre Qatar Suite is reserved for VVIP guests including the Qatari Royal Family.
A typical trip begins with two comprehensive guest consultations: one with a health and wellness specialist and one with a resident Taim expert. These consultations determine everything from massages to menus that are tailored to each individual guest.
In addition to covering six areas of wellness – fitness, nutrition, physiotherapy, spa, beauty and overall wellness – the retreat also focuses on identifying each visitor’s misai, or temperament, according to Time.
Ibn Sina’s humoral theory classifies humans according to four elements – fire, air, water and earth – or a combination of these, which allows consultants to offer lifestyle guidelines.
For example, for someone with a hot, dry mizazi that aligns with the fire element, expert Bibi Aisha Lockhat says: “Cooling and hydrating activities like swimming, aqua aerobics and yoga are best suited to fire constitutions. Similarly, if you’re feeling overly irritable, go outside and walk barefoot on the grass or cool sand. If that’s not always possible, simply holding your hands under running water for a few minutes can be enough.”
Temperament is figured out through sessions that explore everything from medical history and mental state to dislikes and preferences. Consultants also check obvious physiological requirements such as the guest’s pulse, tongue and posture correction.
Introspecting about sleep patterns, tolerance to spice, stress triggers and even which seasons she likes best is cathartic, but it’s the recommended therapy that brings Zulal to zen.
The facility offers 311 incredible activities, including many types of massage, group and private fitness sessions, physiotherapy, and energy balancing therapies such as craniosacral therapy, Reiki, and sound healing.
There are healthy cooking masterclasses, facials and other beauty treatments, the aforementioned floating meditation, and even a particularly effective form of hydrotherapy called Watsu. The principle is simple: you float on your back in a dimly lit private pool, the water of which is kept at 37°C (the same temperature as the human body).
The therapist not only helps you float, but also holds you tightly as if you were a newborn baby. With your eyes closed, you sway weightlessly in the warm water while thoughts come and go, you can release repressed emotions, and enter a trance-like state. It is calming and sentimental at the same time, which is all the more powerful.
Apart from hydrotherapy, Zural also offers a wide range of world-renowned massages, from traditional Thai to oriental scalp massages.
But the signature Tadriq and Qatari Hamiz are the ones that are most in keeping with Thyme’s traditions: the former is long, soothing yet powerful strokes combined with hot stones, while the Qatari Hamiz is a deep tissue massage that’s perfect after a workout at the gym or a one-on-one super stretching class.
The retreat also offers Hijab Wrapping, Al-Batin Abdominal Massage and Al-Rabwa Al-Qadham Head and Foot Reflexology. Thyme is an ancient Indian practice.
Ayurvedic therapies include Udwartanam (dry powder massage) and Shirodhara (a specialized treatment that nourishes the head through the pouring of warm oil from a distance and healthy pressure on the forehead).
These tried and tested treatments, which have been around for centuries, are relaxing and rejuvenating in equal measure. And, perhaps unexpectedly, you also have the option to undergo the pinnacle of modern medicine: genomic testing, which is widely hailed as the future of pharmacogenetics.
Genomics is based on the principle that a person’s health is highly individualized and dependent on their unique genes and lifestyle. After a swab analysis, an 82-page report is presented and a tailored treatment plan is created. The report details the finer points, such as the type of exercise and diet that is best for the individual, what supplements they should take, and more serious issues such as predispositions to certain diseases and allergies.
Food plays a vital role in overall health, which is why Zlar’s chefs worked with medical consultants to create 1,200 recipes that are nutritious and incredibly delicious. Anyone who thinks clean food doesn’t taste that good, including myself, is mistaken; eating nine meals over three nights at Zlar proved that clean food can taste even better.
The retreat has four restaurants: Aizoon serves Mediterranean and Arabic cuisine, Al Sidr serves Asian cuisine, Accacia is inspired by European fine dining, and Malbu serves outdoor barbecues with the freshest catch of the day. Healthy snacks are also served at the Tea House and spa café Casuarina.
All the kitchens are gluten-free and butter-free, yet the charcoal croissants are still some of the softest and tastiest I’ve ever eaten, and the breakfast buffet also boasts creamy farmédame, delicious almond chia pudding, tangy basil hummus, and cranberry cheese that belies the vegan tag.
There’s no refined sugar here, and desserts range from almond milk panna cotta to chocolate sweetened with organic royal honey and coconut sugar.
The dishes are well thought out on a conceptual level and beautifully executed: slow-cooked black chickpea hummus is served with sweet potatoes, grilled hamour is emulsified in a tangy sauce, wild black rice is served with a tangy seafood sauce, and incredibly fresh tuna tartare is served on a bed of avocado with chives, lemon zest and tamari sauce.
All meals also have fantastic vegetarian and vegan options. Executive Wellness Chef Maysam Abdulkhalek says, “It’s easy for a cook to grill fish or steak, but one of the biggest challenges is to truly satisfy vegan guests. This requires a lot of creativity from our chefs.”
Certainly, one dish I’d return to is the deconstructed fattoush sandwich, loaded with avocado.
Each menu, and even the buffet offerings, lists the calorie count for every dish and presentation, from soup to sweets. “We’re here to heal our guests through food,” says Chef Abdul-Khalek. “This not only means using local and organic ingredients wherever possible, but also creating menus that, even if you eat one starter, one main and one dessert a day, don’t exceed 1,000-1,500 calories.”
A wellness getaway doesn’t get much easier or more special than this.
Last updated: June 14, 2024, 4:03 AM
