Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
Ramee Grand Hotel and Spa Bahrain in Seef has unveiled its first spa, salon and slimming centre in the kingdom and aims to leave clients feeling rejuvenated and reborn, writes Mai Al Khatib-Camille.
The 2000 sq/m Reborn Spa, Salon and Slimming Wellness Centre, which was officially launched on Saturday, houses 13 treatment rooms, a gym for men and women, a barber, a beauty salon and a swimming pool all on the third floor.
According to spa and recreation manager, Sana Ahmed, the centre’s location on the island, its professional multi-cultural team and its variety of services is what makes it special.
Ms Ahmed said: “Our location is great as it’s close to shopping malls, companies and residences. For example, you can have a massage during your one hour-lunch break.
“In terms of treatments, we are the only ones on the island that provide a Moroccan hammam (bath) for couples. We also have a tanning and whitening treatment and the latest Eximia slimming machine.”
Eximia is a device used for the body and face along with a body contouring specialist to help customers reduce cellulite, stimulate blood circulation, lift and tighten skin.
The fitness centre includes equipment from Technogym and qualified male and female instructors. There are different activities to take part in such as aerobics, Zumba, Pilates and aqua gym, to name but a few.
There are also adult and children’s swimming classes in the infinity pool and kid’s pool. In addition there is a Jacuzzi and sunbeds.
Once customers are done with their work out or swim, they can hit the showers and get their hair done at the salon.
It has a section for Mohajaba women (women that wear hijab) and offers hair treatments, nail art, manicures and pedicures as well as make-up and hair-styling.
The barber also offers nail treatments and hair colouring for men.
As for the spa, all treatment rooms feature a steam and shower. In the couples room there is also a steam and shower along with a Jacuzzi. There are 13 types of massages from Swedish to Thai, three types of hammams, five Elemis body scrubs, five kinds of facials and three Ayurvedic treatments and massages.
I was lucky to experience some of it firsthand.
I started off my day with a 45-minute Moroccan hammam which is said to eliminate dirt and toxins from the body during a scrub with a Kessa glove (a type of loofah) followed by a revitalising bath with reddish brown clay called Rhassoul, or black soap, that leaves skin silky smooth.
My Morrocan dalak (therapist), Maraim, escorted me to a room called Argan which included a changing area. All the treatment rooms are named after a flower and each room smells like its name.
Mariam guided me into the hammam with eucalyptus-scented steam.
She laid me down onto a towel on a marble table in the middle of the room. My pores began to open up. Mariam started by pouring hot water all over me and then began to scrub my body with the glove. She then washed away the dead skin and began to apply the Rhassoul. I was then left in the steam to unwind and let the clay work its magic.
Mariam returned and it was time for my shower. She washed the clay off of me and my hair. She took me to my next treatment in the bluebell room, which can also be used as a couple’s massage room.
I was having a facial with Windy, a lovely Indonesian therapist who put me under her spell with every touch.
Before beginning she analysed which procedure was best suited for my skin and suggested I try the 75-minute Elemis Oxygen Skin Calm Facial.
Windy was comforting and explained what I was in for. Even when she extracted the black heads from my face, she warned me it would be painful, and ladies…it really was! I was thankful that I didn’t have many and it ended as soon as it began.
After getting tucked into a massage bed, Windy removed any make-up that I might have missed and cleansed my face. She then topped it off with a toner before giving my neck, shoulders and arms a relaxing massage with rose cellular capsules.
She then started massaging my face with a great smelling scrub.
I was re-energised when she cleaned my face with a hot lime-scented towel. Then she applied a restructuring Japanese silk mask and a silk eye compress. She then turned to massaging my scalp and arms.
She then removed the mask and applied a second made up of an extra thick moisturising cream. After cleaning off the mask, Windy applied a pro-collagen eye renewal serum and a daily redness solution to moisturise my face and reduce my natural pink tone.
Thinking that my morning couldn’t get any better than this, Windy introduced me to Rose for my Royal Thai massage. I was placed on a low bed in the Mimosa room, ready to be molded into a human pretzel as a Thai massage is known for its yoga-type stretches, energy line work and deep breathing.
Rose, from Thailand, pulled and pushed on every part of my body, helping me stretch out any back aches and relieve any tension in my muscles.
My husband, Sam, who plays basketball twice a week, would benefit from this type of treatment.
After my spa experience, I stopped over at the salon to get my hair straightened. Not only did I feel good, I looked great too. I was ready to take on the world.
* The spa is open seven-days-a-week from 10am until 11pm and is open on weekends as well as public holidays. The health club is open from 6am until 11pm and the pool is open for 24 hours.
For details, call 17111980 or visit www.rameegrandbahrain.com
