By Shilpi Madan
09-Aug-2024
This spa takes wellness seriously.
Located in the heart of the rambling Movenpick Resort Al Marjan Island, the spa brings in a curated grove of therapies by expert masseurs, trained to charm the fatigue out of your muscles.
I walked in after an early morning yoga class and meditation session on the premises, feeling happy and well-stretched. The hours of walking and cycling around Al Marjan, leaping around in the water park had left my muscles a little overworked. Divine intervention arrived in the form of the bespoke Attuned Massage Therapy at the Citrine spa, taking my wellness journey at the property a notch higher.
This was my first experience with a bespoke body massage that followed no set routines. It unfurled like an assembly of expert strokes, mindful and all-pervasive. The power of attunement brings in a complete sync with the emotional and psychological state. The gentle, rhythmic flow of superb strokes and stretches as the hour-long treatment unfurled, plugged perfectly and harmoniously into the stubborn knots in my calves and shoulders to work their magic.
I chose patchouli oil for moisturising and mood elevation, from the posy of potions that my therapist led me through: A combination of saffron and cedar oils is recommended for seriously sore muscles and a blend of lavender and chamomile essential extracts for soothing the skin.
The summer sun had left my skin feeling a bit dry and taut. I dipped my feet in warm water replete with the light fragrance of rose and eased myself onto the therapy bed. The soft, smooth flow of the lightweight patchouli oil across my body worked like a deep cleanse, relieving my skin of impurities. The Attuned Massage Therapy certainly takes respite seriously. My therapist placed a slender warm bag along the length of my spine as she worked her thumb balls into the insteps of my feet in slow, steady movements. Progressing from the toes, the firm pressing and pulling of my calves with medium pressure drained the muscle tension and tiredness out of my lower limbs effectively. Immaculate precision by my therapist in identifying the core areas of attention. Methodical strokes along the sides of my backbone poured in a perfect energy into every cell.
The light warmth of the patchouli worked its way into my skin under her knuckles and finger tips as I felt the bubbles of stress and slight anxiety locked away in my arms and back disappearing gradually. The scalp is the new skin and the scalp massage with oil pampered my follicles to prop up the blood circulation effectively.
At the end of the therapy, I sat swathed in towels, sipping on herbal tea, and journalled for a bit. The therapy certainly left me in tune with myself, making me consciously re-balance and re-energise.
For seclusion-seekers looking for a holistic treatment in Al Marjan, this is luxury wellness at its best.
