The lounge chair of my dreams is halfway around the world from my Brooklyn home, at the center of Talise Spa within Dubai’s palatial Madinat Jumeirah resort complex. Though it looks like a fancy dentist’s chair, the Gharieni Satori wellness lounger is a German-made therapy machine—and Talise has the only one of its kind in the Middle East. Some people travel for destination spas; I would fly 6,800 miles just for 30 minutes of stress relief on the Satori.
Skeptics might not consider the Middle East a (pardon the pun) hotbed of wellness, but postpandemic, a new market focused on mindfulness, sleep retreats, and rehabilitative spa culture has emerged in the United Arab Emirates in particular, with ever-innovating Dubai leading the way. Gone are the custom-made 24-karat gold facial masks; in their place are holistic treatments that attend to mind, body, and spirit. Dubai now consistently tops the “world’s best spa destination” list in the World Spa Awards, with Dubai-based Talise Ottoman Spa at Jumeirah Zabeel Saray, the Spa at Mandarin Oriental Jumeira, and Awaken at the new Atlantis The Royal earning “world’s best Turkish hammam,” “world’s best city resort spa,” and (the coveted) “world’s best resort spa,” respectively. For those keeping score, Dubai is appearing alongside wellness legacy leaders such as Switzerland, Germany, Thailand, Indonesia, and the USA.
In 2023 under new management, Talise Spa at Madinat Jumeirah won a regional WSA “top hotel spa” grade after introducing revised pillars of wellness—mental health, mindful movement, “internal well-being” coaching around sleep and diet, and advanced therapy using new equipment like the Satori—in addition to its traditional massage and facial services. Guests can request aura readings, hypnotherapy, light therapy, half a dozen types of yoga, qi gong and tai chi, reiki, crystal healing, lymphatic flow therapy, and bespoke detox programs. It’s enough to fill a week’s itinerary, let alone a stopover—and it’s drawing visitors and staycationers alike.
Jumeirah Al Naseem occupies an enviable spot on the edge of the Arabian Gulf.
Photo courtesy of Madinat Jumeirah
Following a day spent exploring Madinat Jumeriah, which in itself is four separate luxury resorts on a private sugar-white-sand beach, I tacked on a lymphatic drainage massage and vibroacoustic therapy, as one does. I had no idea what any of that meant and chose to embrace the “ignorance is bliss” mantra of serendipitous travel. Bliss came first in the form of the Satori treatment, which is meant to “aid sleep and promote a state of calmness”—and clinically help those recovering from stress, anxiety, and addiction—using vibroacoustic therapy. In essence, it’s a deeply meditative state akin to a power nap brought on by timed sine-wave vibrations from the chair, head to toe, and binaural sound, creating a 3D sound experience in your headphones. The technology is meant to sync the right and left brain, quieting the “thinking mind” and allowing for deep relaxation or dreamless sleep.
It’s all highly customizable, with serenity seekers able to choose from dozens of nonverbal soundscapes and spoken-word guided meditations, everything from breathwork to chakra realignments. All you need to do is lie down. Following a jam-packed trip itinerary around Dubai that took in old (Al Seef and Al Fahidi heritage sites) and new (Museum of the Future), I was more than willing to fully commit. Cozy spa bathrobe tied tight and nap choices made, I leaned into the chair and allowed my mind to still. Twenty-five minutes later, after deep tissue vibrations, subtle heat adjustments, and an emotional healing meditation, I awoke—though did I? Had I slept? Was I drooling? Regardless, I came back to reality feeling better than I had in months: mind and eyes clear, like I had blinked and saw things in hyper-focus, and with a big, dumb smile on my face. Is this what hypnosis feels like? I wondered. Can I get one of these for my house?
The following lymphatic drainage massage was closer to what I was used to—a human kneading my body—though the masseuse said she could “feel my energy coming into the room.” That I seemed overwhelmed—perhaps from the emotional healing I just experienced?—and it was OK to process it. Within this safe space, she worked on my jaw, chest, arms, legs, and groin, noting a buildup of “anger and disappointment” in some areas. My mind wandered, trying to digest these uncomfortably accurate observations; it wasn’t until the massage was over, and a steaming ginger tea was in hand, that I realized how much discomfort I’d been carrying—and how this one extended stay could bring such peace.
Jumeirah Mina Al Salam, which translates as “harbor of peace”, is great for families.
Photo Courtesy of Madinat Jumeirah
Know before you go
Madinat Jumeirah is almost a mini-city within Dubai, with its own souk, private beach, more than 40 bars and restaurants, and four distinct places to stay: the Emirati summerhouses of Jumeirah Dar Al Masyaf, family resort Jumeirah Mina Al Salam, relaxed beach hotel Jumeirah Al Naseem, and live-like-a-sheik palace Jumeirah Al Qasr. Talise Spa is set within Jumeirah Al Qasr and accessible by pathway or—better still—waterway via abra, a traditional wooden boat.
