European-style spa providing ‘result-driven treatments’

Mövenpick Hotel Bahrain has opened a European-style spa providing ‘result-driven treatments’ to both corporate and leisure travellers staying at the hotel, as well as Bahrain residents and GCC visitors.

The new Rimal Spa features 12 treatment rooms, including single treatment suites, one double female suite and two traditional Turkish hammam suites with their own steam rooms and heated wet tables.

All treatment rooms have private showers and to ensure privacy, the wellness facility offers segregated male and female wings with relaxation waiting areas where organic herbal infusions and fruit water are served.

Hotel general manager Daniel Kaan said: “The exemplary service and European quality standards are bound to impress hotel guests and residents alike.”

“We are extremely excited about the opening of our brand new spa,’’ added Mr Kaan. “It is a great complement to our existing amenities and our regular guests are delighted with the additional options they now have to unwind and relax. It will also be beneficial in attracting business from the wellness travel segment.’’

To enhance the wellness journey, Rimal Spa offers exclusively designed, holistic and non-invasive, treatments using London’s Harley Street Skin Care products and CACI non-surgical face and body lift machines. Voya marine products and signature treatments using seashells add a unique dimension to the spa, which also does its part to support green practices and halal-certified organic products.

GulfWeekly editor Stan Szecowka and FashionWeekly columnist Camille Jones put it to the test.

HIS

My late mother Edith was an Essex girl who used to pick up expressions and annoyingly repeat them, bless her, often getting them muddled up in the process. There was one in particular she (which, no doubt, had she still been around and read this, would have declared: who’s SHE, the cat’s mother?) would use at bath-time when I was a little lad about scrubbing behind your ears. ‘Would’ya look at the dirt behind your ears, you could grow spuds there’, she would exclaim.

Now, I had cute little ears and there certainly wouldn’t have been enough room to grow anything there but, nonetheless, to this day I religiously clean behind them.

She would certainly have been impressed by the treatment I received at the Rimal Spa as I sampled my first-ever traditional Royal Hammam Ritual Aromatherapy massage.

This is not for the fainted-hearted, or the shy, but I’m informed by my Bahraini buddies that this is one of the most popular sauna experiences amongst Arabs.

The marble slab at first appears quite daunting as you walk into the treatment room and my over-imaginative thoughts went straight to a mortuary slab, I think I’ve been watching too many crime shows on TV. In fact, there’s nothing chilling about the experience, the marble is anything but cold, it’s heated!

I felt a little exposed, lying down in my skimpy disposable pants as the warm shower drenched my skin and Thai therapist Raya set about covering me with a deep cleansing black olive soap at the start of my experience.

I then slipped into the steam room for 10 minutes allowing pores to open and I now know how an American turkey must feel like being prepared for Thanksgiving.

Back on the hot slab I was showered down and Raya went to work with what I thought must be a brillo pad for scrubbing dirty saucepans but it was in fact a simple spiky glove. Lily white soft sensitive European skin like mine gets the least rough glove, I’m told.

For a man who likes his back scratched this was heavenly and I was tempted to suggest that Raya concentrate on the little corner near my right shoulder blade that I can never reach. And I forget to mention that my mother would want her to concentrate on the patch behind my ears.

The Kassa glove body exfoliation apparently washes away all traces of dead skin and was followed by a Rassoul mask, rich in minerals. Argan and shea butter was then applied, leaving the skin feeling rehydrated and silky smooth.

Scrubbed, steamed, showered and feeling like a pampered baby I was taken to another room for a therapeutic full body massage using Swedish massage techniques to help restore balance in both mind and body.

Using blended essential oils, you’re asked before the session starts your preference of massage pressure, and I went for gentle (just above a stroke please). It improves the circulation and soothes the body after a strenuous week in the office.

* The Royal Hammam Ritual costs BD45, the secrets of Argan will add BD40 and the steam session is priced at BD10. The Swedish massage is BD30.

HERS

I am going to be turning 40 shortly and have been ruminating about it all week. Therefore, after receiving my consultation at Rimal Spa, Movenpick about my ‘result driven’ anti-ageing treatments I felt hopeful.

How about turning back the clock by 10 years and fighting all signs of ageing? Sounds like an ambitious task but I was optimistic while sipping my forest fruit tea. A jewel-beaded curtain encircled me in my white lounge chair with low dim lighting creating a perfect ambiance of ‘calm’. I was already relaxed and I had not even started my treatment.

I received the ‘Tangle Me Up’ body wrap which involves a hydrating and body-firming treatment that helps revitalise and improve the skin. I first received a full body brushing and hot towel cleansing that took me away to another dimension as it relaxed my tired muscles.

The lovely Thai assistant, Intira, proceeded to apply the seaweed gel wrap which helps fight cellulite and any signs of ageing. After this refreshing treatment I rinsed off and she massaged my body with lotion that further softened the skin. Okay, now that I have a body resembling a teenage girl … time to match the face.

While I lay wrapped in a towel all warm and relaxed she started my 60 minute CACI non-surgical face-lift. The machine uses micro-current therapy which apparently works in harmony with the body’s own bio-electrical field to stimulate and re-educate the muscles in the face.

Facial contours are redefined by tightening and toning sagging muscles and fine lines and wrinkles. I have to admit, I was sceptical at first but after seeing my face I was really impressed and will be going back for my monthly fix. This is the most advanced non-surgical face and body treatment on the market endorsed by models, actresses and singers.

After I completed my treatments I was given a prescription card with all the lotions and products they used. This is really helpful since you can purchase them in the lobby to maintain a ‘just left spa’ glow.

As I walked back to my car hypnotised into a permanent state of Zen I could still hear the spa music in my ears, much better I have to say than that nagging ‘You’re turning 40’ voice two hours earlier.

* The Slim and Tone session over 120 minutes features the Tangle Me Up Body Wrap and CACI Non-Surgical Face Lift and costs BD80.