Summer season is hot for Dubai-based spas

During the 10-week summer event, which ends on August 31, more than 20 hotels and spa centres are offering various spa treatments at discounted rates, giving tourists and residents alike a chance to relax and be pampered at a reasonable cost.

“There has been an increase in spa bookings and visitors this year and I would say our occupancy has increased by about 15 per cent in June and July. However, we are expecting August to be even higher,” said Nicola Bush, director of Spa at the Ritz-Carlton Dubai.

She added that the DSS spas guide had enabled their hotel to create larger public awareness about the services and facilities they offer. “We have had a good response to the DSS promotions. The spa reception has been busy with enquiries not only about the DSS Spa Packages but also about our other spa treatments,” she said.

Bush pointed out that by August, the hotel expects spa bookings to run at approximately 80 per cent. “Much of our businesses do come from our in-house hotel guests who return to us time after time to be pampered. As spa visits are becoming a way of life for many rather than a rare once-a-year treat, when guests see the collection of treatments we offer, they start frequenting our spa more regularly,” she explained.

Chahnaz Gayraud, general manager of Coral Boutique Hotel Apartments, confirmed that they have been noticing the same trend at the Murjan-Coral Signature Spa. “We have been receiving a significantly greater number of customers. This is especially visible from Monday to Thursday when the spa is exceptionally busy,” she said.

Gayraud mentioned that they have noted 6-8 per cent increase in business compared to last year, which they hope to maintain until the end of the season.

Meanwhile, frequency of spa visitors at the Shangri-La Hotel Dubai, has been higher, according to Mike Monsod, Spa and Health Club manager. “On treatments alone, we have observed a 20 per cent hike this summer as against summer of 2006. We remain optimistic that this figure will go up to about 30 per cent towards the end of the season with our revenue climbing by as much as 50 per cent over last year’s,” he said.