Spa review: The Spa at Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental

The Spa at Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental is a decadent escape that leaves skin glowing and the mind blissfully quiet in a truly iconic setting

A spa day seems like an ideal way to start a new year and The Spa at Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental is the place to be. The Emirates Palace is woven into the fabric of Abu Dhabi. Grand, unmistakable and quietly confident, it has hosted presidents, royalty and milestone moments for years. If Abu Dhabi had a crown jewel, it would be the Emirates Palace. Dripping in gold and grandeur, it’s where luxury is a way of life. Hidden within its lush grounds is The Spa, an award-winning sanctuary at Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, Abu Dhabi. It’s the kind of place that takes your idea of relaxation and turns it into an art form.

The Setting

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Inspired by Moroccan and oriental heritage, The Spa blends centuries-old healing traditions with modern wellness. The décor, the soft music, even the artwork, is deliberate. Marble floors, lotus-shaped treatment rooms and the gentle sound of flowing water make it luxurious, classy and calm in a way that sinks into your bones.

The Treatment

Hammam has been part of Middle Eastern culture for centuries and at The Spa it feels both ritual and indulgence. The Oriental Rose Hammam starts with warm water gently poured over your body, followed by a layer of black olive soap with rose petals and lavender. Time in the steam room softens the skin before a kessa exfoliation removes dead cells. Then comes a rose rhassoul mask for body and hair, a mint foot soak to boost circulation, and a gentle hair wash and conditioning with argan and oud oils. The treatment ends with a rose rinse and rose mist, leaving you soft, fragrant and strangely weightless.

For an extra layer of luxury there is the Secret of the Stones massage. Warm stones are used in an ancient lithotherapy technique to stimulate reflex points and open the chakras. It is meditative, grounding and leaves your body feeling completely reset.

The facility

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Nothing is out of place. Marble baths glisten, soft music flows and every detail feels intentional. It is indulgent without being over the top. Even the air smells like it belongs there. You could spend hours just wandering the corridors and feel stress slowly slide off your shoulders.

The Service

Having someone wash you can feel awkward at first, but the therapist’s calm guidance puts you at ease. She explains what she is doing and why, answers questions without overexplaining and finds the perfect balance between conversation and silence. She speaks just enough, allowing silence to fill the gaps in a way that feels comforting rather than awkward. By the end it feels natural, not staged.

The Experience

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You start with a spinach, apple and ginger welcome drink. Then it is the Lotus Room, bathed in a soft pink glow, and the 60-minute Oriental Rose Hammam. Warm water, black soap, steam, kessa scrub, rose mask, mint foot soak, hair wash and conditioning, rinse and rose mist. Each step flows into the next and by the time it is over you feel like you are floating. The ritual ends with Moroccan mint tea, the final touch to a truly indulgent experience.

What’s on the Bill

Hammam treatments start at Dhs850 and go up to Dhs1,600.

What’s On Verdict

The Spa at Emirates Palace is about feeling cared for in a way that’s rare and intentional. It is a splurge, yes, but one everyone should experience at least once. It is luxurious, calming and immersive. From the moment you step into the treatment room, you are carried away, and afterwards you feel lighter, softer and completely renewed.