As I emerged from my second yoga session of the day and meandered through a maze of verdant gardens surrounded by sea — while en route to the massage therapy room — I suppressed a chuckle.
I wasn’t at a Hollywood A-List escape in Palm Springs, but a health oasis about two hours from Qatar's capital of Doha in the Middle East.
Zulal Wellness Resort, Qatar's pioneering wellness resort, opened in November 2021 and may initially seem a tad out of place for this more traditional Arabic nation.
But as soon as I pulled up to the ornate gates, ushered to my tucked-away suite with kombucha, dates and that ever-present Arabic hospitality, I realized that this property is a seamless addition to the country's luxurious tourism palette.
Zulal's Foundation
Zulal is a product of Chiva-Som, the internationally acclaimed wellness resort in Thailand.
"We follow Chiva-Som's hospitality value called 'jai Thai,' which means ‘service from the heart’ in Thai," said Daniele Vastola, general manager of Zulal. "It is one of the mandatory ethics that we practice. It is our credo in our day-to-day interactions with our guests or colleagues, which influences our service standards, as well. In our daily interactions with guests and staff, we have also adopted 'marhaba,' which means 'welcome,' and we place our hand on the heart, a gesture that reflects our service and greetings from our hearts, linking it back to the 'jai Thai' concept."
Zulal's Unique Location
Harmoniously blending traditional Arabic and Islamic medicine with well-being and holistic health philosophies, the resort's offerings are propelled by nature.
And no, that isn't just some wellness jargon to attract spiritual gurus, as I initially imagined. In fact, the resort's surroundings both startled and impressed me the most.
Zulal, meaning "pure water," encapsulates Qatar's history, culture and heritage. It sits on the Al Khasoona private coastal area on northern tip of Qatar, where the industry was limited to fishing and trade just a few years ago. The lush property spans 69 acres and is a stark reminder that Qatar is more than just a desert — it also has a flourishing coastline.
A balcony view from the three-bedroom Qataf Suite at Zulal Serenity
Credit: 2022 Zulal Wellness Resort by Chiva-SomAn Immersive Zulal Experience
The resort aims to welcome international and domestic guests for a minimum of three nights in Zulal Serenity and two nights in Zulal Discovery. The experience focuses on six pillars of wellness health: physiotherapy, nutrition, holistic health, fitness, spa and aesthetics.
First on the agenda for any guest is a one-on-one meeting with one of the resort's on-site health professionals. The aim is to create a personalized schedule of massages, fitness classes and stretching for the duration of the client’s stay at Zulal. Of equal importance is the goal to implement sustainable lifestyle changes. After all, the resort's mission is to instill lasting behavioral patterns for optimized emotional, mental and physical health in everyday life, long after leaving.
Earthing is one of the key concepts, where the guests walk bare feet during the low tides on the beach to connect and feel the energy of Mother Earth.
My three days at Zulal can only be described as blissful. I stayed in a pool suite at Zulal Serenity, the half of the property dedicated to adult guests seeking an immersive health and lifestyle reset. After the Pilates, stretching and massages, I felt rejuvenated (and a bit more flexible).
One of the most gratifying, yet straightforward activities I participated in was called "earthing."
"Earthing is one of the key concepts where the guests walk bare feet during the low tides on the beach to connect and feel the energy of Mother Earth," Vastola said. "Sustainability is embodied in our culture here.”
The resort also promotes grounding activities, such as planting mangroves to give back to the marine ecosystem and educating families on the importance of aquatic life.
And though the resort is aesthetically picture-perfect, don't expect to Instagram your entire experience. Zulal deliberately limits Wi-Fi connection in individual rooms and suites, encouraging a digital detox. This mental break from constant connectivity was difficult at first, but soon I could reconnect to my surroundings remarkably carefree.
A Family Affair
Unlike other wellness resorts, families aren't excluded from this bespoke experience either. In fact, Zulal is the first resort in the world to focus on comprehensive family wellness. Zulal Discovery, across the property from adults-only Serenity, is child-friendly, with activities including family yoga and Thai boxing.
The best part? Families disconnect from the haste of the outside world and reconnect to one another, embarking on a wellness journey in harmony. Watching families with small children enjoy dinnertime overlooking the water sans any technology even made me, a sole onlooker, feel revived.
The Details
Zulal Wellness Resort
