We always love a nice spa here at Abu Dhabi Week. So when we heard New Medical Centre had opened their own Zari Spa, we felt it was nothing less than our civic duty to head over and check it out on behalf of our dedicated readers
Though affiliated with NMC and located in Building Three of the complex behind HSBC on 2nd/Airport Road, there’s nothing clinical about this gorgeous spa. Both the mens' and ladies’ spas are beautifully appointed with candles, soothing music, mood lighting and restful colours. We’ll come back for a lickety-quick eyebrow threading and pedicure some time, but this day we were ready to try out the 60-minute slimming massage.
After a quick change into teensy paper pants and a shower cap, we started with 15 minutes in the steam room to open up our pores and get our skin ready for the works.
Once arranged face down on the massage table outside the steam room, we were ready to let our therapist Phet do her best. In the same way that you’d smooth out the wrinkles in a bedspread or beat the lumps out of a bowl of mashed potatoes, a slimming massage works by breaking up clumps of cellulite lurking beneath the skin. Using strong strokes punctuated by a sort of whapping motion, Phet set to work showing our fat who was boss.
Though the massage includes the entire body, Phet focused the majority of her attention on attacking our most grievous cellulite offenders – our thighs, belly and backside. Using warm, fragrant herbal massage oil, Phet bullied back our sneaky fat with a level of pressure just this side of painful. Anything less would be a waste of time, so we didn’t mind.
No amount of massage will ever take the place of eating well and exercising, but if you stick to healthy foods and your work out regime, this relaxing slimming massage can make the difference in how your most troublesome spots look on the outside.
Laura Fulton
What? 60-minute slimming massage
Where? Zari Spa, NMC Building Three
Cost: AED 250
We say: An excellent way to reward yourself for sticking to that diet
Contact: 02 617 9150
