Global wellness pioneer, Chiva-Som announced the official opening of Zulal Wellness Resort by Chiva-Som on 29 March 2022.
Zulal Wellness Resort is Qatar’s largest wellness destination, featuring the world’s first contemporary showcase of Traditional Arabic & Islamic Medicine (TAIM). Zulal offers two distinct paths to achieving wellness goals, the adults-only Zulal Serenity and Zulal Discovery, which invites families to connect and embark on a wellness journey together.
The resort is managed by Chiva-Som, an internationally acclaimed pioneer in lifestyle transformation with 26 years’ experience honed at its flagship resort in Hua Hin, Thailand. Zulal, the first full-immersion wellness resort in Qatar, and the largest in the Middle East, has been brought to life by Qatar’s premier master developers, Msheireb Properties.
Derived from the Canon of Medicine, written by physician-philosopher Ibn Sina (also known as Avicenna), in 1025, TAIM distils from over a millennium of evidence-based wellness practices into a range of treatments and programmes aimed at supporting health in the 21st century. The emphasis is on restoring life balance through herbal medicines, spiritual therapies, and dietary and mind-body practices. The wellness experience at Zulal is built upon six pillars of wellness: Nutrition, Fitness, Spa, Physiotherapy, Holistic Health and Aesthetics. TAIM is infused within each pillar, together restoring body, mind and spirit to optimum health in a sustainable manner.
The adults-only Zulal Serenity resort features 60 rooms and suites offering a calming backdrop to individual journeys of wellness. With seven programmes available, each tailored to individual health needs, guests can choose from relaxation, detox, weight management or fitness. Extensive wellness facilities include thermal and hydrotherapy suites; indoor and outdoor swimming pools; spa suites; a well-equipped gymnasium and exercise studios; a state-of-the-art physiotherapy studio; and an aesthetics centre.
Zulal Discovery caters to guests seeking family experiences and to make wellness an integral part of the family bond, with programmes customised for multi-generations and specific age groups. Facilities have been designed by child and family specialists to bring families together, whilst accommodation is offered in a range of set-ups across 120 rooms and suites. Programmes are centred around wellness for the whole family, teaching children the value of a healthy and sustainable lifestyle with age-appropriate developmental activities. While younger children are encouraged to explore, with nature-based outings, arts and crafts, older children spend their time being active, with kayaking, dancing and personal training. Balancing physical, mental and emotional elements of wellness, they will also be introduced to meditation and healthy cuisines.
All the personalised wellness retreats are inclusive of accommodation; all meals; a health and wellness consultation; daily treatments; and unlimited access to wellness facilities and group activities. With a digital-detox policy in public areas, the vastness of the desert surrounding, and the ocean within view from every room, guests are able to fully disconnect and naturally re-energise.
As part of the holistic wellness experience at Zulal Wellness Resort, guests can choose from an array of restaurants including Arabian and Mediterranean cuisine, and fine dining options. Menus are bespoke, nutritious, and include halal and vegan selections, created using premium natural ingredients. Guests are guaranteed a transformative culinary journey, which can be continued long after they return home, with the help of dedicated nutrition consultants. At Zulal Discovery, there are dedicated children’s menus to encourage a healthy approach to food from a young age. Cooking classes are an enjoyable time to learn how to cook healthy food at home with Zulal’s chef to maintain wellbeing in daily life.
Eng. Nasser Matar Al Kawari, CEO of Msheireb Properties, says, “We are pleased to be launching Zulal Wellness Resort and partnering with the internationally renowned Chiva-Som. Zulal Wellness Resort will be a leading destination in Qatar, welcoming guests from across the globe who are passionate about their health and wellbeing. It is our aim to become the destination of choice for TAIM therapies, which are deeply rooted in Qatari and wider Arab culture”.
Mr. Krip Rojanastien, Chairman and CEO of Chiva-Som, says, “We are delighted to partner with Msheireb Properties in managing this groundbreaking new resort in Qatar. At Chiva-Som, we believe in a holistic approach to wellness, drawing on the indigenous traditions of each destination. Zulal Wellness Resort continues Chiva-Som’s journey of pioneering and sustainable development, bringing a contemporary take on ancient wellness practices and incorporating them into the over 400 wellness treatments we offer at the resort for complete wellbeing and life transformation”.
Mr. Daniele Vastolo, General Manager of Zulal Wellness Resort, adds, “We look forward to welcoming guests to such a unique experience in the Middle East. While rooted in tradition, Zulal Wellness Resort is thoroughly modern in its results-oriented wellness offering, and we cater to guests’ needs with a beautiful setting, expert consultants, and recognition of the holistic connection between body, mind and spirit”.
