There are times when a massage feels like a luxury you can’t afford, and times when an invitation to have one arrives in your inbox, and you feel like you’ve just won the lottery. My trip to Sohum Wellness in Al Quoz to experience their 60-minute Swedish massage landed firmly in the latter category.
I’d only recently arrived back in Dubai after a fairly relentless few months in England; there was an awful lot going on personally, and I’d just spent an entire day rushing between meetings at Arabian Travel Market. I was tired, stressed, and honestly, running on empty. So when that email arrived, there was absolutely no need to ask me twice.
Sohum Wellness is located in Al Quoz, which, as anyone who lives in Dubai knows, isn’t necessarily the first place that springs to mind when you think of tranquillity. There’s traffic, workshops, warehouses and a relentless amount of trucks.
But when you walk through the doors at Sohum Wellness, the cacophony outside somehow melts away, and all you can hear is the sound of soft trickling water and the call of birds. There are beautiful frangipani trees, palms, fountains, greenery and an enormous Buddha watching over it all. Suddenly, the name, Sohum Wellness Sanctuary, makes total sense.
All you can hear is the sound of soft trickling water and the call of birds. There are beautiful frangipani trees, palms, fountains, greenery and an enormous Buddha watching over it all. Suddenly, the name, Sohum Wellness Sanctuary, makes total sense
Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to linger, so they whisked me upstairs to the relaxation area before my treatment. And this is where I began wishing I’d arrived a lot earlier. There’s a hot plunge pool and (for the brave) an iced one, a salt room sauna, and a steam room and, alongside them, a small ice station. It wasn’t filled when I was there, but I assume this is where, after sitting happily in the sauna, you’re supposed to scoop up handfuls of ice and rub them over yourself in the name of wellness. I am not entirely convinced I’m that committed. Hot, yes; cold, no, thank you. But that’s just me.
The changing and shower area is lovely too, with all those small things that make a difference when you’re heading somewhere in the middle of a workday. Think toiletries, deodorant, hairdryers and pretty much anything else you might suddenly realise you need.
After thirty minutes in the relaxation area, I met my therapist, Anita. We started with a wonderfully refreshing foot scrub using a new range that Sohum has just introduced. I’m going to admit that I completely failed in my journalistic duties here because it smelled absolutely divine, but I didn’t photograph it or write down what it was called, so more on that once I’ve tracked it down!
Anita finished with wonderfully hot towels around my feet and the soft sound of chimes, and by the time I headed back to the relaxation area for warm saffron tea, I felt far less frazzled than the woman who had walked in
I’d originally been booked for an aromatherapy massage, but when Anita asked what pressure I liked, and I said medium, she suggested Swedish instead. She was spot on, as its long list of benefits includes relaxation, stress relief, and overall harmony. It’s as if it had my name on it.
First came the sound of rain falling through leaves as Anita used an instrument to produce a soft, rushing sound, and then she started a head massage to the soft sound of meditation music. From there, she worked down the front of my body before eventually asking me to turn over and working on my back. An unusual routine, as most massages start the other way around, but it made absolute sense.
Anita finished with wonderfully hot towels around my feet and the soft sound of chimes, and by the time I headed back to the relaxation area for warm saffron tea, I felt far less frazzled than the woman who had walked in.
For a few minutes I sat there doing absolutely nothing, which, given the way life has been recently, felt like a treatment in itself.
Ayurvedic Roots
Ayurveda is at the heart of the sanctuary, rather than something that’s been added to a conventional spa menu. There are Ayurvedic doctors and consultations, traditional therapies including Abhyanga and Shirodhara, yoga and meditation, alongside more familiar massages and holistic treatments such as sound healing and Reiki.
Downstairs, there’s a gorgeous plant-based café and juice bar with an entire menu of Ayurvedic drinks, while the boutique is filled with jewellery, accessories, wellness products and pieces from smaller brands.
As much as I wanted to linger, irritatingly, real life intervened. I had a meeting to get to, so instead of wandering downstairs, ordering something from the café and settling into the garden, I had to gather my things and rush back out into Al Quoz.
Next time, I’m blocking out the afternoon.
A Swedish massage at Sohum Wellness Sanctuary costs AED 500 for 60 minutes and AED 700 for 90 minutes. For more information, visit Sohum Wellness Sanctuary or @sohumwellnessÂ
Editor’s note: The 60-minute Swedish massage was provided complimentary for this review. All opinions are my own.
