SensAsia’s Valentine’s scrub puts its honey where its mouth is

In a city awash with luxurious spas, it’s a tricky pursuit to gain that all-important edge. At SensAsia Urban Spa, at the foot of The Palm Jumeirah, it wasn’t until I went into the treatment room that the difference truly began to show.

I had signed up for the Valentine’s Day special, charmingly called Bee My Honey. It started with a full body scrub, freshly made in the spa from black and white sesame seeds and honey just minutes before. It is completely natural with no artificial additives whatsoever. As my Thai therapist Ammy gently scrubbed at my skin, I felt the stress of the day melting away.

Then it was off to the en suite bathroom to wash off the super-sticky scrub and prepare for the next stage – a soothing balm of honey and fresh milk, applied with a warm sesame pouch to encourage absorption. While waiting for that to take effect, Ammy wrapped me up in towels and gave me a soporific head massage that had me floating into the land of nod in no time. Soon, though, it was time for another shower. Then I hopped back onto the deliciously heated bed for the 60-minute massage.

Using her hands, elbows and forearms, Ammy deftly kneaded the knots out of my back and found the pressure points in my shoulders, neck, legs and arms. Before I knew it, the hour was up. And waiting for me in the rest area was hot ginger tea and sticks of lightly salted carrot and cucumber.

I was so relaxed that for the rest of the day, even my incessantly ringing phone couldn’t snap me out of my sense of calm. That’s when I knew I would be back.

• The 120-minute Bee My Honey treatment at Sens­Asia Urban Spa at Palm Jumeirah costs Dh695. It is also available for couples. See www.sensasiaspas.com for more information

* Anna Seaman

aseaman@thenational.ae