Al Faisaliah Hotel became the first hotel in Riyadh to offer spa services to its guests when it recently opened its women’s luxury spa.

I am not surprised, given that it is a high-end five star luxury hotel offering the best restaurants and services.

I felt like a queen the moment I stepped inside the hotel because the staff welcome you with a warm smile. A Saudi staff member offers authentic Arabic coffee and dates.

I then walked along the hotel corridor until I reached the big wooden door of the spa. Once in the spa, the first thing I noticed was the relaxing spa scent comprising a blend of lavender and citrus. The decor is very feminine; the walls are adorned with small crystals, adding a nice touch.

From the reception desk I was led to the relaxing lounge where the therapist got to know me over a cup of green tea. On the one side of the room is a relaxing waterfall, then there are vibrant colored sofas and chairs, in addition to glass doors.

The therapist will ask many questions about your skin, issues with the skin, physical health and more. It is the perfect opportunity to inform her about all the things that stress you and treatments that you prefer.

Once in the changing and locker room, I noticed that each locker offers a beautiful fluffy robe, a pair of white slippers as well as two towels, one for your hair and the other for your face. You can add your own password to the locker where you can safely keep your belongings.

I was then taken to a treatment room. The spa has eight treatment rooms, comprising a bathroom, a shower and the main treatment area. The two treatment suites offer a bathroom, a shower, a treatment area as well as a seating area for relaxation.

The spa also has a hair salon and my personal favorite is the nails studio, which is fully equipped with high-end nail products.

There is also a beautifully designed Turkish Hammam, indoor pool, Jacuzzi and a consulting room for those who are interested in an exclusive spa and gym membership. The membership is a dream come true as members gain full access to all spa facilities, unlimited fitness classes, two complementary guest passes, priority booking for treatments, complimentary personal skincare analysis with the spa’s head therapist, complementary treatments, one-hour fitness assessment and creation of personalized program, one-hour personal trainer session, 10 percent discount on all personal trainer sessions and invitations for exclusive members-only product launches and events.

My treatment began in a suite with an earthy-colored seating area. My Balinese therapist first washed my feet with warm water and a relaxing oil. What happened next was my favorite part of the treatment. She brought a basket filled with ESPA products for me to choose for my treatment. You are supposed to smell each one of them and inform your therapist which one you prefer.

The treatment room has white walls while the Jacuzzi is made in silver, white, gold and off-white mosaic with beautiful lighting that complements the design. The bed is in the center of the room covered in soft white linen towels. Lit candles surround the bed to complete the relaxing ambiance.

My therapist Kadek is a true professional; she understood my concerns and worked toward making me comfortable. I informed her that I don’t enjoy a massage in which thumbs are used; she instantly offered to use her palms and arms for the massage.

The spa menu offers a great variety of treatments. Their exquisite collection of result-driven treatments has been thoughtfully created and compiled especially for this spa. They offer a combination of proven methods and techniques from around the world with naturally potent and scientifically accredited products to ensure each experience is tailored especially for their clients.

My choice of treatment was from the ESPA signature rituals; it is called the Arabian Pearl. This treatment is a true head-to-toe relaxing experience where the therapist starts with volcanic basalt stones and essential oils of clove to relieve muscle aches in a hot stone massage. This massage releases deep-seated tension and instills an overall feeling of well-being. The therapist then moves to a deep scalp massage using the ESPA Pink Hair and scalp mud, which is a unique conditioning treatment that helps promote healthy hair and scalp. It is a mineral-rich red clay made with apricot kernel oil that helps stimulate circulation and promotes healthy hair and skin.

What follows is one of the most exciting parts of the ritual: The therapist cleans the face with a toner, then turns off the lights except a hand-held light and hands you a mirror to discover the truth behind your skin problems. She explains the colors appearing on your face, such as purple (for dry skin), dark purple (for dehydrated skin), orange (for oily skin) and white (for dead skin).

After finding out what exactly you need, she then prepares a facial mask to fix your problems. This advanced facial delivers specialized lifting massage techniques in conjunction with scientifically proven super-active products rich in Argan oil, larch extract and Summer Snowflake Bulb to improve skin tone and elasticity.

As soon as the treatment was done, Kadek offered me an ESPA skincare product menu to help me shop at the spa and find the best products. The menu is very helpful and comprises a section for skin vision analysis showing the areas that need special care on the face and neck based on the therapist’s advice.

When you are finished with all your treatments, make sure to pass by the ESPA boutique where you can purchase all the products that were used in your treatment. I highly recommend you to try them as they can change your life.

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