LIFESTYLE | WELLNESS
Rosewood Amaala - Spa pond
the mind , body , and soul by maximising the benefits provided by the tranquillity of the desert , traditions of the region , and ingredients indigenous to it .
Take Saudi ’ s flagship wellness retreat , and the World ’ s Best New Wellness Retreat in 2022 , Habitas AlUla – a desert-based ecoluxury villa resort that pays homage to the traditions of the region .
Habitas is the first property to inhabit AlUla , the ancient desert region of Saudi famed for its breath-taking landscapes and millennium-old archaeological sites , which is being transformed into a holistic wellness destination .
An oasis of calm and wellbeing , focused on sustainability , community , and shared experience , Habitas is home to eco-friendly practices ( think electric cars and farm-to-table practices ) and immersive experiences that are rooted in local traditions and designed to restore and relax , sustain , and nourish .
“ Habitas AlUla is an experience-led resort , aimed at the modern traveller , with a mindset to rewire intrinsic behaviours for ultimate happiness and satisfaction ,” says Oliver Ripley , Habitas Co-Founder & CEO . “ Everything we do is based on connection and sustainability .”
Fire meditation , sound healing , Tibetan tapping , breathwork , restorative yoga , art
and culture walks and canyon trekking are among the wellness practices offered against a striking backdrop of ancient rock formations and dunes , with the resort playing host to the 16-day AlUla Wellness Festival , themed around the healing power of silence , later this year .
The resort ’ s Thuraya Wellness Centre , named after a star-constellation used by Bedouins to navigate , features a wellness agora and yoga deck , and delivers treatments combining Middle Eastern wellness techniques with local ancestral practices , like the date seed body scrub . While , within the on-site alchemy bar , wellness practitioners conjure up oils and masks using local plants and ingredients like salts and clay .
Full moon Arabic-inspired massage under the stars , anyone ?
Wellness-focused property , Banyan Tree AIUla , has also opened in the ancient city . With its all-villa tented resort flanked by sandstone mountains , and a bespoke wellbeing offer that uses natural and native ingredients and fuses ancient Arabian practices with Banyan Tree ’ s Thai roots , the resort promises guests a truly holistic and immersive approach to wellness .
3,000 The number of hotel rooms that will occupy Amaala , the world ’ s first integrated family wellness destination being created on Saudi ’ s northwestern coast
86 June 2023