Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts is set to launch its “most significant wellbeing offering” to date on 14 March with the unveiling of Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab, the brand’s new ultra-luxury five-star Dubai resort.

Commanding a prime location on the Dubai peninsula, adjacent to the group’s iconic Burj Al Arab property, the destination will feature a large 3,500sq m spa spread over three floors – one of which will be dedicated to women.

The upcoming spa will be bathed in natural light thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows throughout, while 13 treatment rooms will each open onto a private terrace with loungers, offering panoramic views of the Arabian Gulf.

Wellness facilities will include a fitness studio, a hammam, a sauna, a steam bath, a barbershop and a salon, as well as five private swimming pools.

Open to both guests and locals, the facility will offer a range of treatments, including a selection of rituals from Irish skincare and spa brand Ground Wellbeing, following its new global partnership with Jumeirah.

“Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab will feature our most significant wellbeing offering so far, which will be very much ingrained in all aspects of the property from spa through to F&B,” said Niamh O’Connell, Jumeirah’s vice president of wellbeing, in an exclusive interview with Spa Business.

Talise, Jumeirah’s in-house spa concept, currently exists in 14 of its properties along with a handful of other non-Talise facilities. While there’s a ‘golden thread’ of Middle Eastern influence that runs through the spas, they’re all adapted to their particular location and clientele.

Going forward, O’Connell and her team are looking to develop Jumeirah’s emphasis on wellness throughout its customer journey.

“We don’t want to see wellbeing isolated to spas – it’s going to be part of the overarching Jumeirah experience with different touch points throughout all hotels,” she explained.

“We think the family market is hugely underserved, so we’re looking at how we create offers that parents and children actually want. Families face enormous time pressures these days, so how do we create an environment where they can come together, switch off from social media and enjoy healthy activities? It may be that only one parent visits the spa, but how can we ensure that the whole family can benefit from a wellness experience while they stay with us?”

Women’s wellness, in particular perimenopause and menopause, and the male equivalent ‘andropause’, will also be brought more to the fore as well as more medical offers focused on longevity, with Jumeirah currently in ‘advanced talks’ with two potential medical providers.

More details about Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab

Designed by architect Shaun Killa of Killa Design, the super yacht-inspired Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab will feature 386 rooms and suites and 82 serviced residences all offering sweeping panoramic views over the Arabian Gulf.

Additional leisure facilities will include 11 dining concepts, nine bars, two exclusive beaches and an 82-berth superyacht club.

Global takeoverJumeirah is a subsidiary of Dubai Holding, the investment portfolio of the emirate’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid. It owns 27 properties, 12 are in Dubai and others are nearby in Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Saudi Arabia.

As part of its Mission 2030 strategy, Jumeirah plans to double its hotel portfolio by 2030.

Plans include upweighting its presence in Europe and exploring new opportunities in the US. The group will also look to capitalise on the strong growth potential of the Asia Pacific market to extend its current reach beyond its properties in China, Bali and the Maldives.

In late 2024, Jumeirah made its first foray into Africa and announced a deal to take over two of Thanda Group's existing locations in Tanzania and South Africa.