Second SensAsia site welcomes male market and is also the first spa to offer Eve Lom in Dubai.
SensAsia Urban Spa has expanded to The Palm Jumeriah in Dubai with a second site twice the size of the original facility expected to open at the end of this month.
"We've had to take a ground floor space and make it work for us, so it's in a residential building but yet it's part of a beach club. The concept is great but we've had serious challenges construction-wise to make it work," said SensAsia owner Salina Handa.
The spa is split into two separate spas; one female and one male or unisex, which includes a couples' suite. There are separate receptions for each and 10 treatment rooms in total.
"Operationally it will be difficult; we have two back of houses. It's like running two separate spas. That will be our biggest challenge," said Handa.
As with SensAsia Urban Spa The Village in Jumeirah, there are no wet facilities at the new spa.
"We want to remain quite urban and I don't want to do too much different to SensAsia Jumeirah as I don't want client expectations to shift; I want people to know exactly what they're coming to get," said Handa.
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be some unique services at SensAsia on The Palm though, including valet parking, SensHim male treatments, and beach access.
"We've got a beach facility as well, so if clients come in and do a longer treatment or a package they'll get beach passes and there's also a restaurant (Veda) which is very health-oriented.
"It's a separate business altogether, but we have a tie-up with them and we'll do spa days including the beach, a treatment and lunch and then clients can come back and use the pool - you can't do that in Jumeirah," said Handa.
"And in the winter months, if all goes well, we'll have an outdoor spa pavilion for massages. Imagine doing that in sunset; it will be stunning," she said.
Another exclusive feature of SensAsia will be Eve Lom facial treatments and products. SensAsia will be the first spa in Dubai to offer the 14 famous skincare products, supplied by The Product House.
I actually tried to get Eve Lom here myself a couple of years ago. When Janette Gladstone-Watts from The Product House told me she was getting Eve Lom, I made sure we were the first to get it," revealed Handa.
She added that clients have expressed an interest in the brand and that the client base for the new spa would be a mix of existing users and Palm residents.
"A lot of clients have moved out here which is good because that will ease some of the traffic at SensAsia Jumeirah as we're so busy there," said Handa.
Of growing demand she added: "This is the start, then a domino effect happens, we waited so long to expand but now there's a lot more in the pipeline. Maybe after about a year we'll see if more open up.
"It's very difficult being a privately-owned, non-chain to get our foot in the door anywhere, but now they see that we've got something to offer, so it's great that we have people coming to us," said Handa.
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