Massages return to the UAE: Ajman announces hotel spas can reopen

Fairmont Ajman will be one of the first to reopen its spa on Friday, June 26

The Willow Stream Spa at Fairmont Ajman is one of the first in the UAE to reopen to customers. Courtesy Willow Stream Spa

If you've developed a crick in your neck during the past three months of staring at your laptop at the kitchen table, you're in luck: you can soon visit a spa again in Ajman.

In new hotel guidelines released by Ajman Tourism, the emirate has eased its restrictions on spas and is allowing them to reopen for business at 50 per cent capacity.

In recent months, restrictions regarding beauty services have eased across the Emirates, allowing services such as hairdressers, nail and beauty salons and at-home beauty services to reopen, with strict guidelines. Restrictions vary between each  emirate.

However, until now, hotels across the entire country have had to keep their spas shuttered.

Willow Stream Spa at Fairmont Ajman has announced it will take bookings from Friday, June 26, making it one of the first dedicated spas to reopen in the UAE.

In a statement, Fairmont Ajman said it had obtained approvals from the Ajman Tourism Development Department, and would resume operations immediately. This also includes the hotel's private hammam room.

As a reopening offer, Fairmont Ajman is giving guests 20 per cent off the spa menu when booking the hotel's UAE residents’ staycation offer, which offers a 20 per cent discount on the best available room rate, as well as a 20 per cent discount on food and drinks.

As part of the reopening, Ajman Tourism set out a number of strict guidelines for spas to follow. These include conducting temperature checks on every person before entry, enforcing social-distancing measures, sanitising furniture after each individual use, cleaners to be on hand to provide ongoing cleaning and sterilising, spa staff to wear gloves, face masks and a face shield, and visible signage outside the spa to state the maximum capacity.

Food and drinks are allowed to be served, and changing rooms, lockers and showers are allowed to open.