ETTravelWorld(ETTW): You are promoting your Qatar Wellness resort as the region's ‘full immersion wellness resort’. How do you justify it in terms of product and product offerings? Daniele Vastolo(DV): Zulal Wellness Resort by Chiva-Som is the region’s largest wellness resort and the first to offer complete 360-degree holistic wellness services that connect the mind, body, and spirit. We are also the world's first to offer Traditional Arabic & Islamic Medicine (TAIM) – based treatments encompassing nutrition and family wellness.
We have tied up with Worldwide Kids UK, the leader in hotel childcare management, to provide a healthy development program for children of all ages, to help them learn, and enhance their brain development and mindfulness at our Discovery Oasis. The Discovery Oasis is located at the Zulal Discovery – a dedicated area for family members to enjoy their wellness stays together. Meanwhile, the Zulal Serenity is for guests seeking family bonding and to make wellness an integral part of the family experience.
Zulal Discovery was developed, with programmes customised for multigenerations and specific age groups. Our facilities have been designed by child and family specialists to bring families together. Accommodation is offered in a range of set-ups across 120 rooms and suites.
Another key feature of our resort is the digital detox policy which we apply in all public areas, powered by the vastness of the desert surrounding, and unobstructed views of the ocean, offering guests a unique opportunity to fully disconnect and reconnect with nature.
We invite guests aged 16 and above to explore Zulal Serenity, the adults-only side of the resort boasting 60 rooms and suites offering a calming backdrop to individual journeys of wellness. Programmes are tailored to individual health needs, whether for relaxation, detoxing, weight management, or fitness.
We are confident that our guests will have an exceptional experience and enjoy our amazing facilities. Zulal Wellness Resort will redefine the concept of wellness, offering unprecedented services that appeal to all members of the community.
ETTW: While taking the brand to a new region altogether, how are you making sure that the brand makes sense to the new audience without losing your identity which is based on Southeast Asian hospitality? DV: We follow Chiva-Som’s hospitality value called ‘Jai Thai’, which means service from the heart in Thai. It is one of the mandatory ethics that we practice. It is our ‘credo’ in our day-to-day interactions with our guests, or colleagues which influences our service standards as well.
In our daily interactions with guests and staff, we have as well adopted ‘Marhaba’ which means ‘Welcome’, and we place our hand on the heart, a gesture that reflects our service and greetings from our hearts, linking it back to the ‘Jai Thai’ concept.
ETTW: What are the key opportunities that you see in the new destination and what difference the property will be making to the hospitality offerings of the place? DV: We are offering a destination that captures the leisure and wellness market in Qatar and beyond, born out of Qatar’s 2030 Vision to achieve the sustainability goal through wellness.
The name “Zulal”, which refers to “pure water”, is inspired by the people’s historic journey across the land to the sea and the ever-present search for water, the seed of life – a concept that encapsulates the history, culture, and heritage of Qatar. Drawing on Chiva-Som’s many years of expertise catering to a global audience whilst retaining an inextricable connection with the local culture, we will offer the highest international service standards rooted in traditional Qatari hospitality.
Spanning 280,000 square meters, the resort is around an hour’s drive from Qatar’s international hub of Doha, offering excellent accessibility from across the globe. A specially developed menu of Arabic and Mediterranean wellness cuisine, as well as cutting-edge architecture and services inspired by local heritage, ensure we are in the perfect position to become a true showcase of Qatari culture, both traditional and modern.
ETTW: What is your focus on markets like India as the region has a sizeable Indian diaspora? DV: India is one of our key markets, drawing on the historic relations the country shares with the gulf region. India is known all over the world for its distinguished wellness practices, particularly the Ayurveda which is one, that is very present in our resort’s offering.
We believe that wellness enthusiasts from India will be eager to explore and discover what Qatar has to offer in the wellness sector. Practicing wellness is not an ideology but actual programs and techniques that will ultimately lead to a better life.
Read more
