A refreshing stay at the Zulal Wellness Resort, an inspiring, kid-friendly hotel

Last winter, we spent around ten days in Qatar. We chose to end our stay with a four-night stay at the Zulal Wellness Resort. We were very excited to discover this very unique hotel. This wellness interlude was a real success and far exceeded our expectations. Here are the reasons why you too should treat your family to a break in this unique place.

The hotel is located just over an hour from Doha, on the edge of a clear blue sea surrounded by mangroves. Accompanied by a guide, we walked through the mangrove at low tide and learned why it is so important to preserve it. Our son really enjoyed discovering this natural environment and planting plants that help to preserve the environment.

The kids’ club is divided into four studios, organised according to the age of the children. The place lives up to its name: Discovery. Children and their parents are invited to discover lots of things about themselves and about local culture and nature. We also took part in a pottery workshop, a father-son football massage session, a family quiz to find out more about each other’s tastes and desires, and a fantastic healthy cooking workshop in which Achille prepared vegan chocolate bars with almonds and apricots.

Every evening we played paddle on the beach area as a family. What fun… We really appreciated the fact that these activities took place as a family and weren’t just reserved for the parents. We had the feeling that we were experiencing special moments of sharing that are sometimes complicated to organise in our daily lives, which go by at 100 miles an hour.

Achille also took part in numerous activities supervised by the kids’ club team, several of whom speak French. It all started at check-in, where he was looked after in a lovely open-plan room specially designed for children. While my husband and I dealt with the welcome formalities over a cup of tea, Achille was invited to take part in a mini-workshop aimed at introducing himself and giving him a playful introduction to the place where he would be staying and, above all, to the activities on offer.  His first name was even written in chalk on a large board hanging on the wall, along with a word of welcome. Wow!

We had opted to stay in connecting rooms. There are also larger suites, but they don’t separate the living room from the parents’ bedroom. Our rooms were extremely comfortable and had a terrace overlooking the pool.

The wellness programme that the hotel put together for us was very interesting to follow and had almost immediate effects. My husband’s back pain disappeared thanks to his daily stretching sessions and I was relieved of the tension that is constantly lodged in the back of my neck when I’m in Brussels. The food is super healthy and very tasty, the spa treatments are done to perfection and the advice given by the wellness specialists is relevant. Special mention should be made of the consultation with the doctor specialising in traditional Arabic medicine, who establishes your profile and then gives you advice and concocts remedies with the help of the herbalist.

What surprised us most during our stay was the level of service and discreet luxury we enjoyed. Here, everything is designed for your comfort, your every wish is anticipated and the cocoon in which you stay has a positive effect on your body and mind. The concept really works, so much so that to tell you the truth, when we left the hotel at the end of our stay, I couldn’t hold back my tears at the thought of leaving this temple of tranquillity.

All we want to do now is return to the Zulal every year for a family break.

Mum’s advice:

– The hotel’s pools are particularly suitable for young children, thanks to their shallow lagoon bottoms.

– If you stay at the Zulal between December and April, make sure you bring a jacket or a little wool as it can sometimes be chilly in the evening.

– Live the experience to the full, and follow the family programme put together by your Advisor, even if the schedule can sometimes be hectic. The activities are very well thought out and really beneficial!

– At Zulal, although Wi-Fi is not permitted in public areas, it is available in the rooms. The opposite is true of alcohol, which is not offered at all. Rest assured, the mocktails offered each day are delicious and will soon make you forget your glass of wine.