The treatment The cost

Valentine’s Treat Dh1,110 per person, including the add-on 75-minute Oxygen Facial.

With its entrance of thousands of twinkling lights and a couple’s suite bigger than some people’s apartments, it’s easy to fall in love with the Spa InterContinental.

We had been booked in for the headto-toe Valentine’s Treat, which began with a bamboo scrub after lying down on adjacent beds. That doesn’t mean we were anywhere near each other – there was a sauna, shower, washroom, huge double bath, two beds, a male and a female therapist in the room and still enough space to play ping-pong without nudging each other.

But we soon forgot about the cavernous couple’s suite as the therapist set to work gently exfoliating to slough off dead skin.

A quick shower later, and the hourlong signature massage began. The spa uses its own oil, made from ginger, honey and lemongrass, which smelled divine, and I was soon struggling to stay awake as the therapist tackled the knots in my shoulders and back using long, deep, Balinese techniques. This means the therapist attacked my sore neck and lower back with a combination of thumb and palm pressure, which loosened my muscles and eradicated the knots.

Now it was time for the 75-minute Oxygen Facial to cleanse my face and leave it glowing. After cleansing, toning, and massaging – which felt a little like a skin gym to give my face an uplift – my therapist used a mixture of brightening creams and oxygenated ampoules, which left my skin radiant.

We could have had a private 20-minute rose-petal bath but I didn’t want to lose the benefits of the gorgeous oils so we left, positively glowing. I’ll use any excuse to go back. 8am to 10pm

Call 04 701 1257 or email spa.icdfc@ihg.com