The Middle East’s largest and first full immersion wellness destination, Zulal Wellness Resort by Chiva-Som, is providing an unmissable opportunity for families and groups of friends to enjoy a wellbeing escape like no other,  by offering an additional complimentary room for two children under 16, with any two adults booking until 31 August 2023 in its family Zulal Discovery resort.

An innovative range of kids’ retreats..

All retreats have been expertly tailored to four specific age-groups, encouraging younger guests to engage with and explore healthy lifestyle habits, giving them the best possible foundations on which to build. The Zulal Explore Junior (ages 4-8), Zulal Adventure Teens (ages 9-12) and Zulal Young Adults (ages 13-17) retreats are designed to be enjoyed as part of a family holiday. Created to help foster stronger connections between generations and promote bonding, an array of over 200 curated experiences, activities and treatments are rooted in education, sports, creativity and nutrition to reinvigorate growth as a family unit.

The retreats include a balance of fitness and recreational activities to stimulate, along with age-appropriate holistic treatments.  In Zulal Explore, younger children are encouraged to explore their physicality with water activities including a family kayaking eco-safari, agility games and dancing; and nature activities including visits to the nearby mangrove and tree-hugging hunts. Indoor pursuits include baking fruit cupcakes, making wellness bath bombs and Story Time meditation.  Zulal Adventure balances more structured activities like photography and upcycling workshops, swimming lessons and badminton with dynamic sessions where pre-teens can explore their own and societal attitudes and values – building the skills to look after their own wellbeing and develop positive relationships with peers and adults.

Zulal Young Adults..

Here we encourage a broad range of mental and physical skill sets to help establish self-esteem and launch adolescents on a positive path of self-discovery. Fitness activities and playful exercises such as beach Olympics, rounders, Zumba, SUP and frisbee. There is plenty of time for creative pursuits, from documentary making, introductory guitar or piano lessons and crafts, to exploring the importance of nutrition through local ingredients and techniques in the cooking studio.

All the retreats provide a holistic journey by introducing and developing mindfulness and breathing meditation, and therapies such as Reiki and Shiro Abhyanga.  Age-appropriate treatments include head and shoulder massages and grooming services like manicures and pedicures. Zulal Wellness Resort’s family counsellors are on-hand to provide guidance and the tools needed for families to replicate and incorporate new healthy habits into their daily routines upon returning home, from engaging with healthy food choices, enjoying mealtimes mindfully and staying active as a family, to introducing mindfulness breathing as part of bedtime routines.

World-class facilities…

 Zulal Discovery offers state-of-the-art facilities with 120 guestrooms and suites, each anticipating the needs of modern families with interconnected rooms and carefully designed amenities; child wellness centre, Discovery Oasis; and a variety of relaxed dining venues offering imaginative kids’ menus.  The resort has dedicated spaces for each age group, conceived around the characteristics of desert animals, as metaphors for developing key life skills in a playful way.

The Hedgehog Nursery encourages 0-3-year-olds to open their minds to the wonders of creative play and discovery of the world around them. The Fox’s Den, a metaphor for intelligence, is designed for guests aged 4-8 years to build cognitive development through physical and brain training exercises and focussing on creativity through arts and crafts; base camp for 9-12s is The Falcon Studio, signifying wisdom, vision and protection; while The Oryx Workshop, symbolising the strength and endurance of the desert oryx, was conceived for teens (13-17) with music, indoor games and lounge areas.

Families can also enjoy the resort’s open-air cinema, showcasing an international collection of films alongside freshly cooked, healthy food and drinks; a beachside fire pit; and an expansive outdoor family swimming pool.

Elegant Resorts (www.elegantresorts.co.uk; 01244 897271) can arrange a five-night Kids on Us package at Zulal Wellness Resort by Chiva-Som from GBP7,330 per family, based on two adults and two children under 12yrs sharing two interconnecting rooms.

Price is based on Deluxe Lagoon View accommodation including one complimentary room; family consultation with the Health & Wellness Advisor; three wellness cuisine meals daily; choice of one daily treatment (from invigorating massage, oriental scalp massage, signature full body Tadleekmassage or signature relaxing Al Qadam foot massage); access to the Discovery Oasis wellness centre activities and facilities such as hydrothermal area, sauna, steam, outdoor pool and gymnasia; in-room private bar; daily laundry service for three pieces of sports attire; return Qatar Airways flights including UK airport lounge passes; and return private airport transfers from Doha – plus treatment and activity inclusions from the selected retreat.

For more information visit www.zulal.com.