Wellness has dominated the health, beauty and fitness industry for the past few years, shifting the focus from traditional gyms and workouts to one-stop destinations that emphasise building mental, physical and spiritual strength and resilience.
Wellness aficionados, it seems, want more out of their “third space” than ever before.
In line with this trend, wellness clubs have become hugely popular, combining fitness facilities, health and beauty treatments, as well as mindful and holistic sessions that members used to have to travel to different locations for all in one place.
“We see a broad mix of clients united by a shared interest in a thoughtful, proactive approach to health and well-being,” says Emirati entrepreneur Asma Hilal Lootah, founder of The Hundred Wellness Centre in Dubai. While she says clients can be drawn to a variety of traditional or holistic systems, others are firmly clinically oriented and many more fall somewhere in between.
“There is a strong public interest in holistic and preventive approaches to health, fitness and well-being, which is being legitimised by the government. It has established a federal council dedicated to complementary and traditional healthcare,” says Lootah.
Rather than traditional gyms, which might put their focus on keeping the best-in-class gym equipment or the latest fitness trends, from Lagree to reformer Pilates, these clubs’ priorities are to stay up to date with the latest wellness trends, too. Think spaces that may have previously been viewed as simply a gym, offering experiences such as “contrast therapy” – a popular health ritual that involves moving between an extremely cold plunge pool or ice bath and a hot, humid infrared sauna to boost circulation, reduce muscle tension and elevate dopamine – readily available.
They’re also home to cafes and restaurants featuring menus tailored to the wants and needs of their health-conscious clientele, such as Seven Wellness Club in Dubai. Its in-house restaurant, The Dose, serves dishes curated “by the world’s leading biohacking chef” Silvena Rowe.
“It’s not just about relaxing; it’s about leaving with a renewed feeling that stays with you long after your visit,” says Alexander Orlov, founder of Bulldozer Spa & Bath Division.
Orlov will launch Sacra in Jumeirah in March this year. A 2,400-square-metre wellness centre, it will offer workouts, personal training, a sauna, hammam and spa treatments, which he says is “created for people who want a place where they can truly reset”.
Then, there’s the social aspect, bringing in an element reminiscent of traditional private members’ clubs, which are designed to bring people together around common interests. Similarly, many wellness clubs organise regular post-work or weekend meet-ups for clients looking to connect. Peaq in Al Quoz, for example, calls itself the “first social wellness club in the Middle East” and hosts supper clubs and regular talks by health and fitness experts.
As an increasing number of wellness clubs pop up around Dubai, it’s a reminder that supply usually follows demand. And judging by a handful of development projects in the works, the demand for immersion in wellness is definitely there. Earlier this year, Therme Dubai was announced as a “wellness destination” set to open in 2028 in Zabeel Park. Approved by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, who regularly shares his own love of fitness on social media, will further elevate the local wellness scene.
“There is a strong public interest in holistic and preventive approaches to health, fitness and well-being,” says Lootah. “This renewed respect for time-tested healing systems feels like a natural evolution towards a more balanced approach to health, fitness and well-being characterised as ‘whole-person care’.”
Here are six wellness centres in Dubai and Abu Dhabi offering treatments from cryotherapy and red-light mat yoga to breathwork and Pilates with butterflies.
Sacra, Jumeirah 1, Dubai
Opening its doors in March, Sacra is described as an “immersive, large-format wellness destination” that’s “moving beyond traditional spa models”.
The hydrothermal area includes a Turkish hammam, Finnish sauna, speciality steam rooms, Jacuzzis, ice baths, cold plunge barrels, cryotherapy chamber, pressure chamber and a floating area and salt grotto designed to support respiratory cleansing and skin health. Guests can choose from a range of spa and skin treatments, as well as personalised workouts.
The Sacra Restaurant offers all-day dining and a menu of Mediterranean and Eastern European dishes, as well as steakhouse options, plus there are three VIP suites to choose from. Sacra will also be home to a Russian banya, a traditional wood-heated, high-humidity bathhouse.
Opening March 2026
Peaq, Al Quoz, Dubai
Peaq, which opened in November 2024, has created a hushed, peaceful ambience, thanks to its smooth, poured-concrete interiors that contrast with its industrial surroundings.
Exercise classes are gentle rather than high-octane, including Lagree, the high-intensity, low-impact fitness method that uses a machine called the Megaformer to perform slow, controlled movements, plus red-light mat yoga, where exercises are performed on an LED mat with the aim of improving cellular repair and reducing pain. They also offer stretching therapy, guided meditations, breathwork and contrast therapy. Leaning into their social and community aims, the team hosts supper clubs for members.
Open Monday to Sunday, 8am-9pm, Goshi Warehouse City 2 Warehouse 25, Al Quoz Industrial 3, Dubai, 058 826 9066
The Bridge, Al Qana, Abu Dhabi
Describing itself as a “haven for those seeking balance, growth and a supportive wellness experience”, the capital’s 8,000-square-metre wellness hub has every aspect of physical, mental and emotional fitness covered. Think gym and class space, spa, soak pool, restaurant and concept store.
Traditional fitness is covered with dedicated cardio and strength zones, group classes, tailored personal training sessions, yoga, Pilates and a 200-metre indoor running track. At the spa, there are massages and facials on the menu, along with specialised recovery treatments such as hyperbaric oxygen and hydrogen therapy, electrical pulsing neurostimulation and recovery boots featuring seven compression levels to reduce muscle soreness.
The Bridge also hosts regular off-site events, including gentle Pilates with butterflies at The Butterfly Gardens and yoga, both at The National Aquarium, along with a book club and specialised talks by experts.
Open Monday to Thursday, 5.30am–11pm; Friday, 5.30am–9pm; Saturday and Sunday, 8am–9pm; Al Qana, Al Maqta Street, Rabdan Al Maqta, Abu Dhabi, 02 616 4555
The Hundred Wellness Centre, Jumeirah, Dubai
Launched in 2008 as a Pilates studio by Emirati entrepreneur Asma Hilal Lootah, the studio’s ethos expanded into a full wellness centre in 2014.
Offering a 360º approach to wellness, fitness options are low-key – Pilates and Gyrotonic – and are offered alongside a host of treatments and sessions from life coaching to homoeopathy.
For the body, dry needling promotes increased blood flow, oxygen and nutrients on a cellular level; lymphatic drainage massage helps the body naturally clear out toxins and excess fluid; while homoeopathy sessions take a holistic approach to relieving symptoms and improving overall health. For the mind and spirit, expert coaches offer guidance and advice for life, career and marriage.
Open Saturday to Thursday, 7am–8pm, closed Fridays, Street 53b Jumeirah 1, Dubai, 04 344 7333
Seven Wellness Club, Al Quoz, Dubai
With locations in Dubai and Ibiza, Seven melds fitness, recovery and longevity, drawing on expertise and experience from both the UAE and the White Island.
The gym has modern and traditional equipment for those who like to get their sweat on, along with classes including Hyrox, dance and body sculpt, while the studio hosts classes in reformer and mat Pilates, yoga, stretching and meditation.
Unwind in the spa with its short selection of massages and dry cupping aimed at detoxifying and improving circulation.
Dining comes courtesy of in-house restaurant The Dose, where the menu features health-conscious ingredients such as matcha, acai and microgreens, alongside many organic options.
They also offer a cold plunge and customised IV drips.
Open Monday to Friday, 5.30am-11pm; Saturday and Sunday, 7am–8pm, Al Manara Road, Dubai 04 232 3737
