Regular massage is an excellent way to relax and recharge—and it doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. We’ve put together a list of venues that offer first-rate massages packages—without the five-star price tag. Here are our top picks for a great massage, all QR 400 or under.
Royal Thai Lady Spa
Best deal
As the name suggests, this Al Waab-based spa specialises in Thai-style massage, which can be intense. Think of it as an assisted yoga class. A Thai massage is typically performed over loose clothing, but Royal Thai Lady Spa also offers oil massages for a more relaxed experience. For niggling aches and pains, combine the Thai massage with warm herbal compresses, which are said to improve circulation and relieve muscle pain. If you have time, we highly recommend tacking on a session in their herbal steam sauna—imbibing the scent of turmeric, menthol and lemongrass is invigorating. Massages start at QR 130/60 minutes; steam sauna is QR 60/30 minutes. Ladies only.
Tel: 4414-2400
Noon Beauty Centre
Best organic treatments
This stylish beauty salon and spa offers prenatal and postnatal massages with organic products that are safe for pregnancy. There’s also a range of therapeutic treatments that include Thai, Swedish and hot stone massage. If you haven’t yet tried a hammam, this is a good place to indulge. You get a total scrub-down in a steamy, tiled room, then treated to a softening body mask. Massages start at QR 150/60 minutes; the Moroccan bath (hammam) is QR 400/60 minutes. There are special discounts for massages on Mondays (from QR 120) as well as weekday afternoon deals on the Swedish oil massage (QR 150/60 minutes; normally QR 200) and the Moroccan bath (QR 300). Ladies only.
Tel: 4492-2330
Sawasdee Beauty & Thai Spa
Best for a Thai experience
Perhaps best known for their nail art, Sawasdee has a small range of Thai-inspired massages, as well as more relaxing oil massages. But we won’t lie—we also like the fact that there’s a Thai restaurant right next door. For a spa experience on the cheap, Sawasdee offers a package that includes an aromatherapy oil massage, a body scrub and a stint in their steam room for QR 350/120 minutes. Massages start from QR 170. There are separate wings for men and women.
Tel: 4411-1718 (ladies); 3311-2662 (men)
Relax Spa Salon
Best for baths
This downtown beauty salon offers Indian-style massages and Thai-inspired massages from QR 200/60 minutes. The Indian-style massages include shirodhara, in which warm oil is slowly poured over the forehead. Here, the treatment is a precursor to a full-body massage. Hammam-lovers will appreciate the three different types of baths, with scrubs and beauty rituals differing by region: Moroccan (QR 250), Indian (QR 300), Turkish (QR 350). Ladies only.
Tel: 7777-8891
International Chinese Body Care Houses
Best for Chinese medicine treatments
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is not easy to find in Doha, but this Chinese-style massage parlour offers various treatments for lifestyle issues that aren’t easily resolved by Western medicine. TCM services include acupuncture (QR 250), cupping (QR 150), scraping (QR 100) and reflexology (QR 150/45 minutes). They also offer tuina (QR 200), which is a therapeutic massage that uses acupressure to relieve muscle and joint pain. There’s also the usual deep tissue, hot stone, and Swedish massages, starting from QR 200 for 60 minutes.
Tel: 6646-6599
Massage Kangaroo with Nurin Abdul
Best for at-home
Nurin Abdul is a US-trained massage therapist specialising in at-home prenatal and postnatal massage. Most women can start postnatal massage within a week of delivery, even if you’ve had a caesarean section (breastfeeding on the massage table is also welcome). Nurin also offers deep tissue oil massages for women. QR 220–250/90 minutes. Ladies only.
Tel: 5039-7821
Ghoson Spa & Wellness
Best for spa junkies
This Al Wakrah-based spa has a globe-spanning array of tempting treatments—we are keen to try the lomilomi massage, which is a traditional Hawaiian technique that uses long, sweeping motions to relax the body and soothe the spirit. If Polynesian-style massages aren’t your thing, there’s East Asian reflexology, Ayurvedic treatments, Thai massages, hammam-style baths and luxury European body and facial treatments. Massages start from QR 270/30 minutes. Ladies only.
Tel: 4444-1991
Roots Hair and Beauty
Best for total body pampering
While most of us are more familiar with their hair services, Roots offers a good range of body care treatments, including aromatherapy massage (QR 250/60 minutes), Swedish massage (QR 250/60 minutes), deep tissue massage (QR 300/60 minutes), Balinese massage (QR 300/60) and a head, neck and shoulder massage (QR 125/30 minutes). Roots will tailor these treatments with elements from several massage styles to deliver a unique experience. First-time clients can enjoy a 20-percent discount, but regulars can avail of their “Yummy Mummy Mondays” which includes a hair wash and blow-dry, a mani-pedi and a head, neck and shoulder massage for QR 300. Ladies only.
Tel: 4411-4463
Desert Princess Hair & Beauty Salon
Best for Swedish massages
This hair salon offers a trio of massages that promise to relax and rejuvenate. The most popular is their 60-minute Swedish massage (QR 275; QR 375/90 minutes). They also have a hot stone massage suited for those with tight, sore muscles. For a more therapeutic treatment, try their reflexology massage (QR 150/45 minutes) which uses pressure points on the foot to rid the body of toxins. Ladies only.
Tel: 4486-4169 (Ain Khalid), 4479-5945 (Riviera Gardens)
The Diplomatic Club
Best for a tailored treatment
You might have been here a few times for beach-side dining or water sports, but The Diplomatic Club also has a lovely spa that is a good value for money. The Diplomatic Club special is one of their more popular treatments, as it’s a combination of massage styles tailored to client needs. Offerings include Swedish massage (QR 275/50 minutes), Thai massage (QR 275/50 minutes), aromatherapy massage (QR 275/50 minutes) and reflexology (QR 175/30 minutes). Discounts are available for members.
Tel: 4484-7444
Diva Lounge Spa
Best for a luxury experience
With five branches across Doha, this beauty salon offers the sort of spa packages you might expect at a luxury hotel—but without the hefty price tag. The Thai-style massages start at QR 350 for 60 minutes, while the Swedish massage is QR 300 for 60 minutes. Reflexology (QR 250/30 minutes) and prenatal massage (QR 350/60 minutes) are also available. Ladies only.
Tel: 6657-6010 (The Pearl), 4407-7117 (Gate Mall), 4432-6927 (Al Sadd) 4481-1488 (Gharaffa), 4480-2830 (Tawar Mall)
