The Zen spa has officially launched at the recently-opened Salalah Rotana Resort – carved from desert rock into the Dhofar mountain range – in the southern Omani province capital of Dhofar.

The five-star 400-bedroom waterfront resort, part of the expanding brand of Rotana-operated hotels, is the Sultanate’s largest free-standing hotel in Oman. It is the 50th hotel to be operated by Rotana, representing the halfway point for the group’s target of 100 hotels by 2020.

Muriya Tourism Development – established in 2006 as a joint venture between Egypt's Orascom Development and the partially government-owned Omran – is behind the resort.

The Rotana-branded Zen spa features eight treatment rooms – four for each sex. There is also a separate couples’ room in addition to two relaxation rooms.

The spa offers guests an initial personal consultation, to help them choose from the spa menu’s six massages, body scrubs, wraps and three facial rituals.

The body scrubs and wraps begin with an all-over body exfoliation, followed by the application of serums and natural oils from crushed olives or coffee and vanilla pods. The body is then wrapped in either a hydrating mask of damask rose, evening primrose and neroli or an enriching mask of vanilla, murumuru butter and evening primrose. The therapist then performs a pressure-point scalp massage.

Other wellness facilities at the resort – which spans 15.6 million sq m (3,855 acres) – include the Bodylines Leisure & Fitness Club which comprises two swimming pools, a sauna and steamrooms, in addition to two tennis courts.

There are five food and beverage outlets at the resort ranging from traditional Arabic cooking at the Silk Road restaurant to casual dining at the Beach Bar and Restaurant.

Situated a short stroll from its 8.2km (5 miles) stretch of Salalah Beach and nestled amongst the Dhofar mountain range, the resort rises out of an elaborate network of man-made waterways which connect the property to the Indian Ocean. The waterways are filled with 105,000sq m (26 acres) of seawater, which is refreshed every four days using natural tidal patterns.

Tourists visit this region, according to the resort, because it is known as Arabia’s perfume capital for its Frankincense, used in creating renowned perfume Amouage. Other attractions include the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Al Balid – a port along the Arabian Sea where the archaeological remains of an ancient Middle Ages settlement remain.