Leila Haddad
Senior Wellness Editor
8 years experience
About Leila
Dubai-based wellness journalist with eight years covering MENA spa and beauty. Trained spa therapist; speaks Arabic, French and English. Has visited every featured Spalist listing personally.
Areas of expertise
- Moroccan hammam tradition
- Luxury spa standards
- Therapist certification
- Treatment review
Leila's editorial principles
First-hand visits only
Leila has personally walked every spa she covers — the treatment rooms, the changing facilities, the reception flow. The brand visit log lives in our editor CMS and is cross-referenced when she revisits a venue for a guide update.
Hotel-spa scepticism
Leila's MENA-spa beat means she has visited most international hotel brands. Her published critique generally skews toward the independents — the rationale being that hotel spas often optimise around the resort guest experience rather than walk-in repeat customers. She makes that bias explicit in every hotel-spa write-up.
Treatment training
Trained as a spa therapist herself. That technical background informs the depth of detail in her treatment write-ups — particularly hammam, deep tissue and traditional Moroccan rituals.
Recent guides by Leila
- Seasonal
Ramadan Spa Hours in the UAE: What's Open, What's Adjusted (2026)
Most UAE spas stay open during Ramadan with shifted hours — typically opening later and running through the night. Here's what to expect and how to plan.
Updated 2026-05-29 · 6 min read
- Newcomer
Your First UAE Spa Visit: Etiquette, Tipping, Booking & What to Expect
A no-fluff guide to your first UAE spa: how to book, what to wear, how much to tip, how the gender rules work, and what to actually do once you're there.
Updated 2026-05-29 · 8 min read
How we work
Leilawrites from first-hand experience. Every spa recommended is one she or he has personally visited. Every featured listing is independently verified, and Spalist's editorial coverage is funded only by featured placement fees — never by influencing which spas earn editor picks. Editorial integrity is also subject to our published editorial standards and review policy.