The new year is a perfect time to leave the old behind, even if that old happens to be your old skin. After a winter ravaged by travel and perhaps too much nog, I was ready for a change. So I took my crocodile self over to the Four Seasons, where I was promised, after a traditionally-inspired treatment, I’d feel like a princess who should be lounging on sofas being fed grapes.

When I booked the appointment, it was recommended I arrive early – and when I walk in the door I see why. Every treatment also entitles you to use of the facilities, which at the Four Seasons is almost worth the price of admission alone. With both a ladies-only and co-ed section, they have everything from Lanconium beds (tile beds that heat up to keep your muscles warm and relaxed) and hot and cold plunge pools, to an ice room and colour therapy lounge (where coloured lights apparently affect your mood). With a large pool with various sections offering multiple feats of bubbles (I especially liked the foot spa), it felt almost like a treatment in and of itself. Suddenly the price tag on treatments, nearer the higher end in the city, seem like incredibly good value (at least if you have several hours to take advantage of the facilities).

After that, as I’m ushered in to start the treatment, I’m already fairly relaxed. It starts with a body polish, which my therapist tells me contains salt and date seeds to scuff off dead skin cells and loosen tired muscles. Afterwards, I’m feeling smooth without the aches and pains of many scrubs, which seem intent on taking not just the dead skin but all the skin off with them. It’s a gentle scrub that’s still effective.

Afterwards, I’m slathered in a milk and honey body mask, rolled into a warm cocoon of towels, and left to simmer. It all smells wholesome and though a little sticky, I can feel my skin sucking up whatever goodness it has to offer like a sponge. While I baste in my mask, a mini facial clears up the skin on my face, ending with an application of the mask itself and lovely smelling eye pads that will hopefully do something about the holiday-induced bags.

Then, it’s on to a milk bath. With my skin still covered in the mask, I’m told it will melt off in the bath and continue to work its magic. I make my slightly-stiff-with-dried-honey way to another treatment room where my bath awaits. There is something delightfully indulgent and evocative of old-world luxury about a milk bath, particularly one that’s speckled with rose petals and comes with a warm cup of tea.

Afterwards, feeling like a limp noodle, I’m slathered in thick moisturiser and even have my aura cleansed with a traditional Bakhour ritual, where sweet smelling smoke is blown over pulse points in my wrists and elbows, before I breathe in deeply. It reminds me of the Native American smudging ceremonies I’ve seen on documentaries, and just like them, gives me a little jolt of exotic calmness. When I’m finished, and feeling just about as active as a kitten in a sunbeam, I’m ushered into the relaxation room, given a snuggly blanket, and presented with fresh mango juice and a fruit platter to wind things up – they clearly do not do this relaxation thing by halves.

All in all, the treatment seemed to be effective – my skin felt softer and fresher, but without the slightly raw feel often created by exfoliating treatments, I got to experience something with an Arabic twist, and the next day I was still amazing my flatmates by asking them to touch my face and see how smooth it was.

Royal Arabian asrar is available all year long at the Four Seasons Spa. 105 minutes for QR870. Four Seasons Hotel, West Bay (4494 8801). Open 6am-11pm