Get a “Kitty-cure” at world’s first Hello Kitty Beauty Spa

Tired out from shopping? Pamper your nails with a ‘”Kitty-cure” or relax with a chocolate “Kitty Glam” facial in the world’s first Hello Kitty Beauty Spa in Jumeirah, Dubai.

The spa, opened just last month, has a kitschy Parisian theme conceived by Japanese designer Miyuki Okamura.

It features saccharine-sweet pastel hues of pink, silver, and cream on boudoir-style furniture and lavish, cloth-draped pink chandeliers.

Currently, the spa offers mainly manicures and pedicures as well as foot massages and facials, but eventually intends to extend its business to a “Kitty Cafe” serving organic cupcakes.

Ambitiously, the Spa targets not just young girls and their indulgent parents, but grown women who are fans of the world’s most famous mouth-less cat, offering both “Princess” options for the girls and “Queen” prices for adults.

Despite steep prices for the luxury spa services, there have been no lack of customers for the Spa, located strategically in upscale Jumeirah, and several children have already held over-the-top Kitty parties there.

“I think it was only a matter of time that something like that opened, but I’m surprised that it opened in Dubai – its usually Asian countries which have a solid enough fan base to sustain businesses like that in the long term.” said consumer expert Geraldine Ho, 56, who is based in Hong Kong.

Just as outspoken about the Kitty spa are its fans, though, so are its detractors.

“I think its excessive and I think its in bad taste to open a spa like that when the world is in recession.” said Briton Jane Crawley, 45, who has worked in Dubai for seven years as an business analyst. “It’s just another whim of the super-rich people here and I think that it sends the wrong values.”

The Beauty Spa joins a long list of venues and products spawned by Sanrio’s most famous import –

Japan, home to Hello Kitty, has two theme parks – “Kawaii Paradise” in Odaiba, Tokyo, and Puroland, also in Tokyo.

In Beijing, the “Hello Kitty Dreams Restaurant” serves Kitty burgers complete with rounded bows, while all the way in the Netherlands, a Japanese restaurant serves Hello Kitty themed high-tea sets.

In Taiwan, expectant mothers can give birth in Hello Kitty-themed maternity wards while fans can fly with her onboard Eva Airline’s Hello Kitty themed flights.

With the long time lunch queues here sparked by yet another Hello Kitty/Mc Donald’s collectible craze, we wouldn’t be surprised if Singapore was next on the cat’s list for world spa domination.