Soulful Spaces: Inside Matcha Club Dubai

In our new series Soulful Spaces, Beautilist steps inside the places that are shaping culture and community across the region. The kind you walk into and are already planning your next visit.

For our first edition, we visit Matcha Club Dubai with Vanessa Melhem, its 24-year-old Lebanese Marketing Executive and Graphic Designer, who is helping shape one of the city’s most talked-about wellness destinations. Hidden away in Al Quoz, the design-led club first opened in 2021 and quickly became one of the first locations in Dubai to merge padel, movement, wellness and dining into a one-stop destination.

Alongside its iconic terracotta courts, lush greenery and movement studios, the club is also home to French-Japanese restaurant Nette, known for its all-day menu of colourful breakfasts, fresh salads, sandos, speciality coffee and some of the city’s most photographed matchas.

Below, Vanessa takes us inside the details, mindset and community that helped shape Matcha Club into far more than just somewhere to work out.

The Q&A

What made you first fall in love with Matcha Club?

It was the space itself. Walking into Matcha Club for the first time felt very different from anything I had seen in Dubai. It didn’t feel like a typical fitness or wellness space at all. I loved how you could come for a workout, to eat, see friends, or even take a meeting. You see all sorts of people coming to do their own thing and just wanting to spend time there.

Before Matcha Club existed, what did wellness mean to you personally?

It was quite routine-based for me. Going to a workout, eating well and maintaining a good routine. Now it’s something that is naturally integrated into my daily life. I also didn’t really think about the environment or the experience in the same way I do now.

Wellness is often driven by aesthetics and trends. What parts of it do you genuinely love and what do you remain sceptical about?

I love it when aesthetics enhance your experience and when design actually makes you feel something! For me, stepping into Matcha Club feels like a little escape, a small oasis with greenery that engulfs you. I’m more sceptical of anything that feels performative or overly trend-driven, where it looks good online but doesn’t translate in real life.

Love is often romanticised, but building something long-term requires discipline. What does love look like in the day-to-day reality of running Matcha Club?

The small things! Keeping the standard consistent, refining details most people wouldn’t usually notice and thinking about how everything is communicated visually and physically. Plus, staying intentional!

What have you had to be most intentional about protecting — your time, energy, values, or personal life — in order to help build this space?

Definitely values. Especially from a marketing and creative perspective, it’s easy to say yes to everything, but we’ve had to be selective about collaborations and opportunities to make sure they truly align with the brand.

What part of Matcha Club have you grown to love more than you expected?

The people and the community. The way people have made it their own, introduced their friends to it, spend time here, and how naturally it becomes part of their routine.

Talk to us about the introduction of the new heat classes?

To me, heat adds a new layer to a workout. It’s more challenging, intense, and immersive, forcing you to slow down and really focus on your breath. It’s not just about pushing harder. It’s about being more present and aware of your body.

When you strip away metrics, growth and external expectations, what do you really love about what you do now — and how is that different from when you first started?

What I love most now is the creative process! Seeing something go from a thought into an actual experience that people can interact with. In the beginning, I was learning and observing a lot. Now, I’m more involved in shaping the direction and how things come together, which makes it feel much more personal and rewarding.

What is next for Matcha Club?

Continuing to grow! New spaces, new concepts, but always staying true to the original feeling that made people connect with Matcha Club in the first place.