Review: A holistic retreat at Thai hotel Chiva-Som
Aspire checks in to Asia’s first health and wellness resort
Location: You’ll find Asia’s first health and wellness resort, and one of the world’s premier destination spas, hidden away off an urban street in the coastal city of Hua Hin in southern Thailand. A three-hour drive from the capital Bangkok, Hua Hin is where the Thai royal family heads for the holidays, with three miles of beautiful sandy beaches, street food stalls and night markets, plus forests and waterfalls beyond.
First impressions: Leaving the tooting taxis and tuk-tuks of Hua Hin behind, we enter Chiva-Som’s soul-soothing reception, where we’re greeted with a traditional Thai wai – a slight bow with hands pressed together – and presented with garlands of roses and jasmine. A welcome tea surrounded by fragrant orchids in the tropical lakeside lounge follows, offering views of the lush, three-hectare oasis, before we’re whisked through the resort in a golf buggy to our room.
The facts: This multi-award-winning hotel offers exceptional tailored wellness programmes and 16 transformative retreats, encompassing six signature themes – spa, holistic health, nutrition, physiotherapy, fitness and aesthetic beauty. Guests can take part in up to 12 daily classes, such as tai chi, meditation and yoga. The resort’s poolside restaurant Taste of Siam serves Thai wellness cuisine, while The Emerald Room offers elevated dining, with a new pescatarian menu.
Ideal for: Anyone looking for a holistic wellness retreat or the chance to recharge and reset their health goals and intentions. I stayed at Chiva-Som with a friend, but solo guests will feel completely at home. It’s also a great option for couples looking to spend quality time to reconnect.
Explore: Hua Hin’s Cicada arts and crafts market is a short wander away, or try the resort’s watersports such as jetskiing or paddleboarding, available on the beach, before taking a dip in the Gulf of Thailand. Chiva-Som also offers tours of its nearby organic garden and the mangrove regeneration project, which it funds. Farther afield, taste some Thai wines on a tour of the Monsoon Valley Vineyard, or visit the pretty Pa La-U Waterfall in the breathtaking forests of Kaeng Krachan National Park.
Wow: Chiva-Som’s 54 rooms and suites are imbued with a spirit of calm, through restful lighting and clean, contemporary design, which elegantly blends the use of teak, bamboo and silk. All rooms have a complimentary mini bar and butler, with ocean rooms and suites overlooking the Gulf of Thailand, and secluded and spacious traditional Thai pavilions set in the resort’s beautiful tropical gardens.
Book it: A double Ocean Room leads in at £716 per person per night with a minimum three-night stay requirement. The price includes three daily meals, tailored daily signature treatments, and access to facilities and group classes.
chivasom.com
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