Chiva Som Luxury Health Resort in Thailand Review
Written by Olivia Richardson: 27-August-2010
The gorgeous seasalt pool near the ocean
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Kate Moss, Liz Hurley, Elle Macpherson, and David and Victoria Beckham love it – and you'd possibly be mad if you didn't too.
Chiva Som is a luxury health resort in Hua Hin, Thailand, nestled in 7 acres of lush tropical gardens and gorgeously in front of the beach.
It’s a holistic heaven and staying there feels like you’re enclaved in a nurturing cocoon. It’s 7-star pampering in a very friendly and comfortable way.
Chiva Som is always winning awards and has been in the top-3 best spa list in most high-end publications around the world for the past 10 years.
While the resort is gorgeous and Thai-style, don’t expect a ridiculously lavish hotel (it’s nice and 5-star but not like Burj Al Arab in Dubai or anything!). The main hype about Chiva Som is the amazing service, attention to detail, organic cuisine; world-class health, beauty and wellbeing treatments and the overall feeling you have while there.
They’ve thought of everything to make your stay gorgeous – even little things from personalised aromatherapy blends lit by staff in your room every evening, ‘homemade’ natural skin- and haircare products in your room, and cool lemongrass tea while you wait for treatments, to free shuttle bus to Hua Hin night market (I’d only recommend an hour there – very touristy and kinda tacky stuff), ice-cold water brought to you as you soak up the sun on deckchairs, and free internet in your room and in the library.
You also sign a form on arrival saying you won’t use your mobile phone, computer or camera in public (only allowed in your room) to maintain the “away from the world” vibe that’s so nourishing and also so celebrities (and you) don’t get snapped. Children under 16 years of age aren’t allowed either.
On arrival
When you arrive at the resort, you’ll have an appointment with a Health and Wellness consultant to design a program that’s safe, effective and helps you reach your goals and needs. And be warned: they can see right through you. They uncannily feel and just know what you really need. I went in deadset on a spa program but I think I was in denial because I really needed the healing one – which is what the consultant gently suggested. And she was right.
The things you learn here can really change your life. You’ll slow down, learn to take time out, stay calm and eat healthily.
The award-winning spa cuisine is gorgeous but at first glance – tiny. Like a mini-entrée – a few bites. You’ll get used to it and you can order as many plates as you like. I actually lost 2 kilos while there. The food is made from organically grown fruits and vegetables from the Chiva Som garden, and you can dine in the elegant Emerald Room, or pool- and beachside at the more casual Taste of Siam restaurant (next to the lush sea salt water pool).
If you’re travelling alone (which is what I recommend – if you had people with you, you probably wouldn’t be ‘you’ focused and wouldn’t get the most out of it), there’s a “Talker’s table” you can sit at in the Emerald Room restaurant with other solo travellers.
Amazing staff & service
The happiest staff I’ve ever seen greet you by name (they take a photo of you on arrival and it goes into a computer system) and are too happy to help with anything!
On top of being so nice, they’re also amazing: I had a huge panic 2 hours before my flight! The time had been changed and I only just saw it online and I had pretty much 30 minutes leeway to get to the airport in time if I left then and I told reception and the guy just snapped into action – within 1 minute, he had called my airline to confirm what the flight time was for sure, had organised a private car to take me to the airport quicksmart (arriving in 15 minutes) and had a delicious lunch pack delivered to me. Perfection.
Helping the community
Chiva Som's social welfare program reaches out to local schools with donations of luncheons, staple food and cleaning products, toys, shoes, clothing and other items for community use. Chiva Som does heaps of other things to help eco sustainability and community sustainability too. Check it out here.
Best bits
I loved pretty much everything! But the highlights for me where the gorgeous sea salt pool and sundeck chairs overlooking the beach; the heavenly healthy food (gourmet potato or pumpkin bread anyone?), the personalisation (waiters would bring me the dreaded apple cider vinegar shot was ‘prescribed’ to me, on arrival during my Health and Wellness consultation, as soon as I arrived in the restaurant), the health and fitness classes (think Hara dance, metabolic breathing, yoga, fascial dance, metabolic breathing, gyrokinesis, etc.) and amazing spa and wellbeing treatments.
Most of the therapists I had were amazing – 7 / 5. They just really care. They put themselves into your treatment and one of mine even had tears in her eyes after our reiki session because she felt my emotions through it (we were working on clearing my bad emotions from the past).
Another therapist typed out 2 pages of suggestions to help me (she didn’t have to! It was afterwards – she just did it out of care and going the extra mile) and had them delivered to my room. I was so touched!
Chiva Som has over 150 treatments on offer, and 70 treatment rooms! Some ideas of what you can have include: colonic hydrotherapy, acupuncture, South Indian body pampering, crystal therapy, chi nei tsang (Chinese abdominal detox massage), Thai massage; exotic Ayurvedic pampering treatments such as jala neti, abhyanga, shirobhyanga and shirodhara; caci deep wrinkle treatment, moxibustion, natural fertility consultation, detoxifying balneotherapy and loads more. You can see a list of some of the treatments here.
They also have the best visiting health professionals from around the world. E.g. I had a one-on-one meditation lesson with an ex-Buddhist monk! It was great.
Not so keen on…
The prices are high, especially considering you’re in Thailand (works out to be from around AU$850 a night). The Chiva Som recipe book is over $100! And you’d expect to pay $30 for a book of its size in Australia.
The geckos, and mozzies or whatever they are in the bathroom on the floor at night are annoying but they’re out of Chiva Som’s control really (they have Raid and with the maids and also a plug-in bug thing). So it's really just picking at straws here.
You leave feeling…
I arrived at Chiva Som stressed, frazzled, uptight, feeling ‘go, go, go’, and with a stress-based rash. I left so happy, calm, serene, at peace, clear-skinned, ‘life changed’, and determined not to forget it all. (And I want to go back!)
Getting there
Chiva-Som is located in Hua Hin, which is 185 kilometres south of Bangkok and about 2 hours by car (there are many 'private limosuine' companies happy to take you there, or ask Chiva Som for some recommended ones before you arrive). Hua Hin is a popular beach holiday destination/weekend break for Thais living in Bangkok (and the King and Queen of Thailand are said to holiday in this area). It’s no Ko Phi Phi but offers a quieter and more exclusive hideaway than if you went to tourist-heavy Phuket.
Ratings
Cleanliness: 5 / 5
Décor and design: 5 / 5
Staff: 7 / 5
Location: 2 / 5 (it’s 2-hours’-drive from Bangkok’s international airport and no public planes fly there)
Pampering: 7 / 5
Relaxation: 7 / 5
Food: 5 / 5
Overall: 7 / 5.
Recent awards
1. ‘Top Ten Best Medical Programs’ SpaFinder Readers’ Choice Crystal Award 2010
2. ‘Best Destination Spa’ The Crystal Awards 2010
3. ‘4th Favourite Destination Spa’ Conde Nast Traveller Readers' Spa Awards 2010
4. ‘Best Amenities/Products’ Conde Nast Traveller 2010 Readers’ Travel Awards
5. ‘Top 5 Destination Spa’ Conde Nast Traveller 2010 Readers’ Travel Awards
6. ‘Best Overseas Spa Resort’ Luxury Travel & Style Magazine 2010 Gold List.
More
www.chivasom.com
Travel the World – www.traveltheworld.com.au / 1300 766 566 (they represent Chiva Som in Australia).
