Reviewed by Spa-beach-vacations.com
Chiva Som means "Haven of Life". It is an exclusive health resort on seven beachfront acres in Hua Hin, a resort town in which the country's royal family vacations. Chiva Som's tri-part logo represents the body, mind, and spirit. Chiva Som's extensive services are designed to enhance the health of all three thus enabling a good quality of life.
| Chiva-Som encourages prevention and accepts well rather than sick patients. However, programs offered there can be effective for treating certain muscular and skeletal disorders, skin problems, stress related illness, cardiac rehabilitation, and heavy smoking. Guests have come to Chiva-Som since its opening in 1995 with varying intentions: to become healthier and fitter, to be toned, pampered and beautified, to overcome a particular health problem or emotional trauma, or simply to recharge the batteries, relax and enjoy themselves. |
Chiva-Som is built on a series of seaside hills that roll down to the beach several miles from the center of town. It is actually a large collection of snow-white buildings and pavilions and ponds and fairy bridges set amid thickets of broadleaf shrubs and succulents. Every nook and alcove at Chiva-Som has something beautiful tucked into it: a reflecting pool, a stone Buddha with a pensive face, terra-cotta pots, swags of Thai silk textiles.
I arrived at Chiva Som and was escorted to the reception area. While checking in, I was served cool drinks and introduced to the controlled environment at Chiva Som. While my room was being prepared, I was led out to a shady porch off the main entrance to study the spa menu. It was a dreamy, green morning and the place was quiet except for a groundskeeper grooming a hedge of pink hibiscus. An overhead fan tapped out a steady tick-tick-tick and a crow chuckled in a breadfruit tree. The menu listed the usual spa indulgences, such as massages and herbal wraps, but it also had a more clinical menu of iridology, detoxification, organ massage, and flotation tanks. Guests—never more than 112, mostly Japanese and Australians and a few Americans—often stay for two weeks, typically with serious weight-loss or health goals, spending their days detoxifying and realigning and nibbling on Chiva-Som's low-fat cuisine. All Chiva Som’s guest receives a daily spa service as well as a consultation to help identify goals and plan activities to achieve maximum results. A team of doctors, nurses, dieticians, and other professionals are available for specialist advice and guidance, if required.
As I was led to my room, I passed through lush grounds that are styled like a traditional Thai village. My room, one of 57 Thai-style pavilions, suites, and single rooms, overlooked the pool and the Gulf of Thailand beyond. A pretty ceramic burner (available in the retail shop) filled the room with the lovely lemongrass scent.
I made appointments for our daily spa treatment and consultations from our room and familiarized ourselves with the property. When it was time for my consultation, I checked into the spa desk. Consultations are done on the main floor. A lady nurse, escorted me to a consultation room, checked my weight and blood pressure, and explained the various treatment options. I decided to try Thai Message and Chi Nei Tsang, an internal organs massage. After the medical consultation, I met with Julie, the fitness consultant. I added a Pilates body conditioning and yoga to my schedule.
The main part of the spa is on the lower level. I went down the lovely staircase that curves around a fountain and checked in at the spa desk. I was taken to the women's locker room and had time to enjoy the whirlpool, sauna, steam room, and plunge pool (with fresh flowers floating in it) before the treatment. When appointment time arrived, I was escorted to the co-ed waiting area. My therapist escorted me to my treatment rooms. Like most Thai massage, my massage was done on a traditional floor mat.
The spa is quite large and one of the most comprehensive facilities I've seen. There are 34 treatment rooms (4 in outdoor massage pavilions) and 56 employees (therapists, attendants, salon, and receptionists). The decor is modern and inviting. The treatment rooms cover the range of face and body massages, scrubs and wraps, reflexology, aromatherapy, electrical face and body reshaping and toning treatments. There is also a hydro-therapy suite with computerized spa massage baths, a jet shower room, a music therapy room and a unique floatation chamber for de-stressing. Other facilities in the Spa include a beauty bar, hairdressing, and manicure and pedicure stations.
| The other treatment that I had at Chiva Som was Chi Nei Tsang, an internal organ massage that uses the technique of massaging directly at the navel and surrounding abdominal area. According to the description, this is where stress, tension and negative emotions accumulate and congest. When this area is knotted up, the whole energy of the body is blocked. When this occurs, all vital energy functions stagnate, which then slowly weakens the internal organs and decreases energy and vitality. A Chi Nei Tsang massage quickly releases negative emotions, tensions and sicknesses, bringing comfort and relief to the abdomen and vital energy to the internal organs. |
This is also effective in the treatment of digestive problems such as irritable bowel syndrome, bloating, constipation, eliminates toxins in the gastrointestinal tract and promotes lymphatic drainage. The Medical Manager of Chiva Som, escorted me to one of the outdoor massage pavilions for the Chi Nei Tsang treatment. She started by deeply massaging the muscles in my chest and between my ribs. These muscles had never been massaged and hence, were extremely tight. There was a bit of discomfort. She then moved to my abdomen. I was told when to inhale and exhale. It was very strange having someone locate my internal organs and massage them. At the same time, I gained an awareness of myself that was never there before. Again, there was slight discomfort. However, after all was done, I felt fully energized.
Other facilities worth mentioning are the high-tech, air-conditioned gym, pavilions for yoga and Tai Chi, air-conditioned studios with spring floors for aerobics, outdoor pool by the beach, and a bathing pavilion with an indoor pool for aqua aerobics, a multi-level unisex steam room, a plunge pool, a Kneipp bath of pebbles in cold and hot pool to massage the feet and a large hydro-pool.The morning when I leave the resort, I had a follow up check up. I had lost 1.5 pounds! It was a trip well worth the expense!!!
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