Treatments at the ultra-luxe resort in Northern Thailand are now grouped under four categories of wellbeing.
Wara Cheewa Spa at Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai. (Photo: Four Seasons)
Guests checking into the tranquil Four Seasons resort outside Chiang Mai may notice the introduction of Wara Cheewa Spa, whose name translates to “a celebration of the gift of life.” It seems a fitting, if indirect, acknowledgment of an ongoing pandemic that has sickened more than 27 million people, caused great economic hardship, and upended our way of living. At Wara Cheewa, the in-house wellness experts have drawn on the traditional healing wisdom of northern Thailand to present all-new spa treatments.
The aim, according to spa director Gemma Abad, is “to take guests back to the very basic elements of wellness, by drawing on their intuition to choose therapies that best resonate in the present moment.” Four Seasons therapists will help spa-goers achieve rebalance by addressing their physical, emotional, social, and nutritive wellbeing through a selection of special treatments under each category.
From the Physical Wellbeing menu, Abad recommends the signature Rice & Spice Scrub, which harnesses the natural qualities of homegrown jasmine rice and local herbs and spices prepared in the spa kitchen. Abad says the blend has been used by generations of local rice farmers to exfoliate skin, warm the muscles, and boost blood circulation.
Making herbal poultices at the in-house spa kitchen. (Photo: Four Seasons)
Meanwhile, the Social Wellbeing menu focuses on creating personal and cultural connections, whether it’s through a traditional Thai massage or herbal steam bath, or by spending time with one’s significant other through the Spirit of Freedom Couple’s Ritual. The latter “celebrates the healing properties of water and its role in the lush nature of Northern Thailand,” combining aromatic oils of jasmine, patchouli, rose, and sandalwood with a lymphatic scrub and a Vichy shower.
Those who wish to take care of their emotional wellbeing may want to book a Silk Samunprai Massage, in which silk herbal poultices and an orange and blue-ginger massage inspire guests to restore their inner equilibrium. Nutrient-rich treatments take pride of place on the Nutritive Wellbeing menu, with choices such as a herbal oil massage utilizing locally grown ingredients and a pressure-point massage based on East Asian energy meridians.
Wara Cheewa Spa is open daily from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and guests can book spa appointments via the chat function on the Four Seasons mobile app, or by calling 62-53/298-181. More information here.
