As the name suggests, the range of treatments is intended to "balance the senses" through a holistic approach. To experience the best that Six Senses Spas has to offer, it's suggested you book ahead for the Sensory Spa Journey, a treatment tailored personally for you by the spa staff. It starts with a luxurious footbath filled with fresh aromatic flowers and a skin renewing exfoliation followed by a comprehensive massage. A unique variation on the traditional four hands massage performed by two skilled therapists working in tandem follows to "take you on a journey of the five senses and beyond."This aromatic body massage is performed together with a cleansing facial and a stress-soothing scalp massage.
The cool white architecture at the Evason Hua Hin Resort reflects both five-star luxury and an ecologically-friendly approach, as all the materials used are extracted from replenishable sources.
Hot Stone Therapy is one of the signature treatments given inside these open-air treatment salas, Inspired by the ancient practices of Tibetan monks and American Indian healers, the Six Senses Spas version uses warmed natural volcanic basalt stones placed on the body to relax muscles and dissolve stress.
A close-up view of one of the five thatch-roof treatment salas surrounded by lotus ponds.
Six Senses Spas are highly regarded for delivering innovative therapies in a harmonious environment with minimal impact on the environment. They specialize in experiences that are designed to shift and transform your mind space, as well as relax your body. If you have been experiencing stress and your mind feels overworked, the Indian Head Massage soothes away worrying thoughts and tension. For the terminally tight, a hot stone treatment softens muscles and melts away stress. The Harmony face, scalp and body massage treatment offers a combination of therapies: designed to relax the entire body, it is a great stress buster too.
Six Senses Spas lead the way with their innovative "spa within a spa" concept. At most of their properties, from Thailand to the Maldives, guests can book into a suite that includes accommodation and private spa facilities. An outdoor bath, private steam room, gymnasium and a dedicated treatment area means you can enjoy an entire course of spa treatments without ever having to leave your hotel room. Bliss!
Specially-prepared outdoor baths can be taken in your own room. Shown here is the Cleopatra Milk Bath made with fresh milk, bananas, honey, yoghurt and rose petals.
One of the greatest luxuries at the Evason Hua Hin Resort is time spent alone relaxing and contemplating—for example in the two-level open-air bar area that overlooks the Gulf of Siam.
It's the little things that count—stylish offerings of water, soaps, juices and healthy snacks at Six Senses Spas are all as pure and simple as possible.
Traditional northern Thai or Lanna-style accommodation suites and villas are set amidst a natural landscape of rice paddies and tropical plantations at the Dhara Dhevi.
THE SPA
AT MANDARIN ORIENTAL DHARA DHEV
CHIANG MAI, THAILAND
The Mandarin Oriental's spa jewel in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand, manifests the Asian spa in one of its most authentic forms—embodying beautifully the understanding that all Eastern therapies evolved over time in palaces and temples across Asia. Housed in a golden teakwood structure modelled on the ancient palace of Mandalay in Myanmar, it sports carved wooden interiors, white marble floors and Lanna scrolls and antiques. Individual spa suites are all equipped with their own steam room, heated marble scrub table, private whirlpool and relaxation area. Treatments are based around traditional "life-enhancing rituals" that originate from Burma, Laos, northern Thailand and India. It would not be an exaggeration to say that this is the world's most luxurious and advanced destination spa.
The resort is composed of a myriad of temples, wooden rice barns, prayer halls and colonial-style villas set amidst 60 acres (24 hectares) of rice fields, lakes and tropical gardens with sacred Bo trees. Accommodation is provided in 144 villas and all spa treatment rooms are actually spa suites; there are luxury six-bedroom villas with private gardens and pools creating private spas-within-a-palace. Spa penthouse suites where a private spa is attached to the villa are perfect for those who want to experience treatments in total seclusion.
Signature treatments are appropriately referred to as "ceremonies," and some are over 5,000 years old. The Mandalay Ceremony is inspired by ancient Burmese beauty rituals and the Ayurvedic Ceremony includes traditional ubtan body scrubs and wraps, and Indian foot massages. Western treatments—from lymphatic drainage massages to vitamin C glow booster facials—are also offered. The Turkish hamam, Lebanese rhassoul, and ice fountain are innovative features for Asia, but it's the watsu pool set in a Buddhist-like temple with antique rooftops and golden walls that makes the spa experience so special. There is also a sophisticated fitness center with yoga masters, Pilates instructors, naturopaths and Western medical doctors to complement the traditional Thai, Chinese and Indian therapists.
One feature that takes this holistic spa to a whole new level in the region, if not in the world, is the Ayurvedic Center. These 15 villas are a luxurious setting in which to experience detoxifying and rejuvenating ayurvedic treatments. The center is designed according to the principles of vastu (a kind of indian feng shui), and has an ayurvedic restaurant and meditation/yoga center too.
The main entrance to the spa is modelled after the ancient palace at Mandalay. It's the place where you begin your journey of bathing, scrubbing and healing.
This central cluster of teak buildings in the spa grounds house 25 treatment rooms and suites.
The tok sen Lanna massage is part of the Lanna Ceremony inspired by ancient beauty rituals from northern Thai royal culture. Here the therapist taps the body with a stick from the bark of a tamarind tree to increase circulation before applying a warm herbal oil massage and compress.
One of the exciting elements at Dhara Devi is the use of advanced technology to support ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) diagnoses. A Computerized Meridian Diagostics (CMD) machine offers guests a revolutionary new health-check system to measure the body's vital energy points and get an immediate indication of wellbeing. Says ayurvedic practitioner Dr Suchada Marwah: "The TCM physicians were aware of this thousands of years ago and understood that any illness could be traced to an imbalance in the body's energy systems. Correct the imbalance and you cure the illness."
At this Mandarin Oriental Spa, expect to hear the sound of Tibetan cymbals, inhale fragrances of essential oils, transform your emotions with mood-enhancing color and light therapy, and imbibe a sense of calm via healing teas. Chiang Mai is already a spiritual destination and certainly this palatial spa is as near to the celestial as possible on this earth.
Colonial-style villas with Lanna or northern Thai decorative flourishes hark back to an earlier period of luxury and grace.