The pioneering wellness brand and experts in transformative lifestyle Chiva-Som stays ahead with multiple award recognition for excellence in wellness for its Chiva-Som Hua Hin in Thailand and Zulal Wellness Resort by Chiva-Som in Qatar. 

The world-class reputations of Chiva-Som Hua Hin and Zulal Wellness Resort in wellness and spa tourism have been further cemented by the array of global awards and accolades they have collected this season. Recently the two acclaimed wellness resorts achieved recognition from multiple organisations around the world.

Since its inception in 1995, Chiva-Som has led the industry in bespoke transformative health and wellness, combining evidence-based, traditional wellness philosophies rooted in local culture with the latest health research and technology. A member of the United Nations Global Compact, Chiva-Som takes practical action in driving towards its Sustainable Development Goals, including spearheading Krailart Niwate, a mangrove preservation and environmental wellness project, and investing in the next generation of wellness practitioners at the Bangkok-based Chiva-Som International Academy.

For its unparalleled commitment to both wellness and sustainability, Chiva-Som Hua Hin was awarded a Gold in the 14th annual Thailand Tourism Awards under the category of Best Wellness and Spa Retreat. Held by the Tourism Authority of Thailand and announced in September, the award highlights Thai operators that support sustainable and responsible tourism to high international standards. 

Chiva-Som Hua Hin’s team of world class wellness practitioners deliver 15 precision-targeted, results-orientated retreats supporting wellness goals from Gut Health, Fitness, and Sustainable Weight Management through to specialist retreats to support recovery from specific conditions, such as migraines (Cranial Relief retreat) and hypertension (Tension Release retreat).  Reflecting the excellence of the wellness offering, the resort won Best Medical Wellness Retreat at the India-based GlobalSpa Awards 2023. Inspiring exceptional standards and connecting consumers with the best health destinations in the world, the GlobalSpa Awards serve to celebrate and reward excellence in wellness tourism. 

The pioneering wellness brand recently expanded its offering with the opening of Zulal Wellness Resort by Chiva-Som soft launched in 2021, Qatar’s largest wellness destination and the Middle East’s first full immersion wellness resort. Zulal Wellness Resort also offers the world’s first contemporary showcase of Traditional Arabic and Islamic Medicine (TAIM), which combines a thousand years of wellness traditions with 21st century expertise and technology. It is no wonder that the resort was named World’s Leading Retreat 2023, Middle East’s Leading Retreat, and Qatar’s Leading Resort by the renowned World Travel Awards which is recognised globally as the ultimate hallmark of industry excellence. For the third consecutive year, it was also named Qatar’s Best Wellness Retreat in the 9th annual World Spa Awards in October. 

Dedicated to holistic wellness, Zulal Wellness Resort also assists guests in achieving their desired state of total wellbeing through the power of nutrition. Blending food science and culinary artistry, the resort offers nutrient-rich meals that are not only flavourful but also designed to enhance happiness, vitality, and longevity. Its culinary offerings have been named Wellness Cuisine of the Year in the Destination Deluxe Awards 2023 and its restaurant Al-Sidr Restaurant was named World’s Best Wellness Hotel Restaurant 2023 by the World Culinary Awards. Complementing the resort’s unique wellness offerings is its service excellence, recognised by the Qatar Tourism and the World Tourism Board which gave Zulal Wellness Resort a ‘5 Star Hotel Award’ in 2023.   

Of the awards, Chairman and CEO of Chiva-Som, Mr. Krip Rojanastien, said, “We are honoured to be given such extensive recognition by industry experts, and customers across the world. These achievements reflect the views of our valued guests without whom we would not have come this far. We would also like to spotlight the teams of Chiva-Som Hua Hin and Zulal Wellness Resort – the advisors, specialists, and practitioners – because these awards, which recognise excellence of our wellness offerings, are a direct result of their hard work and dedication to guests.” 

Chiva-Som has been honoured in the coveted Tatler Spa Awards, having been named the winner of the ‘Fighting Fit’ category. The annual Spa Guide presents an essential guide to the most relaxing, rewarding spa experiences in the world.

Hosted by Health & Beauty Editor-at-Large of Tatler, Francesca Ogiermann-White and Travel Editor, Delilah Khomo, in association with Healing Holidays, at the prestigious Hotel Café Royal on Wednesday 28th September 2022, the Spa Awards celebrate the world’s very best spa and wellness retreats, boot camps, medical clinics, yoga retreats and detox and weight loss programmes.

On winning the award Chairman and CEO of Chiva-Som, Mr. Krip Rojanastien, said “We are extremely honoured to have been recognised by the Tatler Spa Awards, particularly after the tumultuous couple of years we have all experienced. During this time, we have adapted our wellness offering to continue to support individuals’ wellness needs and evolved to respond to the change in the way people travel for their health. The award recognises our forward-looking contribution to provide an innovative and sustainable approach to health and wellbeing, and we hope to continue to inspire wellness for guests old and new.”

The Tatler Spa Guide 2022 accompanied the November issue of the magazine, available on newsstands from today.  

Since its inception in 1995, Chiva-Som has built an enviable reputation as a world leader in inspiring optimal health and wellbeing. With its unique synergy of indigenous traditions and evidence-based wellness, Chiva-Som partners with guests on highly personalised journeys focused on complete lifestyle transformation.  Guests can choose from 15 retreat programmes – each built upon six pillars of wellness: Nutrition, Fitness, Spa, Physiotherapy, Holistic Health and Aesthetics – and are motivated and supported throughout their journey by a dedicated team of consultants and practitioners.

Chiva-Som’s fundamental approach to wellness extends to the wider community, with educational opportunities and global sustainability initiatives at the core of everything the brand engages in. A member of the United Nations Global Compact, Chiva-Som actively commits to achieving its Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, while continuing to spearhead Krailart Niwate, a mangrove preservation and environmental wellness project, and invest in the next generation of wellness practitioners at the Bangkok-based Chiva-Som Academy.

This year Chiva-Som developed its wellness offering with the opening of Zulal Wellness Resort by Chiva-Som in Qatar; the world’s first contemporary showcase of Traditional Arabic & Islamic Medicine (TAIM) and Chiva-Som’s first Family Wellness programme. Drawing on Chiva-Som’s over two decades of expertise catering to an exacting global audience whilst retaining an inextricable connection with the local culture, Zulal Wellness Resort offers the highest international standards rooted in traditional Qatari culture.

For more information and assistance with travel plans to Chiva-Som, please contact the reservations team at reservations@chivasom.com or visit www.chivasom.com: alternatively, you may also contact your preferred travel agent. For the latest regulations, please visit the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s website. 

What is the difference between mental and emotional health?

Mental health relates to the health of our minds and the content of our thoughts. Emotional health describes the state of our emotions, how we feel. Yet the way we think influences the way we feel, and the inverse is also true – our feelings can inform our thoughts too.

More on mental health

What do you really think about yourself, other people, the past, the present and the future? What thoughts instinctively develop when something good or bad happens? Do your thoughts help or hurt you and others

Questions like these can build awareness around the quality of our thoughts. While it is often assumed that our thoughts randomly surface – seemingly from nowhere – in most cases, they follow an automatic pattern that has developed based on previous experiences which can date all the way back to childhood. Becoming aware of our thoughts can provide us with a more aerial view so that we can break unhelpful cycles. It can also help us to self-regulate, prevent negative thoughts from becoming negative emotions, and, if necessary, prompt us to reach out for professional help.

More on emotional health

Emotional health is just as important as mental health. Our emotions can function as traffic lights, providing signals to ourselves and others. Once we experience a signal, it is useful to track it to the source. If you feel happy, ask yourself where it came from. Did it come from a thought, or maybe a person? Are there ways that you can recreate this positive feeling and even share it?

With negative feelings, it is still useful to track the emotion and understand where it is coming from. It can signal that there are parts of ourselves that are still sensitive to certain experiences – these parts of ourselves may require extra love and hard truths.

In some cases, we will not be able to track the feeling, or the emotional load feels too heavy. This is where support from a loved one is most helpful. They can bear the weight with you, or maybe just provide a neutral perspective.

Whether it is a positive or negative feeling, emotions have to be expressed. If they are not expressed, they can cause damage to our thought patterns and to our physical bodies. Repressed emotions also affect our relationships.

ince emotions are a means of communicating to others, silencing them can lead to miscommunication. There are healthy ways to express your emotions to others, and healthy ways to listen to someone when they express their emotions to you.