Chiva-Som International Health Resort

If you are looking for a real health resort, this is heaven on earth. After traveling the world all over, I‘ve stayed so many times in hotels and resorts dedicated to health, but Chiva Som topped it all. It’s the incredible team spirit, everybody you will meet is really dedicated to get the best possible results for your body and soul. Food is excellent, also on the diet plans and service allover is seamless and friendly. You should opt for the bigger oceanview rooms on the 4th floor. My Best experiences in Thailand are: the Park Hyatt in Bangkok, the Conrad in Koh Samui and the Chiva Som for your health.

While the ocean views and food quality were truly outstanding, the overall experience fell short of the high expectations set by the steep price tag. Spending around 15k USD (minimum) should ensure exceptional treatment throughout your stay, yet the service left much to be desired. It became apparent that guests perceived as “special”—influencers, celebrities, sports players and the like—received markedly better attention, from therapists and trainers to dining service. Not to sound childish,  but we should all be treated “special” with the prices that are being paid for this luxury experience.  Unfortunately, those of us who did not fit that “special” category were often made to feel like second-class citizens, especially if you are not a repeat guest. I am certain that you are put into a category, and I would welcome the opportunity for Chiva Som to challenge me on this.  The reason this bothers me is because it means that the general guests are left with maybe not the best therapists. It’s not hard to tell when the great ones are fully booked.  I’d also like to mention that my husband paid extra to upgrade massages, but we ended up with subpar treatments from therapists we had specifically requested not to have the day before. It’s hard to understand how they could assign us the same therapist the following day. When we raised the issue, they offered us a complimentary 30-minute massage. While we appreciate the gesture, it felt insufficient and didn’t make up for the overall disappointments we experienced  Dinning Service: My husband and I were not on a special diet for our program, and it seemed that the staff were frustrated by this. It felt as though they were annoyed by having to accommodate our requests from the extensive menu that Chiva som offers. Even simple requests, like an extra cup of tea, were met with reluctance, which left us feeling overlooked, undervalued, and unappreciated.   Rooms: Additionally, the “renovated” rooms did not live up to their promise. I had specifically emailed and asked which room category were renovated and booked accordingly. Every piece of furniture had significant stains, and the king-sized bed, assembled from two separate full beds it seemed, contributed to an overall impression of neglect rather than luxury. I could go into detail about the spiders and lizards in our room, but I recognize that these things can happen from time to time. Security: The only standout was the security guard on watch at the beach, whose willingness to help with the water hose reminded us that good service can exist—even if it was the exception here. Checkout: Upon departure, two staff members approached us not in the nicest way, demanding the room keys, even though we had already handed them over to the bellhop who had come to collect our luggage, as per his request. They cornered us and repeatedly insisting on the keys despite our repeated explanations that we had already given them to the gentleman who was loading our bags into the vehicle. It wasn’t until the staff member asked him directly that he confirmed he had already taken them. This interaction completely soured our departure, and unfortunately, it was the final straw in an otherwise disappointing experience. Overall, if you expect to be treated with consistent care, respect, and an equal for a considerable investment, this experience may leave you feeling disappointed and less than appreciated. I’d also like to mention that I recently stayed at a well known competitor wellness property near Bangkok about 2 months prior to the visit in Chiva Som.  While they don’t have a beach view, I would highly recommend choosing them, and I would choose them again without hesitation.

This was our 15 th visit to this uniquely Thai health Spa . Obviously we are big Fans of Chivasom , given our repeat visits and our latest 24 night visit was no exception. From the airport pickup with assistance , and the perfectly air conditioned Limo ride , to the GM , Khun VP greeting us on arrival , it was a pretty perfect visit . (1) We book the same room each time (upper floor sea view ) and our Butler ( Vivie ) prepares the bed exactly as we want it with one side of the bed slightly firmer and warmer ( my wife’s ) and my side softer and cooler . A perfect room temperature and great pillow menu are key to a good nights sleep which is critical for your health . The oil burners have lavender as per our request. You need to have a perfectly set up room on day 1 to get the most from your visit . My advice to anyone visiting is to do this on day 1 . (2) During the first week we went through some health assessments as both my wife and i had some small issues (tendinitis for my wife and recent torn meniscus surgery for me ) . Our Health advisor Chee Wee was very professional and we had a proper plan for rehab with the best Physiotherapist in Thailand ( Khun Jeep ) . Both of us had substantial healing during the visit . (3) It’s very rare to eat delicious food that is healthy these days, but that’s what you get at Chivasom . The Chefs will make you anything you want to be honest . I requested items not on the menu for example , like a Thai Crab Omelette and it was so delicious. The waiters and serving staff are all incredibly helpful and friendly, and most have been there many years. (4) The Spa area is clean and the staff very helpful and welcoming. Overall I would say that Chivasom is obviously not for everyone as it’s a little eccentric and quirky with people strolling around in dressing gowns and pajamas , going from treatment to treatment. Management encourages guests to also have a digital detox and leave your cellphone in the room which is fantastic from our point of view but obviously some folks are desperate for their phones . If you want to make or receive phone calls you will have to do that in the privacy of your own room or on the beach out of range of guests trying to find some solitude. So Chivasom may not be for you , if you want to be shouting loudly into your phone all day . In conclusion, I would say that Chivasom is a little like MARMITE , you either gonna love it’s quirky old rules or you gonna hate it and conclude that it’s not for you . WE LOVE IT . Well done to all at Chivasom and thank you to all the staff for your kindness to make our visit so special. Special thanks to Preeda for the daily Pilates. It helped us achieve our fitness and weight loss goals . We will be back soon .

The entire Chiva Som experience exceeded our expectations. The accommodation was of the highest quality, the staff was professional and prepared customised and personalised plans based on each persons objectives. The food was healthy, yet tasty and the options were plentiful. The resort staff was extremely well trained and many of them have been with Chiva Som for a long time. Many of the guests were returning customers which itself speaks highly of their overall experience. The location is fabulous, bang on the beach with beautiful blue water. I would particularly like to complement the efforts of Japan (my consultant), Watermelon and Panda (my trainers) and Sho, who was amazing at the restaurant. The resort had plenty of activities to choose from and multiple optional programs as well. The General Manager was also always visible and interacting with guests to make sure they were well taken care of. I would like to point out that I often use Tripadvisor to see reviews before travelling. I would like to state that the review posted by Anu on 01/02/25 (a couple of reviews below mine) was totally incorrect and misleading. I don’t think she knows about what a high quality, luxury wellness retreat would include. She clearly wasn’t on a wellness retreat if she had to visit 7/11 to buy crisps and chocolates :). We will be back soon and looking forward to telling many of our friends about our positive experience too so they can visit. Thanks very much to the entire Chiva Som team.

I have known of Chiva Som’s superb reputation for a long time and have been keen to visit. I’d say that it actually surpasses all and every expectation that I had of it. I have been to a lot of wellness resorts - Vana, Kamalaya, LeFay, Mii Amo, Miraval to name a few but Chiva Som seems to capture something very special. Also it has the most outstanding staff who remember who you are and what your schedule is, all with a big smile and a lot of warmth. I understand that many of them have worked at Chiva Som for years and their pride in the place really shows. My room was very spacious well designed and comfortable and the food was delicious, creative and good quality. What I particularly liked is that there is a relaxing and comfortable vibe without it being in any way pretentious and staff attend to everything with the minimum of fuss. Will definitely be back!