With her love of travelling and discovering new places and cultures, Chandarella Luzon, director of spa at Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai, is diving straight into her new home and new role in the beautiful northern Thai countryside. “I fell in love with Chiang Mai when I first visited for a holiday,” she says. “It’s a very special place that gives travellers a unique sense of peace.”

Having worked in the Middle East for four years, Chandarella is very happy to be back in Asia, which she considers home, and is excited about having the opportunity to work in Thailand, known for its wellness traditions and warm, friendly people. She’s also excited to learn more about the Thai spa culture and traditional therapies, and how they’re embraced at the Spa at Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai.

“We recently launched two new treatments, both drawing from local spa traditions and the culture of northern Thailand. The Teak Wood Massage, an energising full-body massage using hand-carved teak wood implements, is inspired by the teak trees that grow wild at the Resort. And the Lanna Tok Sen Massage, based on a traditional wellness technique involving the rhythmical tapping of natural wood along the body’s meridians, aims to release energy blockages and stimulate circulation. It’s fascinating to be in a location with such a rich wellness culture, and to have so many opportunities to bring these traditions to the guests at the Spa.”

Chandarella first decided to embark upon a career in the spa industry because it gave her a sense of growth and connection to herself that she hadn’t been able to find anywhere else. “Working in a spa is more than a job, it’s a lifestyle. You have to be able to breathe it, live it, and enjoy everything about it. Only then can you really be an effective spa director.”

It’s also the satisfaction she feels when she hears that her guests have truly enjoyed their spa experience that drives her. “When you receive great feedback from someone telling you that they’ve had a truly memorable experience, it reaffirms that the power of touch has the power to heal and reconnect the guests with themselves,” says Chandarella.

Chandarella enjoys visiting other spas to learn about different kinds of treatments and techniques, and in particular enjoys energy treatments such as reiki, crystal healing, and chakra balancing therapies as she finds they deliver a deeper kind of relaxation. She also looks forward to introducing these kinds of treatment into the Spa at Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai, with a new range of therapies focusing on the healing power of the chakras in the planning.

And where can Chandarella be found when she’s not at work at the Spa? Perhaps she’ll be exploring the local countryside, relaxing with a good book or, more likely, at the place she truly loves – the Spa, experiencing new kinds of treatments and being inspired by her new cultural discoveries.

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