I confess I wasn’t entirely at ease taking the whole family, even though that’s the point of this wellness trip. With a 12-year-old daughter and two sons – aged 10 and seven – who are sporty and have hearty appetites, I didn’t want them to start overthinking their diets, or how they look. Yet, contradictorily, I knew I’d be glad if they were better equipped to make healthy choices. The kids, keeping it real as usual, were simply excited about a couple of days away at a fancy hotel in Thailand. RXV is the sister property to the wellness spa Rakxa, which is closer to the centre of Bangkok and, in four short years, has become a competitor to Chiva-Som. Both of these properties integrate medicine and wellness with a focus on preventive healthcare. I’m told that RXV was conceived because the guests at kid-free Rakxa wanted a place to bring their families in tow.
From Bangkok airport, it’s an hour or so drive to this new retreat on the banks of the Tha Chin River. We arrived at night, skidding in for a late, light dinner by superchef Bansani Nawisamphan who served me raw spring rolls, sprouting with crisp greens and fine shoots, topped by pansies and other edible flowers (she follows the principles of “rainbow food”, which includes a broad spectrum of vitamins and minerals in a balanced diet). The kids all munched a pansy too – after their own pad Thai and mango sticky-rice cheesecake.
The next morning I had a clearer view of our location. RXV Wellness Village is set within Suan Sampran, a leafy 50-acre estate that’s a surprising suburban haven of century-old trees and traditional wooden homes. Only the occasional long-tail boat motoring down the river breaks the quietude. At the nearby weekend organic farmers’ market, vendors wearing indigo-coloured hanfu sell fresh vegetables and coconut pancakes, and you can sign up to learn how to tie-dye T-shirts, and concoct herbal toothpaste and pots of rice-based exfoliating scrubs. There’s a café here, as well as workshops in traditional crafts.
RXV has taken over a rather plain-looking hotel of 83 rooms, and seamlessly added a striking extension with clinics, gyms and treatment rooms, alongside workshop spaces. This wellness area is the heartbeat of the hotel, welcoming multigenerational families to get healthy and mindful together. It’s not a spa with a place to park the seniors and a kids’ club tacked on. In classic Southeast Asian style, RXV wants to care for families of all ages who like joining in activities. The concept is that nobody is too young or too old to get stuck in.
The following morning, we underwent medical screenings and consultations. My partner and I had a 60-second Styku scan, which determines body composition. All five of us received a speedy Mobee spine analysis, where a sensor rolls along the spinal column measuring curve, symmetry and posture. We were all off kilter, heads too far forward from leaning over desks. With the bleak results came recommendations of exercises and treatments, and reminders to sit up straight.
For the children’s wellness consultations, I insisted on being present, like some Tiger Mum, even having a quick chat with the health adviser beforehand to vet what she might ask or say. Fortunately, Nantika “Aum” Sonyaem didn’t make me feel like a crazy person for having such concerns. She only measured the children’s height, weight and asked what sports they play. Yet later in the day, I vetoed their medical consultations which began with the doctor asking about “underlying diseases”. Nobody seemed to mind my interventions.
For those seeking a rigorous medical approach to health, RXV has it covered with diagnostic testing, and doctors and nurses on site. There’s also integrative treatments that combine traditional Thai and Chinese medicine and Ayurveda; colon hydrotherapy; IV vitamin infusions, an infrared sauna and hydrotherapy circuit. I was recommended the Belly and Gut treatment, a combination of chi nei tsang with Ayurvedic vasthi paste and Thai herbal oils. This intense stomach massage is said to reduce stress and improve digestion, and this one felt nourishing with its penetrative oils. I also underwent the True Back Stress Release, the therapist working on myofascial muscles, massaging the diaphragm, and using Indiba radiofrequency tech to help regenerate tissue; I did notice a shift to deeper abdominal breathing.
My prescribed exercises included Pilates and a cardio session on the riverbank, led by Jirapat “James” Pongsalee, who uses physiotherapy and neuromuscular training. I was doing fine until he added the neuro angle – with its fast changeovers – and my coordination fell apart. “That would be something to work on,” he remarked kindly, before sending me YouTube exercise videos a few days after checkout.
While I was doing my thing, the kids were ace-ing the neuro exercises in the gym; mindful colouring in the café; feeding fish in the river; or meditating in a traditional wooden house. From time to time we came together to take part in the arts and crafts programme led by gentle Tarinee “Mii” Promsu. One afternoon we made phuang pang rum, delicate garlands with natural dyes and essential oils; another day, we listened to the sound of singing bowls, while creating mandalas with concentric patterns of flower petals – a practice Tibetan monks use for meditation. Many of the activities supported focus and peaceful concentration.
We also visited the market one morning with the chef, learning about seasonal vegetables, smelling crushed herbs, and tasting organic ice cream, before returning for a cooking lesson and lunch. The food at RXV is rich with Thai flavours and exquisitely presented. Plus, guests can ask for seconds and request off-menu dishes; coffee and desserts are plentiful, as is alcohol. RXV aims to embrace guests of all stripes. As the team points out, within one family, someone might want a hardcore health fix while the other needs a holiday with red wine at dinner.
What also sets RXV apart is that it’s distinctly Thai. While many wellness retreats are so cookie-cutter in style I can be in the Maldives wondering if I’m in Miami, the Thai narrative here runs deep, down to its traditional arts and crafts programme, and the characteristically sweet-natured Thai staff who brought me honey and lemon after hearing my nagging cough; who noticed our preference for eating outside and so set up a table closer to the river; and who learned to switch off the air-con before I even asked. Some might struggle with the level of English or feel the service is not slick, but I loved getting to know the personalities of individual staff. This was my takeaway, along with the strong sense of place. For my partner, the medical screenings and health recommendations were a wake-up call. The kids were all about the hydrotherapy – there’s nothing like jumping between cold and hot pools for squeals of joy. RXV made us all glow.
Healing Holidays (healingholidays.com/condenast) can arrange a five-night Gather and Tune programme from £4,599 per family (two adults and two children), including transfers, full board and treatments