In eastern Mexico, on the Yucatán Peninsula, Chablé Yucatán has been steadily ascending to become one of the most coveted hotels in the world since opening in 2016.
At the resort’s heart is a deep, unwavering appreciation for the Mayan lands and culture, and nowhere is this better expressed than in its comprehensive wellness offering. Spa director Tania Luna tells us how indigenous therapies are tailored to modern expectations.
Could you talk me through Chablé’s approach to wellness?
The program at Chablé reconnects guests with the different elements of well-being. ‘Well-being’ is very varied and it changes depending on the place, but here at Chablé, we incorporate nutrition, fitness and spirituality — it is essentially mind, body, spirit. And it all fits into the journey of each person.
If you like to exercise a lot, we have the gym, Tabata classes and morning yoga; if you are into spirituality, we have the temazcal (a traditional Mesoamerican sweat lodge, a domed structure used for both physical and spiritual cleansing), the cacao ceremonies. We look at well-being from the inside out. One of the most important things is the private consultation before guests arrive. This means we get to know each person better and, based on their needs, we can open up the whole wellness portfolio. This is the beginning of the journey.
What do you find guests want to achieve?
It’s mixed. We have a lot of families looking for rest, relaxation or celebration, so we try to show that our wellness program is for everybody. There is a kids club, but the idea is that children can participate in some of the Mayan ceremonies so the whole family is together.
And how do you find guests respond to these indigenous techniques, especially if they haven’t encountered them before?
At the beginning, there is a lot of curiosity. For example, the temazcal — most people have never experienced a temazcal before, and then when they do it, they completely change the way they see the Mayan culture because they can actually live and understand it. Or maybe they try a cacao ceremony and realize where cacao comes from for the first time. It really changes their perspective and changes the way they view Mayan culture.
We also have the farm, and bees and deer, and other animals. So many kids come here and have no idea where vegetables come from. They are not used to touching the earth, but here, they are curious. They connect with the animals; they see things growing. They go back to basics.
How do you think time-honored techniques and therapies can work alongside more science-led programs?
Instead of choosing either indigenous culture or new high-tech techniques, if we are open and take advantage of both at the same time, we can coexist together. For example, biomagnetism. Biomagnetism is a technique to heal the body using magnets — you search the body, you communicate with the body. Using kinesiology, you feel what the body needs, and then you apply the magnets. This is the perfect example of how a new technique, which is the magnets, can coexist with older techniques — I communicate with the body using my intuition and then I use the modern magnets. We can coexist. Instead of closing doors, we are open.
How important do you think it is for luxury resorts and hotels to incorporate traditional indigenous wellness methods?
For me, it is about honoring the land — we are reconnecting with the Mayan culture and understanding how they honor the land. For example, Chablé Yucatán is located in Chocholá, and many of the people that work here are from Chocholá. Each community has different ways to respect the land, so we try to communicate with these local indigenous cultures to understand and honor their work.
Sometimes, new generations don’t get to understand their indigenous cultures, and these cultures are getting lost because they have new objectives. [Young] people look forward, and sometimes they are looking forward to go to another place, to move to another part of the world. But we are trying to show that you can stay in your own community and you can work in tourism — help us to understand your roots, and we can keep these traditions alive.
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