Banyan Tree Veya has opened in Phuket / Photo: Banyan Tree Veya Phuket
Banyan Tree has launched a new wellbeing brand, Banyan Tree Veya, within its multi-brand ecosystem.
The flagship resort in Phuket opened in March 2022, and the second Veya will be opening in Q4 2022 in the Maldives. Created in direct response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Banyan Tree Veya aims to address a world with an urgent need for reconnecting mind and body on a daily basis.
“The pandemic has caused extraordinarily high levels of fear, stress and anxiety for many,” says Kim Weller, Banyan Tree’s wellbeing director. “A silver lining is that it has also underscored the importance of wellbeing and sustainability, and the way the two are interlinked. Veya is a place of peace and discovery, offering our guests access to wellbeing specialists and practices that can honour their commitment and aspirations to live a better life of balanced wellbeing.”
Wellbeing journey Veya means ‘to weave’, and is designed to provide a safe space for guests to integrate their own path to wellbeing. The Veya experience is led by certified multidisciplinary wellbeing hosts around a three-step protocol of awareness, discovery, and sustenance.
The resorts offer bespoke programmes with an emphasis on what the brand calls ‘embodiment therapies,’ built on Banyan Tree’s proprietary eight pillars of wellbeing: Sleep and Rest; Dietary Awareness; Bonding and Connection; Physical Vitality; Cultivate the Mind; Learning and Development; Harmony with Nature; and Sustained Practices.
The Veya journey begins with a private consultation with a wellbeing host, certified and trained in Eastern medicine, naturopathy and coaching. After an assessment against the brand’s codified wellbeing approach, a personalised itinerary is aligned to each guest’s needs and priorities, centering on embodiment therapies and somatic practices.
Mindfulness practices, including classes such as Ocean Breath and Conscious Grounding, raise sensory awareness through breathwork, sound therapy and guided imagery meditation techniques in natural environments. A focus on somatic movement includes intuitive forms of dance, yoga and classes such as Balance and Stability, which focus on the internal experience of movement to release chronic tension patterns and calm the nervous system. A new range of signature therapies combines rehabilitative floatation with body stretch massage techniques and meditational sound therapy to create a restorative sensory experience.
Lifestyle learning Veya also includes a focus on lifestyle learning, with workshops aimed at introducing wellbeing rituals into daily life such as creative therapies, integrative nutrition, and classes such as Positive Resilience, which help guests bring the retreat experience home.
“We are not one to rest on our laurels,” says Weller. “We find there are new needs surfacing; mind-body connection is lacking with so much digital work and the chronic stress of being always on. Veya offers modalities to help with current modern-day issues and to respond to what guests say they need, which is not more information, but a safe, supportive environment. People are seeking purpose-driven holidays that make a difference to themselves and their lives when returning home. A wellbeing holiday traditionally looked like a solo woman trip, but now includes couples, solo male and like-minded groups of travellers who come to Veya and love the freedom, acceptance and aspirational nature of the journey they experience with us.”
Veya experience Each of the 23 one-bedroom Veya Pool Villas have been designed for optimal rest, and feature organic cotton bedlinen, choice of pillows, black-out curtains, night time aromatherapy, sleep light and music. Each villa also comes equipped with amenities including a wellbeing mini-bar, yoga mats, sound therapy bowls, and exercise stretch bands.
Veya showcases plant-forward cuisine that weaves together Asian and Mediterranean influences created around a Fuel-Balance-Repair daily sequence. Resident nutrition sommeliers assist guests in curating a tailored menu during their stay to fulfil dietary needs and preferences.
Guests also can access a wellbeing centre with a White Room for sensory detox and meditation, and a herb pharmacy workshop is set to open soon. Prior to departure, a journey reflection consultation is offered, which provides personalised programmes and lifestyle practices so guests can continue their wellbeing journey at home. Veya will also host Veya Circles – retreats with visiting practitioners that bring people together and focus on different sustainable wellbeing practices.
“Many people are hesitant to join in wellbeing retreats or events that seem to require experience and a high level of fitness and strictness,” says Weller. “We want to foster an atmosphere of inclusion, diversity and flexibility by offering a unique range of practices that are accessible and enjoyable.
“We expect 20-40 guests at these events to foster a sense of intimacy and connection and want them to interact together to share their wellbeing experiences and journey. We do not travel the path of wellbeing alone.”
Photo: Banyan Tree Veya Phuket
"People are seeking purpose-driven holidays that make a difference to themselves and their lives" – Kim Weller wellbeing director, Banyan Tree
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
View contents of Spa Business 2022 issue 3
Editor's letter: Salus per natura
Although great buildings lie at the heart of the spa and wellness experience, operators are turning to nature to deliver healing journeys, says Liz Terry
Spa People: Thierry Malleret
We talk to the economist behind Monthly Barometer about key trends emerging in the wellness sector, such as a greater connection with nature
Spa People: Verena Lasvigne
The founder of VLF Spa Consulting shares her learnings from a career running spas on three continents
Spa People: Kim Weller
The wellbeing director of Banyan Tree tells us about the rollout of the company's new brand, Veya – for mind/body wellness
New opening: Loisium Spa
A look at the new luxurious spa situated at the heart of France's celebrated Champagne region
Interview: Neil Jacobs
The CEO of Six Senses talks about creating an eco-system around the brand to deliver hotels, clubs, residential, offices and resorts
Project preview: Next generation wellness
We take our first look at Tulah, the new clinical wellness retreat brand about to make its debut in Kerala, India, and speak to its CEO
ISPA Research: Rate of recovery
Russell Donaldson digs deeper into ISPA's 2022 US Spa Industry Study and considers the industry's resurgence since the end of pandemic lockdowns
Sponsored: Gharieni: Delivering results
Innovation is the hallmark of Gharieni experiences, meeting the rapidly
evolving needs of wellness seekers within the spa and wellness environment
New opening: Lanserhof Sylt
Lisa Starr reports on the industry's eagerly awaited wellness experience – nestled within sand dunes on the German island of Sylt
Healing: Emotional rescue
As people increasingly seek support for their emotional wellbeing, Jane Kitchen talks to the operators who are digging deeper to deliver genuine transformation
Promotion: TechnoAlpin: Powerful contrast
Spa clients can enjoy super-cool relaxation and pain-relief at Sächsische Staatsbäder in Bad Brambach thanks to a TechnoAlpin SnowRoom
Concept: Soneva Soul
The CEO and co-founder of Soneva, Sonu Shivdasani, talks about the philosophy behind the company's new wellness concept, Soneva Soul
In today’s premium spa environment, every detail shapes the guest experience – right down to
the softness of towels and the freshness of linens. [more...]
Banyan Tree Veya has opened in Phuket / Photo: Banyan Tree Veya Phuket
Banyan Tree has launched a new wellbeing brand, Banyan Tree Veya, within its multi-brand ecosystem.
The flagship resort in Phuket opened in March 2022, and the second Veya will be opening in Q4 2022 in the Maldives. Created in direct response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Banyan Tree Veya aims to address a world with an urgent need for reconnecting mind and body on a daily basis.
“The pandemic has caused extraordinarily high levels of fear, stress and anxiety for many,” says Kim Weller, Banyan Tree’s wellbeing director. “A silver lining is that it has also underscored the importance of wellbeing and sustainability, and the way the two are interlinked. Veya is a place of peace and discovery, offering our guests access to wellbeing specialists and practices that can honour their commitment and aspirations to live a better life of balanced wellbeing.”
Wellbeing journey Veya means ‘to weave’, and is designed to provide a safe space for guests to integrate their own path to wellbeing. The Veya experience is led by certified multidisciplinary wellbeing hosts around a three-step protocol of awareness, discovery, and sustenance.
The resorts offer bespoke programmes with an emphasis on what the brand calls ‘embodiment therapies,’ built on Banyan Tree’s proprietary eight pillars of wellbeing: Sleep and Rest; Dietary Awareness; Bonding and Connection; Physical Vitality; Cultivate the Mind; Learning and Development; Harmony with Nature; and Sustained Practices.
The Veya journey begins with a private consultation with a wellbeing host, certified and trained in Eastern medicine, naturopathy and coaching. After an assessment against the brand’s codified wellbeing approach, a personalised itinerary is aligned to each guest’s needs and priorities, centering on embodiment therapies and somatic practices.
Mindfulness practices, including classes such as Ocean Breath and Conscious Grounding, raise sensory awareness through breathwork, sound therapy and guided imagery meditation techniques in natural environments. A focus on somatic movement includes intuitive forms of dance, yoga and classes such as Balance and Stability, which focus on the internal experience of movement to release chronic tension patterns and calm the nervous system. A new range of signature therapies combines rehabilitative floatation with body stretch massage techniques and meditational sound therapy to create a restorative sensory experience.
Lifestyle learning Veya also includes a focus on lifestyle learning, with workshops aimed at introducing wellbeing rituals into daily life such as creative therapies, integrative nutrition, and classes such as Positive Resilience, which help guests bring the retreat experience home.
“We are not one to rest on our laurels,” says Weller. “We find there are new needs surfacing; mind-body connection is lacking with so much digital work and the chronic stress of being always on. Veya offers modalities to help with current modern-day issues and to respond to what guests say they need, which is not more information, but a safe, supportive environment. People are seeking purpose-driven holidays that make a difference to themselves and their lives when returning home. A wellbeing holiday traditionally looked like a solo woman trip, but now includes couples, solo male and like-minded groups of travellers who come to Veya and love the freedom, acceptance and aspirational nature of the journey they experience with us.”
Veya experience Each of the 23 one-bedroom Veya Pool Villas have been designed for optimal rest, and feature organic cotton bedlinen, choice of pillows, black-out curtains, night time aromatherapy, sleep light and music. Each villa also comes equipped with amenities including a wellbeing mini-bar, yoga mats, sound therapy bowls, and exercise stretch bands.
Veya showcases plant-forward cuisine that weaves together Asian and Mediterranean influences created around a Fuel-Balance-Repair daily sequence. Resident nutrition sommeliers assist guests in curating a tailored menu during their stay to fulfil dietary needs and preferences.
Guests also can access a wellbeing centre with a White Room for sensory detox and meditation, and a herb pharmacy workshop is set to open soon. Prior to departure, a journey reflection consultation is offered, which provides personalised programmes and lifestyle practices so guests can continue their wellbeing journey at home. Veya will also host Veya Circles – retreats with visiting practitioners that bring people together and focus on different sustainable wellbeing practices.
“Many people are hesitant to join in wellbeing retreats or events that seem to require experience and a high level of fitness and strictness,” says Weller. “We want to foster an atmosphere of inclusion, diversity and flexibility by offering a unique range of practices that are accessible and enjoyable.
“We expect 20-40 guests at these events to foster a sense of intimacy and connection and want them to interact together to share their wellbeing experiences and journey. We do not travel the path of wellbeing alone.”
Photo: Banyan Tree Veya Phuket
"People are seeking purpose-driven holidays that make a difference to themselves and their lives" – Kim Weller wellbeing director, Banyan Tree
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
View contents of Spa Business 2022 issue 3
Editor's letter: Salus per natura
Although great buildings lie at the heart of the spa and wellness experience, operators are turning to nature to deliver healing journeys, says Liz Terry
Spa People: Thierry Malleret
We talk to the economist behind Monthly Barometer about key trends emerging in the wellness sector, such as a greater connection with nature
Spa People: Verena Lasvigne
The founder of VLF Spa Consulting shares her learnings from a career running spas on three continents
Spa People: Kim Weller
The wellbeing director of Banyan Tree tells us about the rollout of the company's new brand, Veya – for mind/body wellness
New opening: Loisium Spa
A look at the new luxurious spa situated at the heart of France's celebrated Champagne region
Interview: Neil Jacobs
The CEO of Six Senses talks about creating an eco-system around the brand to deliver hotels, clubs, residential, offices and resorts
Project preview: Next generation wellness
We take our first look at Tulah, the new clinical wellness retreat brand about to make its debut in Kerala, India, and speak to its CEO
ISPA Research: Rate of recovery
Russell Donaldson digs deeper into ISPA's 2022 US Spa Industry Study and considers the industry's resurgence since the end of pandemic lockdowns
Sponsored: Gharieni: Delivering results
Innovation is the hallmark of Gharieni experiences, meeting the rapidly
evolving needs of wellness seekers within the spa and wellness environment
New opening: Lanserhof Sylt
Lisa Starr reports on the industry's eagerly awaited wellness experience – nestled within sand dunes on the German island of Sylt
Healing: Emotional rescue
As people increasingly seek support for their emotional wellbeing, Jane Kitchen talks to the operators who are digging deeper to deliver genuine transformation
Promotion: TechnoAlpin: Powerful contrast
Spa clients can enjoy super-cool relaxation and pain-relief at Sächsische Staatsbäder in Bad Brambach thanks to a TechnoAlpin SnowRoom
Concept: Soneva Soul
The CEO and co-founder of Soneva, Sonu Shivdasani, talks about the philosophy behind the company's new wellness concept, Soneva Soul
A recent survey by the UK Spa Association (UKSA) into the industry’s approach to cancer care
has revealed that almost half of participating respondents (46 per cent) are unaware that
cancer is a disability and guests with a cancer diagnosis must be given
Mexican operator, Solmar Hotels and Resorts, is hosting a series of events in celebration of
Global Wellness Day, including a Temazcal ceremony at its Playa Grande Resort and Spa in Los
Cabos.
Mandarin Oriental has announced a standalone residence brand, Mansions, which will debut at
Emirates Palace, Mandarin Oriental Mansions, Abu Dhabi, in 2029.
Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai in Hoi An, Vietnam, has put together a Global Wellness Day
(GWD) agenda with activations rooted in nature and shaped by four pillars of Joy – in
alignment with the day’s theme #JoyMagenta.
The Global Wellness Summit (GWS) will celebrate its 20th anniversary at the 2026 event in
Phuket, Thailand, later this year with the theme: The Science, Art and Soul of Wellness.
Auko, an all-inclusive development, is opening in Phong Nha in Vietnam in Q3 2026, with a
series of 30 tented eco-lodges and wellness hospitality operations by Lumina Wellbeing.
Therme Manchester’s 28-acre development, which will include interconnected glass pavilions
that measure 65,000sq m, will be the largest bathing and wellbeing attraction in the world once
complete, according to prof David Russell, CEO of Therme UK.
Naples Beach Club, a Four Seasons Resort, has opened a 2,800sq m spa called The Sanctuary,
with the design and concept inspired by the Native American people that populated Florida’s
Southwest coast – the Calusa.
Swire Hotels’ luxury hospitality brand Upper House has revealed it will roll out its two-day
House of Healing retreats at its three hotels in Hong Kong, Chengdu and Shanghai.
In today’s premium spa environment, every detail shapes the guest experience – right down to
the softness of towels and the freshness of linens. [more...]
