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An Immersive Soaking Experience

 
Punta Mita, México

Nestled along Mexico’s rugged western coast, Naviva, A Four Seasons Resort, Punta Mita, is a highly personalized and deeply transformative retreat, anchored by a series of intimate wellness spaces. The Resort’s two private spa pods facilitate a connection to the Earth by grounding guests in all aspects of the environment, encircling them with verdant flora and fauna as they relax into nature’s calming embrace. Inspired by the seed of the local Ceiba tree, Naviva’s spa pods feature a personal garden and outdoor shower, as well as timber soaking tub to enjoy after or in between treatments.

Within Naviva’s spa pods, the soaking tubs become an immersive sensory experience. Enclosed by natural materials and lush vegetation, bathers feel the heat of the water relax their bodies, listen the soothing sounds of nature, and inhale the refreshing aromas surrounding them, leading to total relaxation for both mind and body.

Soothing and Soulful Soaks

Known as ofuro tubs, these structures are purposefully designed for long relaxing soaks, offering a host of wellness benefits and evoking a profound sense of peace and joy. Made from high insulation cedar wood, Naviva’s soaking tubs capture and retain heat, producing a deeply thermal soak that is soothing to both soul and body, promoting detoxification, elevating cardiovascular performance, increasing metabolic advantages, fortifying the immune system, purifying the skin, and alleviating pain or stress.

Emotional peace is cultivated through moments of warmth and comfort in the tubs, contributing to a sense of physical renewal and overall contentment. The decision to go “jet-free” further enhances the experience by letting the soothing sounds of the forest dominate, rather than the artificial noise of conventional jet-powered tubs, and the wafting aromatic fragrance of cedar adds a therapeutic touch to the ritual.

With a built-in bench seat that allows bathers to sit vertically, the tub’s unique positioning eliminates the pressure on the shoulders and neck often experienced in traditional baths and allows for a more natural spinal alignment. An upright posture induces tranquillity and is known to alleviate headaches, enhance sleep quality, diminish lower back pain, boost energy levels, and optimize circulation and digestion. Deeper than standard baths, Naviva’s soaking tubs ensure that bathers are fully submerged, offering a thorough and immersive soak.

Emphasizing Sustainability

In addition to countless therapeutic benefits, Naviva’s soaking tubs are highly sustainable in practice, aligning effortlessly with the Resort’s ecological ethos. Opting for an ofuro tub over a traditional hot tub aligns with the biophilic concept of utilizing natural materials, timber instead of acrylic or porcelain. In collaboration with designers Luxury Frontiers, Naviva carefully considered tub size, heating methods, and water circulation mechanics, to ensure the most sustainable product possible.

Each soaking tub is built from regionally sourced cedar wood - a 100 percent renewable and sustainable resource. Cedar is a high insulation material, retaining heat and creating a more energy-efficient soaking experience. The thick construction of the tubs serves to maintain warmth for much longer than conventional tubs, minimizing water wastage. Naviva’s ofuro soaking tubs were an intentionally eco-conscious choice, fitting for the Resort’s mindfulness towards environmental impact.