Bathhouse
The
bathhouse provides the perfect sanctuary for the
hydrotherapy experience. Make your way through
the lush tropical garden and discover the rejuvenating
benefits of the sauna, plunge pool and hot spas.
Take your time during your visit to bask in the tranquil
surroundings, listening to the birds singing and
the wind in the palm trees. Immerse yourself in nature
and ritual.
Facilities:
The bathhouse is warming in winter and cooling
in summer and magical in the rain. For those on holiday,
the best time to visit is at the beginning of your holiday.
It is not until you have unwound from the stresses of your
life that you can really make the most of your holiday. Our
facilities are shared by men and women and can be enjoyed
day or night.
The hot spa pools in the garden, offer oxygenated water,
hydrotherapy jets and contoured seating for extreme comfort.
Relax tense muscles and reduce stress with a luxurious
soak as you indulge in one of the world’s oldest
healing rituals.
Wood heated sauna
Our sauna is a unique, octagonal
structure with room to stretch out in. It is the heart
of the Kiva, a temple with a fire flickering in the stillness.
Even if you have not enjoyed saunas in the past, we encourage
you to experience this one. It is such a pleasurable way
to improve your health. We highly recommend a cold plunge
in between sessions.
Cold plunge pool
Experience the exhilarating affects of
cold water. The rush of energy, especially after the sauna
is delicious .Toning and invigorating, this method of contrast
hydrotherapy greatly enhances the benefits of the heat
therapies provided by the spas and sauna.
Have a massage or skin treatment after spending time in
the bathhouse and you will float away at the end of your
visit, perfectly relaxed and rejuvenated.
THE SAUNA
The sauna is the heart of the Kiva, the
inner temple. The word " Kiva " comes from the
Native Americans called Anasazi from the South West, who
built ceremonial lodges called Kivas. There are many different
traditions around sweat baths, all over the world. Most
of the tradition around the modern day sauna comes from
Finland, a country that has more saunas than cars! The
sauna invites you to find what really works for you. There
are no rights and wrongs. Its a place to listen to your
body, not to push yourself as you might do in a gym. It
is about awareness.
I designed and built the sauna at the
Kiva. The design combines the traditional Finnish sauna
with the Native American sweatlodge. I have been using
the sauna at the Kiva for 10 years, at least once a week.
The way I like to do it is to do about 3 rounds of 15 -
20 minutes each, jumping in the cold pool between each
round. I like to put water on the rocks and have it steamy,
maximising the negative ion effect. In the first round
I become aware of the " kinks " in my body/mind.
I notice stressful thoughts and feelings and I notice places
of tension in my body. The sauna is a 5 metre octagon so
I use the space sometimes to stretch out and iron out some
the kinks just allowing the heat and steam to melt the
tight muscles. In the second round I already notice that
I am a lot more relaxed. The rush of energy from the cold
water is pure magic and I immediately notice how different
I feel as I return to the sauna. My mind is quieter and
my body is starting to unwind and let go. By the third
round, I'm " there " !! I have a sense of relaxed
well being permeating my body and mind. The stress has
dissipated, I move more slowly, my mind is still and I
feel present and alert with greater acceptance in my world.
The amazing thing is that it works every time!! no matter
the season or the weather or my mood.
THE
SOCIAL SPA EXPERIENCE
KIVA VOTED IN THE TOP 10
SOCIAL SPAS IN THE WORLD
by Asia Spa Magazine
Why is this? 1 Private Spa Parties.
2 Community
Nights (Fridays 7pm to 9pm)
3 Women’s
Night (Wednesdays 7pm to 9pm)
4 Fantastic
way to relax with friends.
Groups. Especially women like to come in groups and spend the
whole day getting pampered, relaxing, sharing food and chatting in the spas and
on the verandah. You can either bring your own food, order some in or go out
to a restaurant close by to eat. People come from Brisbane and the Gold Coast
because of the unique garden environment, friendly staff and the outstanding
services provided.
TAKING THE WATERS a brief history of spa
Water has always been celebrated as a source of energy,
both physical and spiritual. Water has been a spiritual
force in people’s lives everywhere throughout the
world and still is. Initially wells, springs and streams
were worshipped because of their ability to heal. Over
the centuries these same sacred waters have evolved into
popular baths and spas.
The Romans deserve credit for combining the spiritual,
social and therapeutic values of bathing and exalted it
to an art form. Baths became the focus of communal
life, offering a place for relaxation, social gathering
and worship. Some of the Roman bathhouses were spectacular
achievements , even by modern standards. The ruins
of the Diocletian and Caracalla baths are incredible. The
bathhouse built by Diocletian covered an area of 32 acres
and could accommodate 6000 people. It contained gyms, libraries,
temples, fountains, gardens, frescoes as well as saunas
and huge bathing areas of many different temperatures.
The great European spas were made famous by the aristocracy
in the 18th and 19th centuries when taking the waters saw
a big revival.
In our modern era of overwork and stress spas are enjoying
increased popularity because people are recognizing that
water heals .It is an opportunity to retreat from
our busy lives. It is a chance to focus within ourselves,
soul time, while our bodies are relaxing, unwinding and
being pampered. This is such a key part of staying healthy
in the modern world, allowing layers of stress to unravel
in the warm water and steam, on the massage table in deep
relaxation. |
