I’m padding around barefoot on the wooden floor of my sumptuous deluxe room at Chenot Palace Gabala. When I step out into the wide balcony, the air is crisp and cool and the stunning view of Nohur Lake is not only a treat for the eyes but also a calming balm for the soul. Set amidst the Caucasus mountains, this 6,000 sq metre property (the largest in the CIS) has been custom designed to accommodate all kinds of health and wellness therapies.
It’s truly state of the art, with a metabolic laboratory, a cryo-chamber operating at –110°C, antigravity technologies and an altitude chamber. But what I find to my delight is that the focus at Chenot Palace is not only on enhancing wellbeing of the body but also of the mind.
Even a month ago, I wouldn’t have known that I’d be seeking serenity and a path to better health in Azerbaijan. This hasn’t been a destination that’s top of mind in general wellness circles. But the rather exclusive Chenot Palace Gabala is legendary, having been built to enable the implementation of ‘The Chenot Method’, a detox system crafted by French wellness pioneer Henri Chenot, which has been hailed as one of the world’s best for more than 50 years.
Chenot can now be experienced at five exceptional health wellness retreats and spas in destinations around the world. The Chenot Palace Gabala is situated quite aptly in a town that was capital of the Caucasian Albania as early as the fourth century BC, in the middle of the Silk Road Route that for over 2,500 years provided cultural exchange and trades between Europe, India and China. There’s history, heritage, shopping, shooting, and skiing. But, of course, that is not the reason why people flock to this spot.
During my stay here, I get a deep understanding of why The Chenot Method is such a favourite of the global elite. It’s almost a club you belong to when you have undergone this life-changing experience. And the result is not an in-your-face flex that you flaunt but a certain ‘knowing’. Of respecting the process, of being on an inner journey, many aspects of which those who haven’t done the work won’t ever be privy to. That sense of not just using The Method but living it, is what stays with me throughout my time here and for a long time after.
They have a number of programmes to pick from. The shortest is the three-night active detox, while the fundamental or advanced detox, the prevention and ageing well, or the recovery from stress and reenergising, are all conducted over seven nights. And then there’s the 14-night one which is all about metabolic optimising for weight loss.
My three-night programme starts pretty vanilla. Upon arrival, I received a binder with my schedule. I’m given the option of using a dedicated app instead, where I can have live updates and make any changes I need to. I prefer to go old-school, and throughout the week, this binder is handed to every therapist, doctor, and massage professional, each of whom makes notes on areas that need to be worked on. With said binder in hand, I feel like an eager student back in college with a day full of appointments, plenty to learn and, come evening, lectures by Chenot’s doctors on everything from nutrition to mental health. It’s an exciting way to chart my journey towards better wellbeing.
The objective of this programme is to stimulate the body to restore its balance and reset its functions at cellular level. It involves medical consultations as well as nutritional consultations, and a detoxifying diet. The specialist medical professionals create a plan of bespoke powerful and effective treatments. A number of assessments and analyses follow. Think skin collagen, vascular, postural and movement, bio-energetic, thermal, and more.
My daily routine included hydrotherapy: a 30-minute session in a cutting-edge bathtub infused with custom-formulated ‘Chenot Elixirs,’ made from the finest essential oils. The hydro massage alternated water temperatures and pressures while leveraging the thermodynamic properties of plant extracts to stimulate capillary function. This process is said to flush out toxins and fat deposits, encourage natural cell regeneration, and improve peripheral blood circulation.
This was followed by a mineral-rich mud wrap on a specialized hot water bed. Being cocooned on a 100-degree wobbly water bed might take a session to get used to, but the relaxation and calm it provides are absolutely worth it.
Each day ends with the hydro jet treatment in which my masseuse washes away the mud with a rather powerful water jet.
Another treatment in my program was biophotomodulation, a non-invasive treatment that uses advanced light-emitting diode technology to deliver energy to cells, promoting skin healing, brain metabolism, and managing mood, sleep disorders, and jetlag.
Initially, I was a bit apprehensive when I was told that my daily calorie intake needs to be capped at 850 calories. That seems rather austere, and on the first day, I nurse a headache. Whether it’s caused by hunger or anxiety, I will never know. But the next day onwards, my body (and mind) accept and adapt, and I feel energized.
Those who are used to a caffeine kick from tea or coffee in the morning may feel similar pangs. But when I sip my barley coffee (zero caffeine) on my balcony every morning, it does trick my mind into waking up and feeling refreshed.
Mealtimes, too are moments to remember. The vegan cuisine is spectacular, the dishes — though light — are plated to perfection and score high on flavors and textures.
At the end of my time here, I lost a little weight, but the kilos are rather incidental. Once I’m back home, I’m blown away by how calm and energetic I feel throughout the day. This effect stays with me for several weeks. I know that The Chenot Method and the ambience of the Chenot Palace Gabala have worked their magic on me in ways I’m still discovering.
How much – A deluxe room starts at 650 AZN ++ per night.
Where – Chenot Palace Gabala, Nohurgishlag Gabala, 3600, Azerbaijan
Note – The writer was hosted at the Chenot Palace Gabala, but all the opinions expressed herewith are his own.
