Thai hotel group Dusit International has unveiled a deluxe resort on the lower reaches of China’s Yangtze River and the shores of Lake Tai, in Suzhou.

Dusit Thani Wellness Resort Suzhou is located in a province known as the ‘Venice of the East,’ with canals, stone bridges, pagodas and meticulously designed gardens – which have been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The 175-key resort boasts Dusit’s signature Devarana Spa with a distinct blend of Chinese and Thai healing techniques, including five Chinese sound therapy rooms for specific treatments corresponding to the natural elements.

The 6,667sq m spa is a hot spring haven, offering guests a choice between 15 different thermal pools, spread both indoors and outdoors.

Additional pools are incorporated into three of the spa’s five treatment rooms to facilitate private hydrotherapy experiences. After bathing, guests are invited to relax at the spa’s warm jade lounge area, stone bath and Himalayan salt cavern.

According to the resort’s general manager, Susan Zhang, the pandemic means that 95 per cent of spa customers now come from the domestic market and only 5 per cent of clients are inbound tourists. With a strong focus on wellness and its hot springs, the resort feels it’s well positioned to cater for both audiences. Devarana Spa also offers a range of two- to 14-day retreats that combine wellness with accommodation, fitness routines, nutritious meals and bathing.