The Westin Bora Bora Resort & Spa, a premier resort opening this Summer 2024 in Bora Bora, today announced the appointment of Aurélie Chiaffi as Spa Director, overseeing both The Westin Bora Bora Resort & Spa and The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort. With over a decade of experience in hotel spas across French Polynesia, Aurélie Chiaffi brings a wealth of expertise and passion to her new role and will curate an array of treatments inspired by local Polynesian wellness traditions and modalities for the resort’s soon-to-open Heavenly Spa Bora Bora.
“We are thrilled to welcome Complex Spa Director Aurélie Chiaffi to our resort team,” said Cesar Marques, General Manager of The Westin Bora Bora Resort & Spa. “Aurélie Chiaffi’s extensive background in spa management and her deep connection to the wellness traditions of French Polynesia make her the perfect person to take the helm at our spa, which will be rooted in local ideologies and practices.”
Aurélie Chiaffi joins the Westin Bora Bora Resort & Spa team from The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort, where she held the position of Spa Director for eight years. Prior to working at The St. Regis, Aurélie Chiaffi was the Assistant Spa Manager and Beauty Therapist at Varua Te Ora Polynesian Spa at The Brando in Tahiti. Her additional experience includes serving as Spa Supervisor at The St. Regis Bora Bora, where she acquired deep knowledge of traditional wellness practices and local products that are natural and organic.
Under Aurélie Chiaffi’s oversight, The Heavenly Spa will feature treatments inspired by the local wellness traditions of the Polynesian people and natural surroundings, as well as Asian-inspired and holistic treatments focusing on harmonizing mind and body wellness. The majority of the products used at the spa will be natural and organic, with locally sourced ingredients. Aurélie Chiaffi has selected Phytoceane, a brand rooted in the benefits of natural resources, as the spa’s primary facial care partner. The brand offers pure, effective ingredients for well-being treatments that combine expert skincare, sensory delights, and a total sense of escape, aligning perfectly with the spa’s ethos.
The Heavenly Spa’s two signature treatments will be the Heavenly Spa Bora Bora Massage, a Swedish massage using organic coconut oil that promotes physical relaxation and mental upliftment. During the massage, the therapist will invite guests to meditate on positive thoughts. The second treatment, the Tupuna Polynesian Ritual, is a 90-minute treatment that honors Polynesian culture. ‘Tupuna’ means ‘ancestors’ in Tahitian, and the ritual pays homage to the traditions of the ancestors with a Tamiti Traditional Body Treatment consisting of a body scrub using locally-sourced sea salt from Bora Bora, coconut shells, organic virgin coconut oil, and noni oil that will leave skin soft and smooth. Following the treatment, guests will enjoy a Polynesian Taurumi (Taurumi means massage), which uses traditional ancestral techniques and dancing movements to relax the body and mind.
Aurélie Chiaffi’s passion for wellness stems from her global travels, particularly during her backpacking trips in Asia, where she learned about the importance of body and mind wellbeing, meditation, and various types of massage from the local people. Outside of work, Aurélie Chiaffi enjoys cooking and exploring dishes from different cultures. She values eating well because it is essential for restoring the body and mind.
The Westin Bora Bora Resort & Spa is slated to debut this summer 2024 as the island’s newest luxury destination. Travelers looking to experience the best of Bora Bora will discover incredible overwater bungalow and villa accommodations, delectable culinary options, a variety of well-being and spa offerings, as well as the property’s beloved ecological center.
