Wellness and water: Greek resort Olea set to open in June
On the eastern side of the Greek island of Zakynthos, the 93-room design-led Olea All Suite Hotel is set to open in June, with an emphasis on wellness.
Architecture practice Block722architects, who have offices in Athens and Stockholm, have created a 4,000sq m (43,000sq ft) artificial lake at the heart of the hotel, surrounded by the scattered suites. There is an almost complete absence of boundaries between the resort’s suites and its communal spaces, resulting in a sense of freedom and relaxation.
In addition to the lake, many of the suites have private swimming pools, and the element of water is an integral part of Olea’s concept, connecting spaces. Local vegetation is also utilised prominently, and Block722 used the plants and olive trees that have graced the land for centuries in their design, along with rustic oak wood, bamboo and rattan.
“The most important thing to us was how the guests would experience their surroundings,” said Katja Margaritoglou, co-founder and interior designer for the firm. “The design brings people in sync with nature and its elements, connecting the indoors with the outdoors in a seamless way that helps them unwind and explore the resort in its entirety.”
There is a 300sq m (3,200sq ft) Royal Spa & Relaxation area featuring treatment rooms, while other facilities include an indoor/outdoor pool, sauna, steam bath, emotion shower, yoga pavilion and a 100sq m (1,070sq ft) fitness and beauty salon.
“The idea was to introduce a resort that embraces everything that makes this island so wonderful, but in a contemporary way,” said Venia Xenou, a representative of the Xenos Hotels Group. “From its warm-hearted people and the unique ingredients of local cuisine to the lush vegetation and the majestic beaches, Zakynthos has just so many meaningful experiences to offer. Olea utilises all the above and adds a bit of magic through modern, minimal design and an ever-present element of water.”
Olea Greece design hotels wellness waterEurope's premier Evian Spa unveiled at Hôtel Royal in France
Clinique La Prairie unveils health resort in China after two-year project
GoCo Health Innovation City in Sweden plans to lead the world in delivering wellness and new science
Four Seasons announces luxury wellness resort and residences at Amaala
Aman sister brand Janu debuts in Tokyo with four-floor urban wellness retreat
€38m geothermal spa and leisure centre to revitalise Croatian city of Bjelovar
Two Santani eco-friendly wellness resorts coming to Oman, partnered with Omran Group
Kerzner shows confidence in its Siro wellness hotel concept, revealing plans to open 100
Ritz-Carlton, Portland unveils skyline spa inspired by unfolding petals of a rose
Rogers Stirk Harbour & Partners are just one of the names behind The Emory hotel London and Surrenne private members club
Peninsula Hot Springs unveils AUS$11.7m sister site in Australian outback
IWBI creates WELL for residential programme to inspire healthy living environments
Conrad Orlando unveils water-inspired spa oasis amid billion-dollar Evermore Resort complex
Studio A+ realises striking urban hot springs retreat in China's Shanxi Province
Populous reveals plans for major e-sports arena in Saudi Arabia
Wake The Tiger launches new 1,000sq m expansion
Othership CEO envisions its urban bathhouses in every city in North America
Merlin teams up with Hasbro and Lego to create Peppa Pig experiences
SHA Wellness unveils highly-anticipated Mexico outpost
One&Only One Za’abeel opens in Dubai featuring striking design by Nikken Sekkei
Luxury spa hotel, Calcot Manor, creates new Grain Store health club
'World's largest' indoor ski centre by 10 Design slated to open in 2025
Murrayshall Country Estate awarded planning permission for multi-million-pound spa and leisure centre
Aman's Janu hotel by Pelli Clarke & Partners will have 4,000sq m of wellness space
Therme Group confirms Incheon Golden Harbor location for South Korean wellbeing resort
Universal Studios eyes the UK for first European resort
King of Bhutan unveils masterplan for Mindfulness City, designed by BIG, Arup and Cistri
Rural locations are the next frontier for expansion for the health club sector
Tonik Associates designs new suburban model for high-end Third Space health and wellness club
Aman sister brand Janu launching in Tokyo in 2024 with design by Denniston's Jean-Michel Gathy
Across Denmark, a charity is turning industrial buildings into centres for street sport and art. As the concept prepares to go global, we speak to the people making it happen
Creating the 9/11 Memorial Museum in New York involved meticulous planning. Its director Alice Greenwald tells us more