Away Spa set inside historic bank vault to debut at design-led W Amsterdam
by Jane Kitchen | 29 Jun 2016
The W Amsterdam, which opened last October, is set to debut a new Away Spa in August, set inside an old bank vault.
The spa was conceived by 4SeasonsSpa and designed by architects Baranowitz + Kronenberg, and includes a cold pool, whirlpool, sauna, steamroom and wet area, including a 25m (82 ft) outdoor whirlpool with views of the Royal Palace and historic city.
The spa is set inside several historic bank vaults, which have been converted into treatment rooms, swimming pools, saunas, a whirlpool area and an auditorium. The largest safe has two floors and houses the swimming pool and auditorium.
Housed between two iconic properties – the ‘Exchange,’ the former telephone exchange building, and the ‘Bank, originally the KAS Bank, the 238-bedroom W Amsterdam was designed by Office WINHOV, who were responsible for the structural design of the buildings, along with BK Architects, who created the interiors, including the spa.
The Bank building, opened in late 2015, also houses 66 bedrooms and X Bank, an “immersive, creative incubator concept space that connects local design, fashion and music talents.”
BK Architects worked with local designers to bring the flavour of Amsterdam to life in the bedrooms, with details such as hand-woven bedspreads designed by Bertjan Pot that depict stories of Dutch culture, to curtains printed with classic Amsterdam canal houses and shower cabins inspired by traditional Dutch phone booths.
Embracing the history of the building, the W Lounge features 5km of copper pipes, paying tribute to the telephone wires and electricity lines of the Telephone Exchange.
W Amsterdam Away Spa bank vault 4SeasonsSpa
The spa includes a cold pool, whirlpool, sauna, steam room and wet area
The spa is set inside several historic bank vaults, which have been converted into treatment rooms, swimming pools, saunas, a whirlpool area and an auditorium
The largest safe has two floors and houses the swimming pool and auditorium
25 Aug 2015
BK Architects and Office WINHOV collaborate on W Amsterdam in former bank and telephone exchange
The W Amsterdam, which opened last October, is set to debut a new Away Spa in August, set inside an old bank vault. The spa was conceived by 4SeasonsSpa and designed by architects Baranowitz + Kronenberg, and includes a cold pool, whirlpool, sauna, steamroom and wet area, including a 25m (82 ft) outdoor whirlpool with views of the Royal Palace and historic city. The spa is set inside several historic
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Universal and Puy du Fou projects point to rise of Oxford–Cambridge corridor
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Shedd Aquarium upgrades its visitor experience with new Immersion Theater
by Liz Terry | 22 May 2026
Shedd Aquarium has opened the Immersion Theater developed in partnership with SimEx-Iwerks, as part of a wider strategy to enhance the guest experience and create additional revenue opportunities.
The attraction has transformed the aquarium’s Phelps Auditorium into a multi-sensory venue combining panoramic projection, environmental effects and interactive technology.
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MCR is planning a luxury hotel for London's BT Tower
by Helen Andrews | 21 May 2026
Hotel owner-operator MCR Hotels is inviting the public to provide feedback on development plans for London’s iconic BT Tower as a luxury hotel and mixed use project. Public access to the tower – for the first time in 50 years – will also be part of the scheme. In February 2024, British telecommunications company BT Group sold the BT Tower for £275 million (US$347 million, €321.3 million) to MCR Hotels.
Joy as a radical act: Yinka Ilori launches solo exhibition celebrating the rebellious power of spreading happiness
by Magali Robathan | 21 May 2026
As designer Yinka Ilori prepares for his first solo gallery show in London, he speaks exclusively to CLADmag about his mission to spread joy, the power of play, and his bold approach to using colour (including the colours you won’t see in his work). Running at London’s Cristea Roberts Gallery from 5 June to 11 July 2026, Yinka Ilori: Joy Through Resistance, He Who Laughs Last, Laughs Best, spans new
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by Helen Andrews | 28 May 2026
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Orient Express Corinthian to host Ocean Rebirth wellness retreat in collaboration with Guerlain
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Famed London nightclub, Tramp, launches Tramp Health
by Liz Terry | 19 May 2026
Luxury members’ club Tramp has expanded into the fitness, health and wellness sector with the launch of Tramp Health, a 16,000sq ft high-end fitness and longevity club in London’s Mayfair. The new concept was created by Luca Maggiora, the entrepreneur who bought Tramp at the end of 2023 and represents a £10m investment. The new fitness, health and wellness club is being promoted by the company as the antithesis of the
First look: Miraval opens on the Red Sea in Saudi Arabia
by Helen Andrews | 15 May 2026
Miraval The Red Sea has opened on Shura Island in Saudi Arabia as part of The Red Sea Project. The development is the first Miraval-branded property outside the US. This site is the fourth Miraval resort in the world – following US-based properties in Arizona, Texas and Massachusetts. Hyatt bought Miraval from previous owners Steve Case and investor KSL in 2017 and has also started putting its Life in Balance
Hainan Science Museum by Ma Yansong, opens in China
by Liz Terry | 13 May 2026
A new science museum has opened to the public in Haikou after attracting more than 350,000 visitors during a four-month soft opening period.
Designed by Ma Yansong and his practice MAD Architects, the Hainan Science Museum is located on the edge of Wuyuan River National Wetland Park and has already recorded peak attendance of more than 5,800 visitors in a single day.
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by Kath Hudson | 04 May 2026
A wellness club opens on London’s River Thames in June, offering luxury facilities and personalised wellness protocols focused on recovery and longevity. Sæl Spa at Fulham Pier – London’s new lifestyle destination on the River Thames – will be set across four floors and has been conceived as a “modern British sanctuary.” Facilities include a 15-metre heated rooftop infinity pool and sun terrace and a movement studio with integrated infrared
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by Helen Andrews | 30 Apr 2026
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Construction begins on regenerative wellness destination The Shenandoah Nature Resort
by Helen Andrews | 02 May 2026
Construction has begun on a new wellness destination in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, US, called The Shenandoah Nature Resort, which is due to open in January 2028. The US$200 million (€184 million, £156 million) property has been designed to reimagine the traditional spa experience by blending ancient and modern wisdom in what is described as a “spiritually expansive and scientifically grounded approach”. The resort has been created to address
Royal Caribbean reveals record-breaking cruise ship
by Magali Robathan | 21 Apr 2026
Royal Caribbean has revealed its Hero of the Seas cruise ship, home to the most pools at sea (nine), and a record-breaking 28 dining venues, as well as attractions including a waterpark with two new family raft slides. Other attractions include the Crown's Edge skywalk/zip line experience, the FlowRider surf simulator, the Adrenaline Peak rock-climbing wall, and the Lost Dunes mini-golf course. Arriving in Miami in August 2027, Hero of
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by Magali Robathan | 18 Apr 2026
The much-anticipated V&A East Museum has opened in Stratford, east London, UK. Designed by architects O’Donnell + Tuomey, the new branch of the Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A) is a cornerstone of the East Bank cultural complex in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Intended as a legacy for the 2012 London Olympics, the project was inspired by the cultural boom in South Kensington after the 1851 Great Exhibition and London's
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by Helen Andrews | 20 Apr 2026
The heritage-listed Department of Lands building in Sydney, Australia, has relaunched as a major cultural and events destination, as part of a mixed-use redevelopment of two iconic buildings known collectively as the Sandstone Precinct. Singapore-based Pontiac Land Group owns the property, as well as the building next door that was the former Department of Education building. The two-phase restoration project has seen Pontiac turn the Department of Education building into
World of Frozen launches at Disneyland Paris
by Magali Robathan | 16 Apr 2026
World of Frozen has opened at Disney Adventure World in Disneyland Paris with new offerings across the entire park. The expansion almost doubles the size of Disneyland Paris, immersing guests in a life-size recreation of the Kingdom of Arendel. The World of Frozen features a Tangled -inspired attraction, 14 new dining locations and a large lake debuting a new night-time spectacular. It also features a daytime celebration, themed shopping, and
Pical Resort by Valamar reveals first Croatian spa under the ESPA brand
by Helen Andrews | 14 Apr 2026
The €200m (US$221.3 million, £169.7 million) Pical Resort, Valamar Collection has opened in Croatia with the country’s first ESPA spa. Valamar Riviera, a Croatian tourism company and hotel operator has revealed the 514-key property in Poreč, Istria. The development of the Pical Resort represents Valamar’s largest investment to date. The accommodation is split into the following options: the Pical Hotel, the luxury all-inclusive Pical Family Hotel, the exclusive Pical Suites
Mandarin Oriental creates end-to-end Egyptian journey with two new hotels and first-ever luxury river cruise
by Helen Andrews | 13 Apr 2026
The Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has revealed plans to expand its presence in Egypt with the renovation and operation of two historic hotel properties and the brand’s first-ever luxury river cruise. In 2022, Mandarin Oriental announced it would open its first Egyptian property, Mandarin Oriental Shepheard in Cairo. The hotel is undergoing a comprehensive renovation and is due to open in 2027. Ownership and development The river cruise, Old Cataract
Designers Mendil + Meyer launch new division called Lām Concepts for strategic wellness projects
by Helen Andrews | 27 Mar 2026
Holistic design and architecture practice Mendil + Meyer, based in Arizona in the US, has introduced a new division called Lām Concepts to integrate and align wellness goals for projects before they reach the design stage. Ben Meyer, architect and co-founder of Mendil + Meyer, told Spa Business exclusively about the new division: “Lām comes from the word loam, meaning fertile ground – the place where conditions are right for
Wilderness Bisate in Rwanda reveals brand’s second Sanctuary spa
by Helen Andrews | 05 Mar 2026
Wilderness, an operator of 60 safari camps across eight African countries, has unveiled the second spa under its new concept called The Sanctuary, at Wilderness Bisate in Rwanda. The Sanctuary is a concept that pairs design and wellness with raw, restorative landscapes. The offering at the Rwandan property follows the opening of a different interpretation of The Sanctuary’s concept at Wilderness Mombo in Botswana. Read more about that property here.
4a Architekten shares details of wellness extension at Salinarium Bad Dürkheim Thermal Spa
by Helen Andrews | 04 Mar 2026
Design firm 4a Architekten has shared details of the recently-completed extension to the wellness facilities at destination spa park Salinarium Bad Dürkheim Thermal Spa in Germany. The upgrades to the leisure pool facility, which has been in operation since 1984, included the addition of a thermal spa and sauna in a new building that integrated sensitively into the landscape. Commissioned by the facility’s operator, utility company Stadtwerke Bad Dürkheim, the
BodyHoliday plans 10-15 locations in the next 15 years
by Helen Andrews | 04 Mar 2026
Andrew Barnard, CEO of BodyHoliday, has exclusively shared plans with Spa Business to be involved in the development of 10-15 BodyHoliday properties around the world over the next 15 years, with its upcoming Portuguese resort as its proof-of-concept “showroom”. In the latest edition of Spa Busines s, Barnard says he has his eye on locations in Europe, the Middle East, Costa Rica and Belize for future BodyHoliday developments. He and
Floating wellbeing destination planned for London’s Royal Docks
by Helen Andrews | 03 Mar 2026
A new floating wellbeing destination with a public park, residential and wellness facility is planned for a 12-hectare stretch of water within London’s Royal Docks, in the UK. The development is part of a wider regeneration of the Royal Docks to create a diverse waterfront, backed by £5 billion (US$6.35 billion, €5.85 billion) of investment over the next 20 years. The aim is to make the area a mixed-use development
Aman Group to open second Janu in Dubai with inaugural Janu Club
by Helen Andrews | 03 Mar 2026
Janu, a brand by the Aman Group, will open its second location in 2027, in Dubai, UAE – with a wellness and fitness space measuring 1,700sq m and a separate inaugural private members’ Janu Club. Developed by Dubai-based developer H&H, the 150-key hotel and 57 private residences will be located in a mixed-use development that measures 1.3 million sq ft in the heart of the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).
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