Disney has announced it will build its first theme park in the Middle East, with Abu Dhabi's Yas Island the location. It will be the seventh Disney development globally. The development will see the theme park giant partnering with entertainment company Miral, the organisation behind the development of Yas Island as a tourist destination. Miral currently operates Warner Bros park, where it's adding a Harry Potter attraction and also SeaWorld

The Auberge Resorts Collection has opened the luxurious Collegio alla Querce in Florence, its first property in Italy. The 16th Century buildings were once home to a school, a chapel and theatre. The architectural restoration of the estate was led by Spanish father-son design duo, Esteva i Esteva, who have preserved the original character of the structures and also by Florentine interior designers, ArchFlorence, who have kept the Renaissance features

Details have been revealed for the spa and wellness concept for The Newman in London – the first hotel to be operated by new hospitality management company, Kinsfolk and Co. Slated to open in Q3 this year, the 81-key property will have an entire floor dedicated to wellness. The Nordic design for The Newman is by London-based studio Lind + Almond, with the designers taking inspiration from the 1920s ‘Swedish

1Rebel has announced it will be opening a flagship site in Chelsea this summer, along with four more studios over the course of the next year. The site at 107 Kings Road was formerly tenanted by United Fitness Brands’ (UFB) offering three of its concepts: Barrecore, Reformcore and its only remaining Kobox location. The UFB business has now formally closed and the landlord has taken back control of the building.

Ritz-Carlton is gearing up to launch its third superyacht – Luminara – in July. The vessel will be the largest to date. The ship’s exclusive Ritz-Carlton Spa will be located on the fourth deck, alongside the fitness studio and a barber and salon. Plans for the spa show treatment rooms with private terraces overlooking the sea, as well as separate saunas and steamrooms for men and women and a relaxation

Tripolers, a travel tourism agency headquartered in Beijing, is working with architects Holloway Li to build a series of boutique luxury hotels following the route of the ancient Silk Road in western China. The first of these sites will be the 80-key Tripolers Oasis Spa Hotel, which is due to open in 2026 in a working vineyard on the edge of the Gobi Desert in Dunghuang province. The resort and

A wellness-focused mega development in London has received full planning consent, with the scheme expected on-site this year and a completion date of 2030. The Round, at 18 Blackfriars Road in Southwark, London, has been designed by architects Foster + Partners for global real estate developer Hines, which has US$90 billion of assets under management in 30 countries. Arup will drive construction while Knight Frank is the property agent. The

London-based family members’ club, Little Houses Group (LHG), is set to expand following new investment from Blackstone. The fresh backing will enable LHG to bring its community-focused concept to more families across the capital, adding to its existing sites – Jaego’s House in Kensal Rise and Jesse’s House in Parsons Green. Three more houses are in the pipeline – Orly’s House, Leo’s House and Olive’s House – but the locations

Milan has raised its profile as a leader in the thermal spa sector with the opening of De Montel Terme di Milano in early April. The new property, Italy’s largest urban thermal and wellness complex, was first reported in Spa Business back in Q3 2024 and is being managed by Terme & Spa Italia, which runs Tuscany's Terme di Saturnia. De Montel Terme di Milano accommodates 700 guests and features

Global developer and wellbeing destination operator Therme Group has formed a joint venture (JV) with The Georgetown Company – a leading developer and owner of commercial, retail and mixed-use properties – to accelerate its US expansion. The partnership establishes Georgetown as Therme US’ exclusive development partner and a financial stakeholder, acquiring a 25 per cent equity stake in Therme US from Therme Group. The collaboration is a key step in

Luxury wellness brand BodyHoliday is expanding into Europe with a five-star health and fitness retreat on Portugal’s East Algarve coastline. Set to open in 2027, the €158 million (US$165.9 million, £131.1 million) – at yet unnamed – BodyHoliday Algarve will be located near the unspoiled beaches of Praia da Lota. The 220-key resort will be a sister destination to the operator’s flagship in St Lucia and mark BodyHoliday’s first European outpost.

BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group has completed the 1,200sq m Jinji Lake Pavilion in Suzhou, China. Situated on the Jinji waterfront, the pavilion offers a space for public gatherings and hospitality and is one of the eleven permanent pavilions developed as part of the City’s initiative to create a vibrant and welcoming promenade. Designed by BIG and Arts Group, the new Jinji Lake Pavilion merges the traditional Chinese courtyard typology

Accor has released a comprehensive white paper designed to deepen understanding of wellness design and its capacity to enhance guest experiences, boost loyalty and drive revenue. Spanning 16 chapters, Making Waves: Rethinking Spa and Wellness Design for a Modern Era explores key aspects of the wellness design process, exploring best practices, challenges and innovations in spa and fitness design. The white paper outlines Accor’s evolving approach to wellness across its

Designed by BIG in collaboration with ALB-Architect, the Opera & Ballet Theatre of Kosovo will house four performance halls and a new public plaza in the capital of Prishtina. As the first opera house in the Republic of Kosovo, the theatre symbolises the country’s rich and diverse cultural heritage while reflecting a new identity for Prishtina rooted in creativity and a commitment to the country’s artistic growth. Commissioned by Kosovo’s

Therme Group is forging ahead with its ambitious global expansion plans and has unveiled plans for a futuristic new AED2 billion (US$545 million, €526 million, £438 million) flagship in the Middle East, called Therme Dubai – Islands in the Sky. The destination is set to open in the UAE in 2028. Designed by renowned architects Diller Scofidio + Renfro, Therme Dubai will be located in Zabeel Park, beside the Royal

Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts is set to launch its “most significant wellbeing offering” to date on 14 March with the unveiling of Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab, the brand’s new ultra-luxury five-star Dubai resort. Commanding a prime location on the Dubai peninsula, adjacent to the group’s iconic Burj Al Arab property, the destination will feature a large 3,500sq m spa spread over three floors – one of which will be dedicated

Fitness and leisure facilities in Sheerness, UK, are being upgraded as part of a regeneration project, Sheerness Revival, funded by the UK government. Swale Borough Council has appointed Alliance Leisure to manage this flagship project that will breathe new life into the town. The Beachfields site, which is situated near the town centre, waterfront and train station will be reimagined as a hub for leisure, health and community engagement. Sheppey

An excavation of the lost ancient city of Pompeii in Naples, Italy, has unearthed a well-preserved private thermal spa dating back almost 2,000 years. Pompeii, part of a UNESCO World Heritage site, was once a thriving Roman city before it was engulfed by volcanic ash when Mount Vesuvius erupted on 24 August AD 79. The site is now an archaeological park and has been gradually excavated since the 16th century.

Planning permission has been granted for Rayners Penn, a multi-million-pound project set to convert a historic English country property and former school in Buckinghamshire into a luxury hotel and spa destination. The initiative will involve the careful restoration of Rayners Estate, a 19th-century property set in the scenic village of Penn. Originally built for sir Philip Rose – solicitor to former UK prime minister Benjamin Disraeli – the Victorian estate

The Global Wellness Institute’s (GWI) Wellness Architecture and Design Initiative (WADI) has released an in-depth white paper exploring the principles, strategies and economic, physiological and environmental benefits of incorporating wellness into the built environment. Titled Pathways to Wellness Architecture and Design, the comprehensive 174-page publication aims to guide investors, developers, architects and stakeholders in adopting holistic, evidence-based design practices that positively impact individuals, communities and the planet. “Planning, designing and

A major new 15,000sq ft destination spa has launched in Los Cabos, Mexico, as part of Four Seasons' latest opening in Cabo’s Golden Corridor. Called Tierra Mar Spa, the ocean-side facility at Four Seasons Resort & Residences at Cabo San Lucas is designed to offer an indoor-outdoor wellness oasis set against the backdrop of Baja’s dry desert landscapes. Its design concept draws inspiration from the long Baja coastline while its

The social wellness club movement that has taken the US East Coast by storm looks set to reshape London’s wellness scene in early 2025. ARC, an all-new urban wellness brand, is due to launch in January, bringing a fresh concept that blends connection, community and evidence-based wellness practices to the UK. The brand’s flagship location will open in London’s bustling Canary Wharf business district, specifically chosen so that ARC can

This December, Guerlain’s spa at Cheval Blanc St-Barth has celebrated its 10th anniversary and unveiled the results of a comprehensive design refresh. Nestled in the 61-key resort’s tropical gardens, the spa features five Gharieni-equipped treatment rooms – including a VIP double suite, an outdoor relaxation pavilion and a tropical terrace. The facility has been completely reimagined by Guerlain with the input of renowned architect Isabelle Stanislas. The refreshed interiors draw

The Sacred River Spa at Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan has embarked on a new chapter after receiving a major renovation and expansion project. The riverside retreat in Ubud, Indonesia, has been relaunched with enhanced facilities, brand-new amenities and an elevated treatment offering. Honouring traditions Nestled amid rich tropical jungle foliage, the 4,970sq m facility has been refreshed with a concept inspired by the ancient Balinese philosophy of Niskala,

Rosewood Hotels & Resorts has partnered with Miami-based private investment company Yntegra Group to realise a brand new private island resort on Exuma, an archipelago of 365 islands in the Bahamas. Launching in 2028, Rosewood Exuma will be situated on a 124-acre private island referred to as East Sampson Cay. The tropical retreat will feature 33 beachfront suites and a signature Rosewood Asaya spa designed to immerse guests in Bahamian

David Lloyd Clubs launched its latest site at Bury St Edmunds, UK, yesterday (3 December,) which has been under construction since last year. Facilities include a 100+ station gym featuring an Intuitive Strength Circuit; heated indoor and outdoor swimming pools; tennis, padel, badminton and pickleball courts; group exercise studios with the full range of signature David Lloyd Clubs’ classes, including Blaze, Spirit, Ign1te, Battlebox and Rebels. There is also a

Global wellbeing organisation Therme Group has acquired Therme Erding – a vast 145,000sq ft wellbeing destination located near Munich in Germany. Recognised as one of Europe’s largest thermal wellbeing complexes, Therme Erding features a 40-pool bathing oasis, 35 steam baths and saunas and 28 indoor and outdoor slides. Founded by architect and entrepreneur Josef Wund in 1999, the facility has become a cornerstone of the European wellness industry. The acquisition