Victory Ranch, a private gated community in Utah, US, has announced plans to add a luxury wellness centre and boutique spa to its residential and guest offerings. Due to open later this year, the 20,000sq ft (1,900sq m) The Barn will feature a spa with two treatment rooms, hand and foot therapy area, private steamrooms, a boutique retail space and relaxation areas. Outdoor facilities include a 75ft swimming pool with

Hospitality group Alila has opened a second location in China, converting a historic sugar mill into a 117-bedroom “modern retro” resort in Guilin, overlooking the Li River. Designed by Dong Gong of Vector Architects with interiors by Ju Bin of Horizontal Space Design, the vision of the Alila Yangshuo resort is to integrate the new with the old, and the designers have incorporated elements of the 1960s sugar mill architecture

Luxury hotel operator The Ritz-Carlton has opened a location in Astana, the capital city of Kazakhstan. Owned by Verny Capital Group, the 157-bedroom Ritz-Carlton Astana is located within the Talan Towers, designed by US architects Skidmore, Owings & Merrill as a natural extension of the square around the nearby Bayterek Tower – a monument and symbol of modern Astana. A wide range of wellness facilities, including a spa and 320sq

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts has opened a spa, designed by French interior architect Joseph Dirand, at its historic South Florida retreat, The Surf Club. Located within the 77-bedroom resort, the 15,000 sq ft (1,400sq m) spa is Dirand's first in the United States. The spa houses eight treatment rooms – including two treatment cabanas – a steamroom, sauna and a mixed traditional hammam, as well as a relaxation room

The historic Tower Wing of Singapore's Shangri-La Hotel has re-opened following a significant renovation, revealing a refreshed lobby, brand new rooms and suites, three restaurant concepts and a revitalised club lounge. In total, 503 guestrooms and suites have been completely refreshed by Japanese interior design firm Bond, who were tasked with retaining the “heartware” of the Shangri-La brand while bringing in modern conveniences, natural materials and a soothing colour palette

Dutch architects Mecanoo have completed an elegant pavilion for a hotel, restaurant and spa complex near Maastricht, the Netherlands. Château St. Gerlach is a historic estate situated close to the hills of the scenic Limburg countryside. It is formed of a number of old buildings and monuments, including the Château (1661), the St. Gerlachus Church (1727), the Farmstead (1759) and the Manor Farm (1668). Mecanoo were tasked with creating a

Emerging architecture practice Studio Saxe have completed a boutique hotel and yoga studio set into the tropical forest of Nosara, Costa Rica. Nomel and Mariya Libid, the owners of the Hotel Nalu-Nosara, wanted to create a resort for the visitors who travel to Nosara because of its reputation for health and wellness tourism and surfing. Studio Saxe were commissioned to design the hotel, which includes a yoga studio and multipurpose

Four Seasons Resorts and Hotels will undertake a US$35m (€31m, £27m) “re-imagination” of its Costa Rican resort and spa this year. The Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo will be redesigned in order to cater for a new target audience – identified by the resort operator as millennial-type “active families and couples, nature enthusiasts and bold adventure seekers”. Four Seasons operates the property on behalf of Miami-based Gencom,

Global masterplanning and architects practice Chapman Taylor has completed a four-month redevelopment project of the spa at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Bangkok, Thailand. Headed by Chapman Taylor’s Bangkok office, the US$750,000 (€657,000, £582,100) redesign included the creation of new treatment rooms and improving the “flow” of the property. Jon Grant, director of Chapman Taylor Bangkok, said: “We rationalised the overall planning, which was disjointed, renovating the exterior entrance and

The Cornell Institute for Health Futures (CIHF) – an academic centre within New York’s Cornell University – has received a grant to support the creation of an undergraduate minor in Health, Hospitality and Design. The programme is reported to be the first university programme in the US to combine those three disciplines. The minor is part of a larger suite of multidisciplinary educational programmes CIHF develops and supports for healthcare,

Hotel giant Marriott International has opened its latest spa hotel in China’s financial and commercial capital, Shanghai. W Shanghai, The Bund is located in the heart of the city, overlooking the Huangpu River, and features 374 bedrooms and an Away-branded luxury spa. Owned by Sinar Mas Group, the property will be operated under Marriott’s W Hotels Worldwide arm. Designed by UK-based G.A Design, the hotel has been created as a

The iconic Hôtel de Crillon in Paris, France has re-opened after undergoing a four-year, €176m (US$200m, £150m) restoration. Dating back to the 18th century, the historic property will be operated by Rosewood Hotels & Resorts and now houses 78 rooms, 36 suites and 10 signature suites. Led by architect Richard Martinet, the redevelopment involved every aspect of the building – including the restoration of the landmark façade and grand reception

Wellness continues to infiltrate industries and disciplines, and now is gaining traction in the architecture, engineering, and construction fields. With spa and wellness clients searching for authenticity in their experiences, it stands to reason that they are going to start looking deeper than the service menu or room décor. Millennials, especially, are seeking businesses that demonstrate a commitment to myriad social issues, including the environment, sustainable business practices, and the

Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas has announced plans to open its first resort in Switzerland. Upon completion, the 47–bedroom Six Senses Crans-Montana will operate under a long-term management agreement with 1875 Finance. The resort located in the prominent ski areas of Valais, two hours from Geneva. Wellness offerings at the resort include a 22,000 square foot (2,000 square meter) spa specialising in alpine treatments, gym and fitness studio, pool and

The Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has signed a management contract for a new signature hotel and branded residences being built in the mixed-use Melbourne tower designed by Zaha Hadid Architects. Mandarin Oriental, Melbourne will feature 196 guestrooms and suites “designed to reflect local culture, together with features inspired by the company’s heritage.” The group will also manage 148 residences, located on the tower’s upper floors. Leisure amenities will include an

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts has began work on a new spa resort at Sunset Bay on the southwest coast of Saint Lucia in the Lesser Antilles. The 120-bedroom Fairmont Saint Lucia – expected to open in late 2019 – will be spread across 25 acres and feature a 1,870ft private beach. As well as the 120 hotel rooms, there will be 40 private residential villas, all designed by architects WATG

After 15 months of renovation and an investment of €6m (US$6.8m, £5.3m), The Relais Bernard Loiseau in Saulieu, France has opened its 1,500sq m (16,146sq ft) four-storey wellness centre. Designed by the Claude Correia architecture agency, the facility includes a ground floor garden level with two ‘worlds’ designed to provide an intense and varied stimulation of the five senses. The ‘multisensorial zone' includes a phlebology area, effervescent beach, massage alcoves,

The Westin Los Cabos Resort & Spa on the Baja California Sur peninsula in Mexico has reopened following a radical redevelopment which has seen all 243 guest rooms being converted into 147 beach-facing “villas.” Designed by architect Javier Sordo Madaleno, the resort will now offer accommodation across a selection of studio and two-bedroom spaces – described as villas. As a result, the resort has been repositioned to accommodate extended stays,

Designer Inge Moore and her new studio Muza Lab have completed the interiors of South America's first luxury sleeper train, the Belmond Andean Explorer in Peru. Carrying up to 48 passengers, the Explorer is formed of 16 carriages from the former Great South Pacific Express train. They have been contemporised by Moore with a refined, pared-back aesthetic featuring timber floors, linen roman blinds and colourful woven textiles. There are four

Marriott International has revealed ambitious plans to grow the number of independently owned hotels in its portfolio by nearly 50 per cent by 2019. Making the announcement at the NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference in New York, Marriott said it would actively look to add new hotels to its three collection brands – The Luxury Collection, Autograph Collection Hotels and Tribute Portfolio. As part of the expansion plans, the

International hospitality firm Entourage Group hopes to speed up Hamburg’s emergence as a serious leisure and hospitality destination with the opening of a new luxury boutique hotel inside a 19th century warehouse on the city’s waterfront. Opening later this year, the 94-room Sir Nikolai has been designed by Dutch practice FG Stijl as a “showcase for artisanal quality and tradition” – with curated art, vintage rugs, unrefined wood and polished

A public sauna has opened on the former military island of Lonna, just off the shores of Finnish capital Helsinki. Designed by Helsinki-based architects OOPEAA, the compact 190sq m sauna has been built using natural materials – including handcrafted, untreated wooden logs. Located within a seven-minute boat ride of Helsinki city centre, the sauna has been designed to offer a natural haven within a metropolitan environment. “The sauna represents the

Rosewood Hotels & Resorts will open its fifth property in Europe in 2021, the Rosewood Vienna. Housed in an historic 18th century building that was the former headquarters for Erste Group Bank AG, Rosewood Vienna will be situated in Petersplatz in Vienna’s Old Town. The project’s design will be overseen by BEHF Corporate Architects in Austria and the London-based Alexander Waterworth Interiors firm. Their concept for the hotel's 99 contemporary

Hospitality group Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts has opened a “soon-to-be-iconic” hotel at the gateway to Beverly Hills, with interiors designed by the studio of architect and designer Pierre-Yves Rochon (PYR). The 12-storey Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills features 170 guestrooms and suites, designed by PYR to interpret Hollywood glamour and the Streamline Moderne style of the 1930s and 40s. Design features range from a triple-height lobby with a contemporary Art

Global spa management company Resense will manage a 1,540sq m (16,576sq ft) Kempinski Wave Spa, which is designed to envelop guests in natural elements through fresh colours and organic textures. Set to open in October 2017, the 310-bedroom Kempinski Muscat will be nestled within the community of Al Mouj, and encompass six kilometers of coastline. McNally Design International is using earthy woods, weather-worn stone and glass, smooth copper, trickling waters

A timber-clad sauna and bathhouse built on stilts has opened to the public in the town of Karlshamn on the southern coast of Sweden. The 200sq m (2,152sq ft) Kallbadhus – Swedish for “the cold bath house” – is located along a wooden beach promenade and sits at a height of three metres above sea level. Designed by Gothenburg-based architects White Arkitekten, the SEK8m (US$925,000, £716,000, €821,000) bath house is

Thailand-based hospitality company Dusit International has signed a management agreement with property investor Omstone Asia Capital Nepal to operate its first property in Nepal. The Dusit Thani Himalayan Resort & Spa – which will house 44 bedrooms and 20 exclusive villas – is scheduled to open in 2020. While the exact wellness facilities are yet to be confirmed, a spokesperson confirmed the property will have a Devarana-branded spa, providing personalised