Architecture and design news:
spa & wellness
New 29,000sq ft, 25-room spa to open in Los Cabos
by Rebecca Barnes | 31 Mar 2017
All-inclusive hospitality company Palace Resorts has announced the highly anticipated launch of Le Blanc Spa Resort Los Cabos in Q3 2017. With exteriors by architect Roberto Elias and interiors by Miami-based Francois Frossard of Francois Frossard Design (FFD), the design of the beachfront property is heavily influenced by the flora and fauna of the resort, the climate, the landscapes and surrounding mountains. The result will be four buildings that curve
Six floor Tyrolian ‘world of wellbeing’ undergoes luxury refurbishment
by Rebecca Barnes | 30 Mar 2017
Luxury health and spa resort Preidlhof in South Tyrol, Italy, will re-open on 1 April following a €6m ($6.44m, £5m) refurbishment that includes the addition of suites with 'spa loggias.' Overseen by Austrian designer Reinhard Köck, the resort will unveil 36 new luxury suites and five luxury penthouse suites, bringing the total number of rooms to 70. The suites will all feature spa loggias and some include whirlpools and private
Re-imagined Spa at Ritz-Carlton South Beach debuts new high-tech treatment concept featuring work of Louie Schwartzberg
by Rebecca Barnes | 30 Mar 2017
The 16,000sq ft (1,486sq m) Spa at The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach in Miami has been re-imagined with a fresh redesign, modern fitness facility and destination-inspired therapies. Located in Miami Beach’s historic Art Deco district, the landmark Art Moderne hotel was originally designed by famed architect Morris Lapidus in 1953. To celebrate the spa opening, a sage-smudging ceremony was performed to cleanse and purify the spa of its past and welcome
Six Senses Spa at Zil Pasyon inspired by the drama of the surrounding environment
by Rebecca Barnes | 29 Mar 2017
Following on the heels of the resort's opening late last year, the 19,000sq ft (1,765sq m) Six Senses Spa Zil Pasyon in Félicité, the fifth largest island in Seychelles, is now open. Created by Six Senses Architecture and Design team and Richard Hywel Evans of Studio RHE in London, the spa is immersed in the private island’s rocks, boulders, jungle and the Indian Ocean. It is designed to be an
Winners announced in design competition for Latvian blue clay spa
by Kim Megson | 28 Mar 2017
The winner has been announced in an architecture competition to design a rural spa and guest house in Kurzeme, Western Latvia. The Blue Clay Country Spa contest, organised by organising company Bee Breeders, invited architects of all experience levels to present ideas for a spa and guesthouse in a remote natural forest, famed for its blue clay. They were tasked with envisioning “the economic, cultural, and architectural implications of inhabiting
Elemis opens 'jewel among spas' in the shadow of Mount Athos
by Jane Kitchen | 27 Mar 2017
A new 900sq m (9,688sq ft) Eagles Spa by Elemis is set to open near the birthplace of Aristotle, in time to celebrate the great philosopher’s 2,400th birthday. Located in Halkidiki, Greece, the spa is part of a larger expansion of the five-star Eagles Palace resort, which also includes the addition of Eagles Villas. The 42 villas, designed by architects 3sk Stylianidis, are nestled into a green hilltop and feature
Gold, marble, brass and oak run through contemporary and cultured Cape Town spa
by Rebecca Barnes | 24 Mar 2017
A new boutique spa and beauty salon has opened in the De Waterkant district of Cape Town, South Africa, "bringing a contemporary edge to the city." Lume Beauty Atelier was created by local interior designers ARRCC and Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects (SAOTA), with a brief to offer visitors a luxury experience in upscale, high fashion surroundings. For the reception foyer, monochromatic tones were used to bring calmness to the
Self-sustaining wellness villages set for Europe, as work begins on Dutch pilot project
by Jane Kitchen | 24 Mar 2017
A technology-focused real estate development company that’s creating a new model for self-sustaining wellness communities has launched a pilot 'ReGen Village' in the Netherlands. Located in Almere, the development, designed by Danish architects EFFEKT, includes 300 homes that will grow their own food and generate their own power on-site. Other ReGen developments are also being considered in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Germany and Belgium. The idea for the communities is to
Sun's power and hot springs harnessed to freeze Russian ice rink all year round
by Kim Megson | 22 Mar 2017
Architect Margot Krasojevic has designed an ice rink facility on a Russian lake that will use the power of the sun and geothermal energy to keep the surface frozen all year round. The ‘Liquid Skating Photovoltaic Ice Skating Rink’ will be located high in the mountains of the Kamchatka peninsula – a popular tourist hotspot due to its volcanic terrain, nature reserves and hot springs. Krasojevic’s client, China Film House,
Patricia Urquiola's intimate and contemporary Sereno hotel opens on Lake Como
by Kim Megson | 20 Mar 2017
Boutique hospitality group Sereno Hotels has announced the opening of Il Sereno Lago di Como – an “intimate, design-driven” hotel designed by Patricia Urquiola on the banks of Italy’s Lake Como. The picturesque location is a popular beauty spot, drawing tourists with its dramatic vistas of the southern Italian Alps and idyllic small towns, and George Clooney, Madonna and Donatella Versace have all snapped up properties on the lake. Il
Oscar Niemeyer's Hotel Nacional in Rio reborn as Gran Melia flagship
by Rebecca Barnes | 16 Mar 2017
Situated in an iconic building originally designed by Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer and recognised as a national heritage site, the flagship Gran Melia Nacional Rio De Janeiro is now open. The tubular skyscraper property which is located on the beachfront in Sao Conrado bay, has been extensively renovated to create 413 hotel rooms, including two presidential and 10 executive suites set over 34 floors, and features the only Clarins spa
Six Senses to take over management of Canyon Ranch Kaplankaya
by Jane Kitchen | 14 Mar 2017
It has been open less than a year, but Canyon Ranch’s first location outside of the US will soon change hands, with Six Senses taking over management of the property in May 2017. The Canyon Ranch Kaplankaya opened in July 2016 on the Turkish Riviera near Bodrum, and includes 141 bedrooms and a 107,000sq ft (9,941sqm) spa, fitness and Health & Healing Centre with 38 treatment rooms. Canyon Ranch Kaplankaya
Opening of shimmering lakeside Fontenay hotel set to cement Hamburg's leisure destination status
by Kim Megson | 15 Mar 2017
The wealthy owner of one of the world’s largest logistics companies is preparing to open a luxurious new Hamburg hotel, designed to promote the city’s image and capitalise on the popularity of Herzog and de Meuron’s recently-opened Elbphilharmonie. Set to open in the final quarter of 2017, The Fontenay will be the first five-star hotel to open in Hamburg for almost two decades. The 131-bedroom property will be located close
Oscar Niemeyer's long lost São Paulo palace reimagined as luxury Oetker Collection hotel
by Kim Megson | 13 Mar 2017
An abandoned Brazilian palace designed by iconic late architect Oscar Niemeyer is to finally see the light of day, with hotel group Oetker Collection opening the building as their first property in the Americas. Palácio Tangará will open in São Paulo in June 2017. The building was first constructed in the 1940s as Tangará Ranch, when wealthy Brazilian businessman Francisco ‘Baby’ Pignatari commissioned it as a gift to his fiance.
Nikki Beach Resort & Spa Dubai debuts luxury destination spa
by Rebecca Barnes | 10 Mar 2017
Located on the beachfront, the five star Nikki Beach Resort & Spa in Dubai has opened its doors, with the 1,650sq m (17,760sq ft) Nikki Spa opening in April 2017. Offering "the best of wellbeing" in a contemporary setting for guests and visitors, facilities will include seven separate spa suites for men and women, one couples suite, a hammam chamber, sauna, steam, ice fountain, mixed vitality pool and indoor and
Bristol bank transformed into hotel, with a spa in the vaults
by Rebecca Barnes | 09 Mar 2017
The historic Lloyds Bank building in Bristol is one of two former banks that have been merged together to form the newly-opened Bristol Harbour Hotel & Spa. The building, designed by William Bruce Gingell in the early 20th century, has been carefully merged with the Midland Bank site next door, and converted by DO Design Studio to house a hotel with 42 restaurants, a restaurant and cocktail bar. The underground
Montage to develop double-branded resort in La Quinta with architects Gensler
by Jane Kitchen | 09 Mar 2017
Montage International is developing two hotels at the SilverRock Resort in La Quinta, California, set to open in late 2019. Developed in partnership with The Robert Green Company, the resort will include Montage La Quinta with branded Montage Residences; Pendry La Quinta with branded Pendry Residences, and a Spa Montage. This is the first project that incorporates both of Montage’s hotel brands, Montage and Pendry. Architecture and design firm Gensler
Design duo transform beachside Bali holiday home into 'ultimate wellbeing destination'
by Kim Megson | 03 Mar 2017
A husband-and-wife design team have transformed their own beachfront holiday home into a new resort; the first of a new brand of “ultimate wellbeing destinations.” Soo K. Chan, the founder of SCDA Architects, and hospitality designer Ling Fu, have used holistic design and environmental practices to create Soori Bali in Indonesia. The revamped resort will feature 48 private pool villas and residences, a cantilevered platform jutting over the Indian Ocean
Wellness communities now a multi-billion dollar industry, says World Spa panel
by Jane Kitchen | 02 Mar 2017
Mia Kyricos, founder of strategic advisory firm Kyricos & Associates, told an audience at the World Spa & Wellness Convention in London that wellness communities grew by 19 per cent from 2013 to 2015, and are worth an estimated US$29bn (€27.5bn, £23.6bn) in Europe and US$48bn (€45.6bn, £39.1bn) in North America. Kyricos moderated a panel on wellness communities that also included Steve Nygren, president of Serenbe wellness community near Atlanta,
Royal Portfolio hotel opens in Heatherwick Studio's Cape Town Grain Silo
by Kim Megson | 01 Mar 2017
The Silo Hotel – a luxury property located within Heatherwick Studio’s re-imagined Cape Town grain storage facility – opens today (1 March). The hotel is built in the grain elevator portion of the silo complex, occupying six floors above what will become the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA). It has 26 guest rooms, including one bedroom penthouse, that are all more spacious vertically than horizontally due to the
Dusit Thani announces bid to build billion dollar icon 'putting Bangkok on world stage'
by Kim Megson | 01 Mar 2017
One of Thailand’s largest hotel and property development companies has announced plans to expand Bangkok’s famous Dusit Thani hotel and develop a new US$1bn (€948.3m, £808.2m) landmark in the heart of the metropolis. The Dusit Thani company has today (1 March) signed an agreement with the quasi-government Crown Property Bureau to extend its lease for the land where its popular hotel stands. It can now develop the site over the
Folk tales of One Thousand and One Nights inspire Marcel Wanders' lavish Qatar hotel
by Kim Megson | 27 Feb 2017
The famous Middle Eastern folk tales of One Thousand and One Nights are the inspiration behind a lavish dome-topped hotel opening imminently in Doha, Qatar. Local practice South West Architecture and Dutch interior designer Marcel Wanders – working in the region for the first time – have collaborated to create the “fantasy-like” Doha Mondrian for hotel operator sbe. Design features are inspired by the local patterns, ornate Arabic writing and
Bensley in Wonderland: Lewis Carroll classic inspires designer's Vietnamese JW Marriott resort
by Kim Megson | 27 Feb 2017
For his latest grandiose Southeast Asian resort project, designer Bill Bensley has taken his inspiration from an unlikely combination of themes: the work of pioneering French naturalist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck, the importance of higher education, Lewis Carroll's novel Alice in Wonderland – and mushrooms. Bensley’s typically whimsical design touches feature throughout the JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay resort in the south of Vietnam – a project the designer has described
Luxury Kempinski spa opens on the horn of Africa
by Rebecca Barnes | 23 Feb 2017
Located in Djibouti on the horn of Africa at the crossroads between the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, the 740sq m (7,965sq ft) Kempinski The Spa at Djibouti Palace Kempinski, is now open. Managed by spa brand Resense and designed South African studio K/M2K, facilities include six treatment rooms (including one double suite), a fitness centre, two infinity pools, gym, tennis court, relaxation room, and steam and sauna facilities
Banyan Tree to open ‘sanctuary for the senses’ in Bodrum
by Rebecca Barnes | 22 Feb 2017
International hotel group Banyan Tree has joined forces with Turkish real estate developers Nef to develop the group’s first location in Europe. Scheduled to open in the Aegean resort of Yalikavak in 2018, Banyan Tree Bodrum will include a 70-bedroom luxury resort with spa facilities. Situated on a headland of private beachfront surrounded by sea on three sides, the resort will include Banyan Tree’s award-winning tropical spa concept spanning 2,000sq
Giant cliff-top spa to open at Switzerland's historic Burgenstock Resort
by Rebecca Barnes | 21 Feb 2017
Scheduled to open this summer, the reimagined Burgenstock Resort Hotel Lake Lucerne will feature a gargantuan spa covering 10,000sq m (107,639 sq ft). Situated on the shoulders of the Burgenburg cliff and offering views of Lake Lucerne, the Rigi and Pilatus, the new spa is among the largest and most modern in Europe. Aiming to introduce leading wellbeing facilities to provide ‘wellness without limits’ to guests, the concept has been
Indonesian-inspired spa debuts in Lithuania
by Rebecca Barnes | 20 Feb 2017
A four-star hotel in the traditional spa town of Druskininkai, southern Lithuania, is now open and features a design inspired by Indonesian style. With panoramic views of the old town and the Nemunas River, the Flores Hotel features 42 light-filled rooms featuring wafer-thin metal chandeliers, natural carpets, beds decorated with wood mosaic, and sinks carved from marble or sturdy wood in the marble bathrooms. Lithuanian architects Ponama created a modern
Health hotel Lanserhof Lans undergoes luxury renovations and expansion
by Rebecca Barnes | 17 Feb 2017
The new and improved medical spa and hotel, Lanserhof Lans in the Austrian province of Lans is now open. Having undergone considerable renovations and an extension to its existing building, the reinvented spa has been created by Christoph Ingenhoven, the architect behind Lanserhof Tegernsee. As well as the building design, Dusseldorf-based Ingenhoven Architects were also responsible for the overall interior design. The redesign, which comes just two years after the
‘Landmark’ US$1.4bn MGM National Harbor Resort overlooks Washington D.C
by Jessica Adams | 14 Feb 2017
Hotel giant MGM Resorts International has opened its latest luxury resort in America; the US$1.4bn (€1.7bn, £1.4bn) MGM National Harbor in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Located on a site overlooking the Potomac River, the 1.7 million sq ft (158,000sq m) mixed-use development took three years to build and is conceived by MGM as “an entertainment destination offering an unrivalled collection of attractions.” Architectural firm HKS Hospitality Group oversaw the project,
Surrealism takes centre stage at David Rockwell's 'otherworldly' Tokyo hotel
by Kim Megson | 13 Feb 2017
David Rockwell has designed Starwood’s first Luxury Collection hotel in Tokyo – an “ethereal dream-like environment” that has now opened in the historic heart of the Japanese capital. The designer’s vision for The Prince Gallery Tokyo Kioicho was inspired by “the sprawling sky and kaleidoscopic colours of the surrounding city,” which the hotel overlooks from its position across the top seven floors of the new 36-storey Tokyo Garden Terrace tower
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Through boundless insights, The Wellness specialises in innovation and sustainability of design, engineering, construction and after-sales services of spa, pools, fitness, leisure and other spaces for the hospitality and wellness industries.
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