Accor reimagines future of wellness design in hospitality
Accor has released its latest white paper - ‘Making Waves: Rethinking Spa and Wellness Design for a Modern Era’ - in which the global hospitality brand reveals a new era of wellness design in hospitality – enhancing the guest experience, boosting loyalty and driving revenue.
One of the themes explored in Making Waves, is the shift toward membership clubs among hotel spas and fitness clubs. This is supported by Accor’s own push to lead the industry in building hotels not just for tourists, but for its local communities.
It is Accor’s goal to design clubs, thermal facilities, wellness centres, and fitness offerings that are on par, or better, than the local gym – where their offerings are not just for tourists but for locals who want to go to get fit, to be social, and to feel better.
Accor highlights the rise in popularity of hot and cold plunge circuits reflecting a rapidly growing consumer interest in holistic wellness and natural therapies. At the same time, a new generation of spa-goers are enthusiastically pursuing social wellness experiences such as group bathing, sauna, and water-based therapy clubs as healthier alternatives to socialising in bars or nightclubs.
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 shares what Accor believes to be the most relevant priorities now in wellness and how the global hospitality group is advancing innovative ways to deliver via its global hospitality brands. The report leverages the insights, predictions and analysis garnered from a symposium held by Accor’s Global Well-being, Strategy, Design, and Development team, and features perspectives from Accor specialists and global renowned industry experts.
Emlyn Brown Global SVP of Well-Being, Strategy, Design, and Development at Accor shared “as hoteliers, we understand the impact of creating extraordinary spaces that uplift the soul and nourish the senses, setting the tone for experiences that leave our guests feeling better for having stayed and spent time with us.
“We believe it’s our responsibility to not only educate within Accor but to share insights that elevate wellness, spa and fitness design across the sector.
“Our goal is to inspire creative design, challenge existing norms and address many misconceptions that have often shaped spa and fitness design based on incorrect assumptions.”
On challenging existing norms Brown notes “our pools are a vital area of hotel design and should be positioned as anchors around which we create experiences of holistic well-being and social wellness. We must consider how to tailor our pool experiences to keep them relevant for current and future generations of guests.
“Much of the spa journey is about movement. How can we make transitions visually engaging, layered, and textured? It’s not just about treatment rooms – lounges, corridors and relaxation spaces deserve the same attention.
“In 15 years of wellness design, every major challenge I’ve faced ties back to the quality of thermal and pool areas. Engaging a thermal MEP (mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineering) designer from the start is non-negotiable – it prevents costly mistakes and enhances the guest experience.”
Anne Becker Olins, Global Chief Design & Technical Services Officer – Ultra Luxury & Luxury, Accor added “If we treat our spa design with the same level of planning, expert consultation, and consideration for the overall guest experience that we do with restaurant design, we will change the game.”
Images. Credit: Accor
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