Pre-dESIGN PLANNING SERVICES OF WELLNESS AREAS FOR A NEW WELLNESS RESORT HOTEL IN PORTUGAL

Program at a Glance (by floor)

• Ground: Wellness lounge/waiting; holistic studio; changing; main gym (strength/cardio); functional training; group fitness studio.

• First: Spa reception + retail; BOH; therapy rooms for touch (massage) and touchless modalities; internal zen garden; outdoor chill-out zone.

• Second: Thermal and deep relaxation—large sauna and steam, two ice baths (graded temps), heated spa recliners, meditation pods, double daybeds.

• Third: Pool deck with circular pool and paired loungers; communal fire pit; outdoor sauna and snow room; changing; BOH store.

• Fourth (roof): Padel court; 140 m² outdoor functional training area with rig and sprint track; 50 m² meditation terrace set away from activity for privacy.

Arrival, Holistic Studio, Gym & Changing Facilities

Guests enter via the wellness lounge for a calm arrival and orientation, with a staffed desk for check-in and assessments leading to the adjacent changing rooms to store personal items before proceeding to the gym area to one side or out to the holistic studio on the other.

The main gym is loosely divided into two training zones, one for cardio and the other for strength, with a solid flooring material such as vinyl tiles or rolls of rubber gym flooring.

A separate functional training zone provides a full set of dumbbells, two squat racks and a range of functional equipment such as sandbags, kettlebells, medicine balls, step-up boxes, barbells and weight plates.

A group fitness area has a light equipment set-up including exercise mats, dumbbells, and resistance bands. Sessions can be delivered either in-person by an instructor or via digital content on the wall-mounted screen. In one corner sits a movable fitness testing set-up for guests’ VO2 max assessments, a key biomarker of healthspan.

A holistic studio of 95m2 provides a dedicated, low energy space for yoga, breathwork, workshops and other bodyweight only practices. An outside terrace can also be used for small group sessions for 5-6 people when weather allows.

Spa reception, GUEST ARRIVAL

Guests transition from the hotel into a dedicated spa reception with curated retail, where check-in and short consultations orient them toward either traditional therapies or touchless recovery and biohacking.

In addition to the waiting room, male and female changing areas allow guests to prepare for their treatment in comfort, with minimal distance from locker to therapy room.

Entering the spa they are greeted by a nature wall of plants and views of an internal zen garden, allowing us to introduce the calming effects of biophilia into the guest journey.

Treatment rooms

Three therapy rooms for physical touch (e.g. massage, facials) include a couples suite with bath tub and WC. There is also an Energy & Mind room with en-suite shower for holistic and spiritual energy practices.

BIOHACKING / RECOVERY / LONGEVITY

Moving further into the spa, three biohacking recliners facing out to the terrace are allocated for IV drips, red light facials, compression therapies and so on.

The touchless (technology based) therapy rooms are provisionally assigned to a dry float bed, a full-body red light therapy cabin, anti-aging beauty treatments, a body roller / lymphatic drainage room and a vibro-acoustic lounger.

One additional therapy room (marked as room 6) is available for any additional spa technology required.

An outdoor chill-out area has three 2-person day beds , generously spaced apart for privacy, assuming they may be used by couples.

Another green wall here maintains the lush, verdant aesthetic of the spa interior.

Medical consultation rooms

Two other areas make-up this floor’s wellness space, the first is a consultation area and the other is Back Of House.

A total of five consultation rooms are on offer for guests, notionally allocated to physiotherapy; breath and light therapy; diagnostics; a health coach room and a medical doctor room (benefitting from natural light and views out onto the valley).

Finally, a wellness room will replace the existing billiards room, here we envisage a small pilates studio perhaps.

BACK OF HOUSE

Back-of-house storage, staff relaxation area and service circulation run behind the treatment spine to keep movement invisible and turnarounds efficient.

Additionally, a number of service points for towels and cleaning utensils have been spread around the wellness zones.

Thermal / Wet Area & Deep Relaxation:

Guests arrive from spa reception via the stairs into a hushed, low-light zone where the contrast therapy / thermal core anchors the sequence.

Three double day beds face out towards the valley to maximize the external views , as do the five individually heated spa loungers designed to offer a restorative, low intensity experience to acclimatize after an ice bath. Three nap pods are nestled up close to a green wall of plants for extra privacy.

Two ice baths of different temperatures sit on the raised platform at the back of this space, along with a guest shower (this is to be used by guests every time before entering an ice bath).

A large Finnish sauna provides ample space for 12-15 guests and potentially guided Aufguss sauna sessions too. An adjacent steam room / Turkish bath compliments the trio of thermal experiences in this zone.

Storage and staff support sit behind the wet zone to streamline resets and linen flow, while clear sightlines enable discreet supervision without compromising tranquillity.

Circulation forms a simple loop that returns guests to hydration and exit points, with non-slip finishes, acoustic buffering, and compact travel distances ensuring comfort and accessibility throughout.

Pool Deck, Outdoor Contrast Therapy & Social Area

Guests step onto an open deck oriented to the valley views, with a 250m2 circular pool as the focal anchor and paired loungers arranged around its perimeter.

A communal fire pit with single lounge chairs forms the social node for sunset gatherings, set back from the main circulation path so that heat and smoke do not disturb others in the evenings.

On the view-facing edge, an outdoor sauna and (the piece de la resistance!) a snow room create a concise but attention-grabbing (i.e. Instagram-friendly) hot–cold circuit, with an outdoor shower/footwash positioned to encourage frequent rinses in between dips in the pool and contrast therapy sessions.

Nota bene: the snow room requires its own technical room set-up to be located as close as possible to the actual snow room. Exact configuration to be detailed in a subsequent design phase, with additional input from the project engineer.

Clear looped circulation keeps traffic flowing around the water’s edge while discrete gates lead to changing rooms, and a BOH store adjacent to the deck enables rapid towel replenishment and cleaning without crossing guest paths.

Guarded edges, non-slip decking and subtle wind baffles here would help to preserve comfort and safety in all seasons, along with low-glare lighting and privacy screening.

Additionally, an indoor-outdoor pool and an indoor hot tub have previously been planned in this area.

Padel court, Outdoor gym & Quiet Contemplation

Nestled down amongst the abundant foliage, guests step onto an open-air activity deck where the 200m2 standard size padel court anchors the zone, oriented to make the most of the daylight.

To one side, a 140 m² functional training zone on a concrete slab support covered in outdoor gym tiles provides space for bodyweight circuits and small-group PT around a outdoor rig (approx. 5.0 × 2.75 m). A sprint track (turf) can also be used for sled push-pull exercises and acceleration work.

At the far, view-oriented end, a 50 m² meditation terrace is purposefully set away to preserve a greater degree of quiet and privacy, with wind baffles and low-glare lighting enabling dawn and dusk sessions without spill back to the courts.

Non-slip surfacing, screened edges and clearly marked run-offs would help complete a safe journey from stairway to the padel, gym and meditation zones.

Nota Bene: a new WC was requested on this level for guest comfort. This requires technical input from the project engineer to understand the options for connecting to sewage system on upper levels.