Spa style

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The Banyan Tree Spa Al Areen in Bahrain.

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The exterior relaxation area at the Park Hyatt, Dubai.

A growing number of resorts in the region are 'extroverting' the spa experience by taking the spa concept to exterior spaces. COD reports.

Spas are synonymous with relaxation and wellbeing. The design of a spa area must go beyond mere aesthetic appeal, to stimulate all five senses, lulling the user into a state of peace and tranquillity.

Spas are often associated with interiors because of the intimate nature of the spa experience, but a growing number of locations are taking the spa concept outdoors, and incorporating exterior spaces into spa settings.

As much as 60% of hotels in the UAE offer massage services outdoors, estimates Hakan Yuruoglu, senior architect of spa design specialist firm Art Spa.

The Banyan Tree Spa Al Areen in Bahrain, the Amara spa at the Park Hyatt hotel in Dubai, and the Six Senses Spa in Sharq Village and Spa in Doha, Qatar are classic examples of regional hotels or resorts that include exterior spaces as part of their spa offer.

The recently opened Raffles hotel in Dubai also includes a spa within its botanical garden.

"Exteriors are happening more," says Liane Bakaou, director of operations, of Beauty Leaders, which offers wellness and spa facility concept design as part of its services.

"Resorts outside the UAE have lots of facilities made for relaxation and wellness. Here spa development comes from beauty centres. [The development of resorts] is still small here but growing as new resort operators are coming to the market."

The natural touch

Having an outdoor element to a spa puts the user at one with nature, says Hylton Lipkin, director of spa at the Banyan Tree Bahrain, which claims to have invented the outdoor spa concept.

"We try and have as much as possible of our spa experience in an outdoor atmosphere to the point where some of our spas you are literally having your massage outdoors.

There is just netting that separates you and the outside world and the mosquitoes. You hear the water, you hear the birds, you feel the breeze from the outside so you really feel in nature," he says.

Part of the Banyan Tree's concept is its Hydrothermal garden, which includes various cabins offering different experiences, for example, different shower experiences.

The Hydrothermal garden, supplied by Hydrotherm, includes an outdoor vitality pool that has aqua beds, water jet seats and work-out walls. The spa also has an outdoor fountain courtyard and relaxation area.

The Hydrothermal concept has been so successful that the Banyan Tree is looking to incorporate hydrothermal gardens in all its spas, Lipkin reveals. The spa also has a garden hammam.

The spa and hydrotherapy area is, at 10,000m², the largest in the Middle East, according to design consultancy Architrave Design & Planning, which worked on the resort.

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