Accor’s vibrant lifestyle brand SO/ Hotels & Resorts, together with Sotogrande SA, developer and creator of the namesake destination, will unveil the first SO/ property in Spain in July 2021.

Nestled on the Mediterranean coast between Marbella and Gibraltar, SO/ Sotogrande Resort & Spa will have a razor-sharp focus on wellbeing, sport and recovery.

The 151-room hotel will be home to a 2,500sq m wellness offering with an eight treatment room SO/Spa and SO/Fitness space.

Built on the four key pillars of sleep, food, sport and spa, the SO/ Wellness concept will aim to restore energy, strength and beauty, with healing treatments, social fitness, and on-trend innovations underpinned by science.

Guests will have access to rejuvenating treatments by QMS medicosmetics and Espa, a physio recovery zone, cryotherapy chambers and flotation facilities, alongside a spa boutique, relaxation spaces and hydrotherapy pools.

To complete the offering, the SO/Spa will be fitted with a dynamic thermal zone including a Finnish sauna, hammam, laconium, tepidarium and ice fountain,

A state-of-the-art SO/Fit members gym, designed by FitnessDesignGroup, will include yoga and meditation studios, a dynamic functional fitness area, a spinning studio and lap pool.

The hotel will open after an extensive renovation and repositioning programme of the historical Almenara Hotel.

SO/ Sotogrande will also feature 7,000sq m of extensive landscaped gardens with ocean views and enjoy close proximity to a host of golf courses and polo fields.

Moreover, an expanded equine infrastructure, including three polo clubs, is a celebration of the Andalucían equestrian culture, while the Mediterranean shore provides the perfect setting for watersports.

Guests will also be offered access to nine dining spaces, and nearly 1,000sq m of conference and meeting space.

Emlyn Brown, Accor’s global VP of wellbeing told Spa Business that: “At SO/ Sotogrande, our first resort location, we’re introducing an avant-garde wellness sanctuary.

“Wellness is intrinsic to lifestyle hospitality and as a lifestyle brand, SO/ requires a wellness experience that matches the persona and lifestyle of our youthfully-minded and worldly guests.

“The location, with its year-round temperate climate, pristine beaches and exceptional outdoor activities, makes SO/ Sotogrande an ideal destination for a holistic wellness experience.

The SO/ portfolio already includes SO/ Paseo del Prado Havana, SO/ Auckland, SO/ Berlin Das Stue, SO/Vienna and SO/ St. Petersburg.

With an ambitious plan to expand its global presence in the coming years, Accor has plans to expand SO/ into Kuala Lumpur, Koh Samui, Dubai, Paris, Melbourne and Los Cabos.

Brown added: “SO/ Sotogrande will certainly set the tone for our future ambitions for wellness activities across the brand, while strengthening our wellness approach with innovative and social activities that capture the culture and vibe of the locale."