Aqua Sana relaunches Longleat Forest spa after £6m investment

The Aqua Sana spa at Center Parcs Longleat Forest, UK has relaunched with a new name and concept following a £6m refurbishment.

With design by Sparcstudio, the new 2,222sq m "Forest Spa" has been reimagined with the creation of 24 spa experiences which draw inspiration from different aspects of nature and the surrounding forest landscape.

Sparcstudio co-director Neil Fairplay told Spa Business: “The special feel of Longleat spa’s distinctive forest location was something we were keen to amplify. We’ve reconnected the spa with the forest and outdoor areas, while at the same time creating an intuitive and relaxing spa journey for guests, which is planted firmly in the natural flora and fauna”.

Following the restyle, the spa’s footprint has increased by 40 per cent and is spread across five themed zones – Nordic Forest, Hot Springs, Volcanic Forest, Forest Immersion and Treetop Nesting – all of which are designed to take guests on a journey through different aspects of nature using multi-sensory experiences.

Aqua Sana worked with Anapos to create the new experiences, such as the Moonlight Steamroom, an experience which recreates the feeling of being in a dark tropical forest while guests relax in citrus-scented steam.

Another addition is the Forest Cavern, a tepidarium with heated marble loungers designed to mimic a cave in a tropical forest. Infused with scents of pomegranate and myrrh, the experience room is fitted with a mini waterfall and a skylight to allow natural light to illuminate the room.

The spa also has six individually themed relaxation rooms, two saunas, five steamrooms and five experience showers.

At its heart, the original spa pool has been retained, connecting guests from inside the spa to the outdoors. Guests can also experience other all-weather thermal experiences such as outdoor whirlpools.

Additional facilities include an ice cave, a foot bath experience and the refurbished Vitalé Café Bar, which received an additional £340,000 investment.

The spa includes 24 treatment rooms and offers treatments by Elemis and Decléor,, as well as the local sustainability-focused product house Natural Spa Factory which is used in Longleat Forest’s exclusive two-hour top-to-toe treatment – called Nature’s Ultimate Remedy.

Aqua Sana group spa manager Kay Pennington is behind the exclusive offering which is comprised of a full-body exfoliation, mud body-mask, scalp massage, hot stone massage and multi-step facial. The treatment costs £119 (US$155, €139).

Pennington gave Spa Business an insight into the creation, saying: “We created Nature’s Ultimate Remedy to broaden and extend our vision for the Aqua Sana business. We also really wanted to design something that resonated with the natural beauty of Longleat forest.

“We also see this new offering as an opportunity to reward our therapists by giving them the chance to learn something different and challenge themselves.

“Although Aqua Sana Longleat Forest has been a firm favourite for more than 20 years, the new spa experiences give it a completely new personality – we’ve effectively opened a brand-new spa which we see as the next evolution of the concept.”

The project management of the development saw the spa close for only four days during the 18 month construction period.