Image: The new hotel includes an infinity-edge pool

Prince Albert and Princess Charlene of Monaco are among the first guests at a new luxury boutique spa hotel housed in a converted 17th century monastery on Italy's Amalfi Coast.

Monastero Santa Rosa Hotel and Spa is located on the cliff edge of Cape d'Orso and was restored by US businesswoman and director of the Sharma Foundation, Bianca Sharma.

Howard Spa Consulting has played a key role in creating the 500sq m (5,382sq ft) Santa Maria Novella spa at the 20-bedroom hotel, which retains the property's monastic heritage.

The spa boasts an 80sq m (861sq ft) private double treatment suite housed within a double-heighted vaulted space, including a rasul, a steamroom, two wet tables and two dry couches.

An outdoor treatment area - Treatment Garden - contains two couches, while two indoor single treatment rooms - Melograno and Iris - and a 70sq m (753sq ft) thermal suite are also on offer.

The thermal suite boasts a series of historic spaces linking the various warm rooms, such as the double-heighted vaulted Tepidarium with pomegranate infused foot spas.

A domed aromatic steamroom; a crushed ice fountain to refresh between thermal bathing; a rock sauna; a hydro pool; and emotion showers complete the thermal suite's facility mix.

Howard Spa Consulting is now operating the spa under a management contract and worked with Goff Associates on the spa's creation. Thermarium has supplied the spa's thermal facilities.

Neil Howard of Howard Spa Consulting told Spa Business the spa is an "integral part" of the overall Monastero Santa Rosa Hotel and Spa offer.

Hotel guests are able to make use of the Santa Maria Novella spa as part of the room rate, non-residents can also visit the spa by purchasing a Spa Day package.

Howard said: "Each room within the spa preserves the original 17th century vaulted ceilings and many of its rustic walls to maintain the monastic heritage of this unique property.

"The Italian heritage of bathing within a series of thermal rooms is re-presented within the Spa by maintaining the intriguing character of many of the original rooms."

Facilities at Monastero Santa Rosa Hotel and Spa also include an infinity-edge swimming pool, a private 12th century chapel and a restaurant headed by executive chef Christoph Bob.

Florence-based Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella is also behind treatments offered at Four Seasons Hotel Florence. To read more, see Spa Business 2010 Issue 3, p64

To read the current issue of Spa Business magazine, visit: www.spabusiness.com/magazine

Details: www.monasterosantarosa.com (Monastero Santa Rosa Hotel and Spa)

Details: www.howardspaconsulting.com (Howard Spa Consulting)