Resources for Leisure Assets (RLA), an international consultancy specialising in leisure and wellbeing in real estate, has revealed plans for a luxury wellness retreat and thermal destination on the edge of the River Tâmega, Portugal.

Named Palácio de Canavezes, the 52-room riverside wellness destination and spa will open in a historic hotel building, originally built in the early 1900s to cater for visitors taking in the hot spring which breaks ground under the hotel.

The thermal water in Canavezes is claimed to have medicinal properties, which has made it a popular destination for people seeking treatment for ailments since the early 12th century, even drawing a former Queen of Portugal who frequented the area because she believed the water rejuvenated the skin.

RLA is the resort consultant for both the hotel and wellness facilities and has announced it’s successfully completed comprehensive advisory for the project which concluded in selecting Campbell GRAY Hotels as the destination’s operator.

The management contract was signed between Campbell GRAY and Porto-based developer Investaureum to operate the retreat.

The resort will feature one of the hotel group’s signature PUREGRAY Health and Wellbeing Centres, spread across a total 1,366sq m with nine treatment rooms – four of which will be dedicated to medi-wellness therapies.

Plans include treatment rooms and a hammam built into the rockface on which Palácio de Canavezes is based, along with a thermal spa centre, sauna, steamroom, relaxation rooms, indoor pool and fitness suite.

Scheduled to open in spring 2021, the resort will feature riverfront rooms, suites and apartments.

The development and restoration are being overseen by Porto-based architect Pedro Gomes Fernandes of Europlan, with interior design by Paulo Lobo.

"We’re proud to be the advisor for this project from the initial concept phase and to have helped revive this historical former building,” said Roger A. Allen, RLA Group CEO.

“Palácio de Canavezes will be a unique destination because of its rich thermal water heritage and holistic wellbeing services, that are perfectly married with the Campbell GRAY Hotel brand."

RLA was selected by Investaureum to carry out advisory and consultancy services related to the

concept and financial feasibility forecast of the hotel, followed by a search for the future operator.

"The RLA team has a broad experience and extensive knowledge on resort planning and modern wellbeing, and their vision for how these can be conceptualised in the re-build of a historic asset was an immense contribution,” said Gonçalo Carrington, director at Investaureum.

“RLA also demonstrated a deep industry resource in finding the appropriate hotel operator for the property.”