Just over £3m (3.7m euro, US$4.8m) has been invested in a new 11,000sq ft (1,022sq m) full-service spa at Wyboston Lakes, an independently-owned leisure and conference destination in Bedfordshire, UK.

Located within an onsite hotel, Y Spa is one of the most significant UK spa openings in 2012 and has been put together by some of the country's top talents.

Ray Payne, previously a long-standing general manager at the famous Champneys Tring destination spa, worked on the feasibility and pre-opening stages of the spa with his new R Spa consultancy.

Emma-Jane North, who led operations at the award-winning Ragdale Hall spa for many years, has been appointed spa director.

The neutral design of the spa has been overseen by The Syntax Group, which has previously helped to create leading venues worldwide including the Chiva-Som destination in Thailand.

A signature feature of Y Spa is one of the UK's first authentic Finnish kelo saunas, a standalone outdoor cabin which has been constructed using 100 year old imported kelo logs.

This overlooks a hydrotherapy pool which connects inside to a thermal area supplied by GeoSpa which boasts a salt cabin, steamroom, a gentle-heat sauna and an innovative frost wall with a build up of ice that can be rubbed on the body.

Other facilities include a spa café, 11 treatment rooms, one of which is a double suite with a rasul and a lounge which shares a double sided open fire with a deep relaxation room with waterbeds.

Elemis, Murad and OPI are the chosen product houses.

Payne says: "Y Spa raises the bar for hotel spa operations in the UK. Beautiful design, immense care and detail has been put into all aspects of the project to ensure a truly memorable experience."