I've spent a considerable part of my career working on spa and hydrothermal projects around the world. Every project is different, but certain challenges come up repeatedly.
One of the biggest is that the conversation can become focused on what guests will see, before enough attention is given to how the spa will actually work.
I understand why. The finished interiors are exciting. The architect's visualisations help people imagine the experience. The sauna, pool and treatment rooms are easy to present to an investor or hotel owner.
The technical infrastructure is much less glamorous.
But neglecting it can be an expensive mistake.
Mistake one: designing the image before the operation
A spa needs to look good, of course. But it also needs to operate within the constraints of its building, staffing, budget and business model.
A facility that is beautiful but difficult to maintain, inefficient to run or poorly suited to its intended guest numbers is not a successful design.
The operational model should inform the design from the beginning.
How many people will use the space? What will the peak periods look like? How will guests move through the facilities? Who will clean them, monitor water quality and maintain the equipment?
These are design questions as much as operational ones.
Mistake two: leaving the technical rooms until later
Hydrothermal facilities depend on systems that need space, access and careful coordination.
Filtration, pumps, heating, ventilation, controls and water-treatment equipment cannot simply be fitted wherever there is room left over.
Technical rooms need to be planned around the facilities they serve, with access for inspection, maintenance and eventual replacement.
If this thinking comes too late, the project may face costly changes, difficult maintenance arrangements or compromises in performance.
A well-designed spa considers the guest areas and the technical areas together.
Mistake three: assuming the opening is the finish line
Opening day is important, but it is the beginning of the spa's operational life.
Equipment needs maintenance. Water systems need monitoring. Staff need training. Guest feedback needs to be acted upon. Costs and performance need to be reviewed.
I have always believed that design and operations should be closely connected. A project should not be considered successful simply because it has been completed and handed over.
It should be capable of delivering the intended experience consistently.
Start with better questions
Before committing to a spa design, I would ask hotel owners to consider three things.
Does the concept match the guests we want to attract and the experience we want to deliver?
Have the technical and operational requirements been addressed from the beginning?
Do we have the people, processes and maintenance plan needed to operate the facility properly?
These questions won't make a project less ambitious. They help make its ambition achievable.
The most successful spa projects aren't necessarily the ones with the most facilities. They are the ones where the concept, design, engineering and operation have been thought through together.
That is what turns a beautiful space into a lasting asset for a hotel.