Sparcstudio, an independent, creative design studio with a reputation for excellence in the spa, wellness, hotel and resort sectors has collaborated on one of the UK’s most highly anticipated spa refurbishments, Aqua Sana Longleat Forest. The Aqua Sana Spa at Center Parcs Longleat Forest, UK has relaunched following a £6m ($8m, €7m) refurbishment. The new 2,222sq m (24,000sq ft) "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 worked alongside Center Parcs’ own spa experts to help create and design the new ‘Forest Spa’ concept for Center Parcs which is inspired by the tranquil and therapeutic properties of the forest environment. It follows in the footsteps of the first Forest Spa at Aqua Sana Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire and the acclaimed Aqua Sana Longford Forest, Ireland. 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, each with a unique, temperate feel, aesthetic and soundscape, inspired by the cold ice climate of the Nordic regions, Volcanic geothermal landscapes and Japanese Mountain Onsens. 

Guests can enjoy over 20 hot, cold, herbal and meditative experiences and a multitude of light and dark, immersive and stimulating relaxation spaces 24 treatment rooms and a huge range of steam rooms and saunas, a heated outdoor pool, hot tubs, an ice cave, a selection of relaxation rooms and reflexology footbaths. Two new exclusive experiences have been created the Moonlight Steam Room and the Forest Cavern, replicating a cave hidden deep within a forest, (the region around the site is well known for its caves) this gently warming experience helps to balance mind and body. 

Neil Fairplay says the Forest Cavern is among the features he’s most proud of. “From the outset, we imagined a double-height cave environment with an opening in the roof, allowing natural light to flood in, with trailing foliage and gentle mists adding to the ambience,” he says.

With the spa now holding up to 125 guests at a time (or 175 including the Vitale Café Bar, treatment and outdoor areas), a sense of space and a clear journey became a major priority for the project. Fairplay adds: “Prior to the refit, there were lots of underutilised areas and we focused hard on creating a seamless and intuitive guest journey to provide a more comprehensive and complete spa offer.  All zones lead off from the exterior central pool which forms the focal point and there is a logical circuit that guests can follow. The Vitale Café Bar has also been refurbished  to give it a more high-end feel and to tie it in with the natural a forest-themed design, and now  includes table service.