Spa Village: Relaxation by design
Six luxurious spas offer an architectural feast for the eyes
By Samantha Brooks
The best spas in the world do much more than provide rejuvenating massages and facials: They create blissful environments through soothing interiors and architecture. On the following pages, we visit six sumptuous spas from around the world, each of which is sure to refresh and reinvigorate you through its dramatic design.
THE SPA VILLAGE AT PANGKOR LAUT RESORT, MALAYSIA
"We wanted something dramatic," says Sylvia Sepielli, the consultant who developed the concept behind the Spa Village at Pangkor Laut Resort. And dramatic it is. An entry pool filled with floating orchids spills into an infinity pool fronting the ocean. A secret Jacuzzi housed in a tiled niche, accessible only by swimming through the infinity pool, hides behind a sheet of flowing water.
The aesthetics of this lush oasis may invoke fits of temporary insanity, prompting guests to fly their architect and interior designer in to start planning their own Pangkor-Laut inspired spa at home.
The spa's open-air design beckons the sounds from the sea, blurring the lines between indoors and out. "[The architecture] allows nature in and lets you feel the breezes and hear the ocean no matter where you are," Sepielli says. A case in point is the nap gazebo, which is framed in intricately carved Malaysian latticework and features a king-sized mat topped with comfy pillows. Here, in this private haven adorned with fresh flowers and incense, spa-goers can retreat and recline between treatments. "The space is very introspective and encourages people to focus on themselves." Sepielli says. "There are even journals in there [for writing] down your thoughts."
While the decor is intentionally minimal so as not to detract from the island's breathtaking beauty, guests' constant inquiries about purchasing decorative items have resulted in an on-site retail shop. "People absolutely love the pillows," says Sepielli, "They're covered in silk and the cylindrical or wedgelike shapes snuggle into you."
Though the spa's exotic location clearly serves as the chief design aesthetic, Sepielli emphasizes that creating your own paradise is within reach. "The simplest thing like adding flowers to a space can do so much," she says.
PANGKOR LAUT RESORT
Pangkor Laut Island
32200 Lumut
Perak, Malaysia
Tel: +605-699 1100
Fax: +605-699 1200
Reservation:
In Malaysia: +603-2145 9000
International:
For photos and article in full, please go to: http://www.ytlcommunity.com/commnews/shownews.asp?newsid=12740>
By Samantha Brooks
The best spas in the world do much more than provide rejuvenating massages and facials: They create blissful environments through soothing interiors and architecture. On the following pages, we visit six sumptuous spas from around the world, each of which is sure to refresh and reinvigorate you through its dramatic design.
THE SPA VILLAGE AT PANGKOR LAUT RESORT, MALAYSIA
"We wanted something dramatic," says Sylvia Sepielli, the consultant who developed the concept behind the Spa Village at Pangkor Laut Resort. And dramatic it is. An entry pool filled with floating orchids spills into an infinity pool fronting the ocean. A secret Jacuzzi housed in a tiled niche, accessible only by swimming through the infinity pool, hides behind a sheet of flowing water.
The aesthetics of this lush oasis may invoke fits of temporary insanity, prompting guests to fly their architect and interior designer in to start planning their own Pangkor-Laut inspired spa at home.
The spa's open-air design beckons the sounds from the sea, blurring the lines between indoors and out. "[The architecture] allows nature in and lets you feel the breezes and hear the ocean no matter where you are," Sepielli says. A case in point is the nap gazebo, which is framed in intricately carved Malaysian latticework and features a king-sized mat topped with comfy pillows. Here, in this private haven adorned with fresh flowers and incense, spa-goers can retreat and recline between treatments. "The space is very introspective and encourages people to focus on themselves." Sepielli says. "There are even journals in there [for writing] down your thoughts."
While the decor is intentionally minimal so as not to detract from the island's breathtaking beauty, guests' constant inquiries about purchasing decorative items have resulted in an on-site retail shop. "People absolutely love the pillows," says Sepielli, "They're covered in silk and the cylindrical or wedgelike shapes snuggle into you."
Though the spa's exotic location clearly serves as the chief design aesthetic, Sepielli emphasizes that creating your own paradise is within reach. "The simplest thing like adding flowers to a space can do so much," she says.
PANGKOR LAUT RESORT
Pangkor Laut Island
32200 Lumut
Perak, Malaysia
Tel: +605-699 1100
Fax: +605-699 1200
Reservation:
In Malaysia: +603-2145 9000
International:
For photos and article in full, please go to: http://www.ytlcommunity.com/commnews/shownews.asp?newsid=12740>
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