Rooms To Relax

With a rising emphasis on holistic living, yacht designers are fielding more requests for onboard plunge pools, juice bars, spas, and much more.

- Julia Zaltzman

THE US$1.8 TRILLION global wellness market is having its day in the sun—especially at sea. The trend is one of the most noteworthy in yacht design, moving away from the stereotypical image of a gin-soaked party palace. Saunas and steam rooms are the new popular gathering spaces on yachts over 130ft, while gigayachts raise the stakes with indoor lap pools, beauty salons, cryotherapy, and even the occasional snow room.

"We see an increasing focus on healthy living onboard the yachts we design," says Peder Eidsgaard of London-based studio Harrison Eidsgaard, who designed a lower-deck spa for a new Heesen concept, Project Monte Carlo. "A wellness area is intended to be relaxing, quiet, and private. At the same time, our clients want there to be views and access to the sea."

Simon Rowell, creative director of London-based studio Bannenberg & Rowell, notes that "every yacht is different, and both circulation and available volume will have a huge bearing on a spa location. Hair, beauty, and massage treatment rooms require careful ergonomic planning and maximum lighting control, while exercise equipment benefits from higher ceilings." That said, "both fitness and relaxation areas can benefit from the innate well-being associated with views and the outdoor environment".