01 Dec 2017
Double take? Spa hotel shaped as cruise ship opens in Southampton marina
BY Tom Walker
At first glance it may appear as just another cruise ship moored in Southampton – but look closer and you will see it is, in fact, a new spa hotel.
UK-based boutique hotel operator Harbour Hotels' latest property occupies a prominent spot at Southampton Port’s Ocean Village marina and mimics the design of a super-yacht, helping it blend into its surroundings.
The 91-bedroom Southampton Harbour Hotel is owned by property developer Nicolas James Group and will be operated by Harbour Hotels on behalf of its owner.
Facilities at the £25m hotel include a HarSPA-branded spa, featuring seven treatment rooms and a specialist mud room, where mineral-rich mud, heat and steam are used to create an immersive spa experience.
There is also a large wet area, featuring an indoor swimming pool, sauna, steamroom, hydrotherapy pool, relaxation areas and a juice bar and 'spa café',
Treatments at the spa include facials and body therapies supplied by ESPA, and there is also a 'men-only' menu, as well as treatments designed for pregnant women.
Elsewhere, the hotel’s top floor features a rooftop destination bar, kitchen and club called ‘HarBAR on 6th’, with outdoor fire pits and a wood-fired pizza oven.
The hotel is part of a larger regeneration project looking to transform the Ocean Village marina into a premium waterfront destination.
As well as the hotel, the latest project – for which AECOM provided project and cost management services – includes an 82-unit residential development, comprising a commercial zone on the ground level and residential apartments located on the upper levels.
The Southampton site is the 10th in Harbour Hotels’ growing portfolio of boutique hotels.
“The Southampton Harbour Hotel & Spa will introduce five-star luxury to the marina," said Mike Warren, managing director of Harbour Hotels.
"Attracting tourism and providing a number of fantastic dining experiences, an indulgent spa and Southampton’s first destination rooftop bar, we are very excited to officially open our doors.”
Councillor Simon Letts, leader of Southampton City Council, added: “It’s fantastic to see the Southampton Harbour Hotel & Spa now open at Ocean Village Marina. The yacht-inspired design draws on our maritime heritage and is an example of the high-quality construction we welcome in Southampton."
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