#thermal-spa-architecture

#thermal-spa-architecture

"There was so much beauty, so much more than enough for everyone, that it did appear to be a vain activity to try and make a corner in it." This quote captures the essence of Villa Beatrice, where beauty and luxury converge in a breathtaking setting.

This project is born as a retreat space, conceived from introspection. A personal and private spa in the mountains of Tapalpa, where the architecture deliberately renounces the idea of a facade: there is no gesture towards the outside, no frontal composition. The building seeks not to be seen, but to be inhabited.

Sauna challenges the body in ways that are similar to exercise, researchers say. Confronted with the sudden increase in heat, your cardiovascular system is put to the test—blood vessels dilate, heart rate increases and blood gets pushed to your skin, where it can be cooled more easily by sweat.

Well-being has never been more at the forefront of our minds than now, and there have never been more excuses to practice wellness on a daily basis. From sound baths in the Maldives to recovery lounges in Napa Valley, 2026 is set to see boundary-pushing wellness trends in the travel world.

If you had told us five years ago that London's population would be dunking themselves in ice baths and sweating it out in scorching boxes for fun, instead of going to the pub, we wouldn't have believed you. But in 2026, dear reader, that is very much the case, because Londoners have gone absolutely bonkers for saunas. A new map, created by Sauna\\Wave, has revealed all the best locations in south London to take part in the Finnish tradition.

SaunaBox SmartSteam XL, formerly known as SaunaBox Go, tries to close that gap with a pop-up, two-person portable steam room that sets up in under 5 minutes and packs away into a carry case when you're done. It sits somewhere between a camping structure and a private wellness retreat, which sounds like a strange mix until you're sitting inside at 130°F with 100% humidity and the whole thing starts to feel more like an onsen than a tent.

We're no strangers to controversial design features making a major comeback: From soapstone kitchen countertops to seashell decor, things that were once "out" always seem to make their way back "in" in the design world. (Design déjà vu is kind of the industry's thing.) As part of the sixth annual State of Home Design survey last month, Apartment Therapy asked 140 interior designers which once-controversial trends they thought were poised to make a resurgence in 2026. Some answers were more surprising than others, of course, but one stood out more than all the rest: When it comes to bathrooms, interior designers say the built-in bathtub is back - and in a big way.

For many the term is being quickly cliched; simply used as a marketing ploy: gimmicky solutions that are surface level at best but often permanent. What would happen if this formula was turned on its head and the early modernist notion of modularity - pre-produced kit-of-part components brought to and assembled on almost any site - was reintroduced as a way to better frame these settings, allowing their histories to unfold with almost no tampering.

On a recent two-week trip to Japan with my fiancé - six cities, six hotels - every stay was gorgeous and perfectly appointed. We wanted for nothing. Except, in most cases, a proper bathroom door. Instead, we spent the better part of two weeks making accidental eye contact through frosted glass and translucent panels while one of us was otherwise occupied. A design choice, apparently. A test of intimacy, definitely.

Playfulness is at the heart of the Art and Play holiday, based on a farm outside the Bay of Kotor. A family-friendly retreat designed to reignite joy and reconnect with the inner child, it's one for solo travellers and couples as well as parents with kids. There are creative sessions on everything from dance to painting, as well as time to enjoy the farm feeding the animals, collecting eggs or helping harvest vegetables for farm-fresh meals.

Lacum Respira is a lakeside pavilion by .ket bureau on the shore of Lake St. Moritz in Switzerland. Set at the water's edge, the timber structure addresses a landscape shaped by seasonal rituals and a long tradition of outdoor life, where the lake acts as both foreground and horizon. The calm setting is defined by open air and backdropped by dramatic mountains. Any architectural move here carries weight.

A great deal of travel advertising targets the newlywed couple, the blithesome pair in search of that perfect honeymoon hotel, where a stay will ensure a happy marriage to come. But what if you just got out of one? Where is 2001 Nicole Kidman going, after signing the divorce papers from Tom Cruise? ( This meme has since been debunked by Kidman herself, but that's besides the point.)

The water bubbles up hot from the earth and sunlight filters down through the branches of mighty oaks. But before you can soak in Santa Barbara County's highly popular Montecito Hot Springs, you'll need to hike a little over a mile uphill, threading your way among boulders, oaks and a meandering creek. And before the hike, there are two other crucial steps: getting to the trailhead and knowing what to expect.

Part of Hot Springs National Park, downtown Hot Springs' Bathhouse Row is a collection of historic neoclassical and Spanish-style buildings that now serve as attractions, visitor centers, and historic sites. But one bathhouse has operated continuously since 1912, making it the town's longest-running facility. Equipped with steam cabinets, whirlpool tubs, and massage therapists, Buckstaff Bathhouse offers separate floors for men and women, and its no-reservation policy for baths and massages works in favor of travelers who want to take a spontaneous trip

In 2025 the University of Oregon concluded from their research that "... hot-water immersion produced measurable changes in inflammatory markers. These effects can persist beyond the session, suggesting a sustained health benefit." Long before this the Romans knew that a good soak in hot water had therapeutic benefits for the body and mind. Hot tubs, spas, aren't considered just a luxury anymore, they're great for wellbeing as well as for fun, family time and a lot of je ne sais quoi to life in France.

Thailand is Asia's big-hitting wellness destination, with a clutch of grande dames and newcomers on the well-established spa scene keeping the country at the top of many people's must-visit list.