The new location is the brand’s second site in Paris / photo: Sylbain Bardin
In the heart of the French capital, bordering the Seine, the iconic Parisian department store La Samaritaine reopened its doors recently after a prestigious ceremony hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron.
Luxury goods conglomerate LVMH (Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton) owns the site and has poured nearly €500m (US$587.5m, £425.6m) into the project during a 15-year overhaul.
Situated between the Louvre and Notre-Dame, the building was built in 1870 and features a mixture of Art Nouveau and Art Deco styles. La Samaritaine has since reopened as a DFS-operated luxury department store, offices and social housing units along with a decadent five-star hotel – operated by LVMH’s hotel brand, Cheval Blanc.
The 72-key Cheval Blanc Paris is home to a Dior Spa (another LVMH subsidiary) boasting six treatment rooms, each with a unique design influence and finish.
Designed by Peter Marino, the spa is inspired by the spirit of a Parisian apartment and includes a swimming pool encrusted with waves of handcrafted mosaics.
However, the jewel in La Samaritaine’s crown is its vast beauty wing – claimed to be Europe’s largest beauty floor in a department store – which is home to the new Spa Cinq Mondes à la Samaritaine.
Founded in 2001 by Jean-Louis Poiroux and Nathalie Bouchon-Poiroux, Cinq Mondes is a premium French skincare and spa brand found in 35 countries with a philosophy rooted in the duo’s shared passion for innovative, sustainable formulations and traditional medicines.
The new location is the brand’s second site in Paris, joining Cinq Mondes historic flagship which the couple opened after a two-year trip around the world to discover global beauty rituals.
Poiroux told Spa Business the vision for the new 400sq m spa was to “develop a unique urban spa retreat for both travellers and Parisians wanting to unwind amidst the bustle of the city”.
With its contemporary decor and refined styling, Spa Cinq Mondes à la Samaritaine has been realised by Suprem Architectures as a place of healing with a unique personality.
Each of the seven treatment rooms – including one for couples – has been completed with a backlit feature wall reminiscent of Art Deco stained glass.
Poiroux says all facilities – including a hammam, double exfoliation room and private relaxation areas with views of the interior garden – have been conceived to create an immersive healing journey in the heart of Paris.
Spa rituals include a selection of massages, scrubs, wraps, facials and hammam treatments drawing on global healing techniques from places such as Japan, India and China.
In addition, Cinq Mondes has curated an exclusive treatment for the new opening, called The Great Ritual from Okinawa to revitalise the body and naturally lift and sculpt the face. The €124 (US$147, £106) experience lasts 50 minutes and includes a thorough traditional Japanese ko bi do facial and amma back massage.
The new spa also includes a 100sq m retail boutique with delicate metallic design details and a palette of warm pastel tones.
Complete with illuminated alcoves showcasing Cinq Mondes’ products, the retail space has been conceived to guide guests on a journey of discovery to create their own personalised routine. Here, they can also find an interactive table to help them independently explore the range.
“This opening is really exciting for Cinq Mondes, since La Samaritaine is a space of such unprecedented magnitude in Europe,” Poiroux says.
“After winning a very competitive tender for designing and operating the spa, our new facility benefits from a unique and exciting space which perfectly showcases our beauty rituals and skincare range.”
photo: Jean-Louis Poiroux
Jean-Louis Poiroux says Spa Cinq Mondes offers an immersive healing journey in the city
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
View contents of Spa Business 2021 issue 3
Editor's letter: All about the people
With global staff shortages threatening to stall economic recovery, it’s time to reboot our commitment to driving improvements in pay and working conditions across the spa and wellness industry
Spa people: Dr Mark Hyman
Dr Mark Hyman MD believes functional medicine has the power to be life-changing in the health and wellbeing of patients.
New opening: Six Senses Shaharut
Six Senses has opened the doors to its new 60-key retreat in Israel’s southern Negev Desert, complete with a 1,900sq m, two-level spa and wellness sanctuary
New opening: QC NY
A 74,000sq ft Italian day spa has opened on New York’s Governors Island after a US$50m investment and seven years of planning, building and restoration.
Interview: Kenneth Ryan
We talk to the global head of spa at Marriott International about navigating the global lockdown, re-imagining the company's brand portfolio and what it will take to succeed post-COVID-19
Sponsored: Time out
Answering a growing demand
for non-invasive, anti-ageing skin
care, Comfort Zone is relaunching
its Sublime Skin line with a new
filler-like natural formula that
reverses cellular degeneration
Research: Total impact
Latest ISPA report considers the economic fallout of the pandemic and the spa industry's road to recovery
Sponsored: Gharieni Group
CEO Sammy Gharieni talks about his relentless drive
to deliver innovative products to underpin operators’ success
Analysis: Role model
What business models are showing the most potential in the wellness industry? Lyndsay Madden Nadeau shares her insights
Interview: Lorenzo Giannuzzi
The hospitality veteran dreamed of reinventing an historic Italian palazzo as a world-class medical spa. Lisa Starr went to find out more
Sponsored: TechnoAlpin
Snow rooms are creating a ‘wow’ factor for customers,
while reducing operating costs in the delivery of hot and cold
experiences
Interview: Gloria Caulfield
The executive director of Lake Nona wellness community talks about tapping into the latest tech to create healthy living environments
Software: Revenue management
How software suppliers have been supporting spas to get savvy with yield management since the pandemic began
Promotion: Iyashi Dôme
Iyashi Dôme’s touchless infrared tech is the perfect investment for the post-lockdown world, says Florent Cornelis
The new location is the brand’s second site in Paris / photo: Sylbain Bardin
In the heart of the French capital, bordering the Seine, the iconic Parisian department store La Samaritaine reopened its doors recently after a prestigious ceremony hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron.
Luxury goods conglomerate LVMH (Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton) owns the site and has poured nearly €500m (US$587.5m, £425.6m) into the project during a 15-year overhaul.
Situated between the Louvre and Notre-Dame, the building was built in 1870 and features a mixture of Art Nouveau and Art Deco styles. La Samaritaine has since reopened as a DFS-operated luxury department store, offices and social housing units along with a decadent five-star hotel – operated by LVMH’s hotel brand, Cheval Blanc.
The 72-key Cheval Blanc Paris is home to a Dior Spa (another LVMH subsidiary) boasting six treatment rooms, each with a unique design influence and finish.
Designed by Peter Marino, the spa is inspired by the spirit of a Parisian apartment and includes a swimming pool encrusted with waves of handcrafted mosaics.
However, the jewel in La Samaritaine’s crown is its vast beauty wing – claimed to be Europe’s largest beauty floor in a department store – which is home to the new Spa Cinq Mondes à la Samaritaine.
Founded in 2001 by Jean-Louis Poiroux and Nathalie Bouchon-Poiroux, Cinq Mondes is a premium French skincare and spa brand found in 35 countries with a philosophy rooted in the duo’s shared passion for innovative, sustainable formulations and traditional medicines.
The new location is the brand’s second site in Paris, joining Cinq Mondes historic flagship which the couple opened after a two-year trip around the world to discover global beauty rituals.
Poiroux told Spa Business the vision for the new 400sq m spa was to “develop a unique urban spa retreat for both travellers and Parisians wanting to unwind amidst the bustle of the city”.
With its contemporary decor and refined styling, Spa Cinq Mondes à la Samaritaine has been realised by Suprem Architectures as a place of healing with a unique personality.
Each of the seven treatment rooms – including one for couples – has been completed with a backlit feature wall reminiscent of Art Deco stained glass.
Poiroux says all facilities – including a hammam, double exfoliation room and private relaxation areas with views of the interior garden – have been conceived to create an immersive healing journey in the heart of Paris.
Spa rituals include a selection of massages, scrubs, wraps, facials and hammam treatments drawing on global healing techniques from places such as Japan, India and China.
In addition, Cinq Mondes has curated an exclusive treatment for the new opening, called The Great Ritual from Okinawa to revitalise the body and naturally lift and sculpt the face. The €124 (US$147, £106) experience lasts 50 minutes and includes a thorough traditional Japanese ko bi do facial and amma back massage.
The new spa also includes a 100sq m retail boutique with delicate metallic design details and a palette of warm pastel tones.
Complete with illuminated alcoves showcasing Cinq Mondes’ products, the retail space has been conceived to guide guests on a journey of discovery to create their own personalised routine. Here, they can also find an interactive table to help them independently explore the range.
“This opening is really exciting for Cinq Mondes, since La Samaritaine is a space of such unprecedented magnitude in Europe,” Poiroux says.
“After winning a very competitive tender for designing and operating the spa, our new facility benefits from a unique and exciting space which perfectly showcases our beauty rituals and skincare range.”
photo: Jean-Louis Poiroux
Jean-Louis Poiroux says Spa Cinq Mondes offers an immersive healing journey in the city
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
View contents of Spa Business 2021 issue 3
Editor's letter: All about the people
With global staff shortages threatening to stall economic recovery, it’s time to reboot our commitment to driving improvements in pay and working conditions across the spa and wellness industry
Spa people: Dr Mark Hyman
Dr Mark Hyman MD believes functional medicine has the power to be life-changing in the health and wellbeing of patients.
New opening: Six Senses Shaharut
Six Senses has opened the doors to its new 60-key retreat in Israel’s southern Negev Desert, complete with a 1,900sq m, two-level spa and wellness sanctuary
New opening: QC NY
A 74,000sq ft Italian day spa has opened on New York’s Governors Island after a US$50m investment and seven years of planning, building and restoration.
Interview: Kenneth Ryan
We talk to the global head of spa at Marriott International about navigating the global lockdown, re-imagining the company's brand portfolio and what it will take to succeed post-COVID-19
Sponsored: Time out
Answering a growing demand
for non-invasive, anti-ageing skin
care, Comfort Zone is relaunching
its Sublime Skin line with a new
filler-like natural formula that
reverses cellular degeneration
Research: Total impact
Latest ISPA report considers the economic fallout of the pandemic and the spa industry's road to recovery
Sponsored: Gharieni Group
CEO Sammy Gharieni talks about his relentless drive
to deliver innovative products to underpin operators’ success
Analysis: Role model
What business models are showing the most potential in the wellness industry? Lyndsay Madden Nadeau shares her insights
Interview: Lorenzo Giannuzzi
The hospitality veteran dreamed of reinventing an historic Italian palazzo as a world-class medical spa. Lisa Starr went to find out more
Sponsored: TechnoAlpin
Snow rooms are creating a ‘wow’ factor for customers,
while reducing operating costs in the delivery of hot and cold
experiences
Interview: Gloria Caulfield
The executive director of Lake Nona wellness community talks about tapping into the latest tech to create healthy living environments
Software: Revenue management
How software suppliers have been supporting spas to get savvy with yield management since the pandemic began
Promotion: Iyashi Dôme
Iyashi Dôme’s touchless infrared tech is the perfect investment for the post-lockdown world, says Florent Cornelis
A recent survey by the UK Spa Association (UKSA) into the industry’s approach to cancer care
has revealed that almost half of participating respondents (46 per cent) are unaware that
cancer is a disability and guests with a cancer diagnosis must be given
Mexican operator, Solmar Hotels and Resorts, is hosting a series of events in celebration of
Global Wellness Day, including a Temazcal ceremony at its Playa Grande Resort and Spa in Los
Cabos.
Mandarin Oriental has announced a standalone residence brand, Mansions, which will debut at
Emirates Palace, Mandarin Oriental Mansions, Abu Dhabi, in 2029.
Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai in Hoi An, Vietnam, has put together a Global Wellness Day
(GWD) agenda with activations rooted in nature and shaped by four pillars of Joy – in
alignment with the day’s theme #JoyMagenta.
The Global Wellness Summit (GWS) will celebrate its 20th anniversary at the 2026 event in
Phuket, Thailand, later this year with the theme: The Science, Art and Soul of Wellness.
Auko, an all-inclusive development, is opening in Phong Nha in Vietnam in Q3 2026, with a
series of 30 tented eco-lodges and wellness hospitality operations by Lumina Wellbeing.
Therme Manchester’s 28-acre development, which will include interconnected glass pavilions
that measure 65,000sq m, will be the largest bathing and wellbeing attraction in the world once
complete, according to prof David Russell, CEO of Therme UK.
Naples Beach Club, a Four Seasons Resort, has opened a 2,800sq m spa called The Sanctuary,
with the design and concept inspired by the Native American people that populated Florida’s
Southwest coast – the Calusa.
Swire Hotels’ luxury hospitality brand Upper House has revealed it will roll out its two-day
House of Healing retreats at its three hotels in Hong Kong, Chengdu and Shanghai.
