The IHG hotel pushes construction to its limits and took 12 years to build
InterContinental’s long-awaited underground hotel, built in an abandoned quarry in the Sheshan Mountain Range near Shanghai, has made its debut after 12 years in development and a reported US$300m (€265.5m, £229.3m) investment.
Built by JADE+QA Architects, InterContinental Shanghai Wonderland pushes construction to its limits as it merges into the cliff face and delves down into the quarry - 16 of the 18 floors are underground and two submerged in water.
Martin Jochman, chief architect told Forbes that his intention was to “create a place that would become a refuge, a tranquil, luxurious fantasy world away from the hustle and bustle of Shanghai”. The An Spa, with views over the water-filled quarry, adds to that sense of calm. The modest-sized wellness facility, for the 300-room resort, offers Japanese-style therapies in one of four treatment rooms. Elsewhere guests can soak away their troubles in the futuristic pool.
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
Promotional feature: Lemi - Italian Touch
From humble beginnings in a small Italian village, Lemi has grown a hugely successful global business in the massage bed market. As it celebrates its 30th anniversary year, we talk to GM Matteo Brusaferri
Spa Programmes: On the menu
Olivia Newton-John skincare, Sounds of Africa and jet lag butlers feature in our programming series
Interview: Dale Hipsh
The senior VP of hotels at Hard Rock International tells Katie Barnes why its music-centric spa menu is striking the right chord with consumers and the media
Promotional feature: ISPA
After almost three decades serving members and contributing to the growth of the industry, we talk to ISPA’s Crystal Ducker about the work of the association and the future of spa
Spa Design: Jungle VIP
Kim Megson ventures deep into Mexico’s jungle to discover how two Chablé resorts with Mayan spas are aiming to redefine wellness
Interview: John & Karina Stewart
The inspirational couple behind Kamalaya in Thailand talk to Neena Dhillon about emotional therapies, why stress-busting is the new detox and how they’re evolving the concept
Promotional feature: Gharieni - Luxury Recognition
Gharieni has long been known as an industry innovator. Now, Forbes Travel Guide has named the company as its official Spa & Wellness Equipment Manufacturer. Sammy Gharieni tells us more
Promotional feature: Comfort Zone - Beauty Reloaded
Skincare brand Comfort Zone has partnered with Wellness for Cancer to create a new programme of spa treatments for people touched by cancer. Barbara Gavazzoli tells us more
Family spa: Multi-story
With the rise in multi-generational tourism, family spas are growing in popularity. Jane Kitchen reports
Software: Training & education
From bespoke training programmes to 24/7 support teams and company super-users, how are software suppliers helping spas get the most out of their systems?
Le Atelier by C.O.D.E. doesn't offer a standard bespoke service, it provides a highly
customised approach to designing massage beds and loungers in high-end wellness
environments. [more...]
The IHG hotel pushes construction to its limits and took 12 years to build
InterContinental’s long-awaited underground hotel, built in an abandoned quarry in the Sheshan Mountain Range near Shanghai, has made its debut after 12 years in development and a reported US$300m (€265.5m, £229.3m) investment.
Built by JADE+QA Architects, InterContinental Shanghai Wonderland pushes construction to its limits as it merges into the cliff face and delves down into the quarry - 16 of the 18 floors are underground and two submerged in water.
Martin Jochman, chief architect told Forbes that his intention was to “create a place that would become a refuge, a tranquil, luxurious fantasy world away from the hustle and bustle of Shanghai”. The An Spa, with views over the water-filled quarry, adds to that sense of calm. The modest-sized wellness facility, for the 300-room resort, offers Japanese-style therapies in one of four treatment rooms. Elsewhere guests can soak away their troubles in the futuristic pool.
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
Promotional feature: Lemi - Italian Touch
From humble beginnings in a small Italian village, Lemi has grown a hugely successful global business in the massage bed market. As it celebrates its 30th anniversary year, we talk to GM Matteo Brusaferri
Spa Programmes: On the menu
Olivia Newton-John skincare, Sounds of Africa and jet lag butlers feature in our programming series
Interview: Dale Hipsh
The senior VP of hotels at Hard Rock International tells Katie Barnes why its music-centric spa menu is striking the right chord with consumers and the media
Promotional feature: ISPA
After almost three decades serving members and contributing to the growth of the industry, we talk to ISPA’s Crystal Ducker about the work of the association and the future of spa
Spa Design: Jungle VIP
Kim Megson ventures deep into Mexico’s jungle to discover how two Chablé resorts with Mayan spas are aiming to redefine wellness
Interview: John & Karina Stewart
The inspirational couple behind Kamalaya in Thailand talk to Neena Dhillon about emotional therapies, why stress-busting is the new detox and how they’re evolving the concept
Promotional feature: Gharieni - Luxury Recognition
Gharieni has long been known as an industry innovator. Now, Forbes Travel Guide has named the company as its official Spa & Wellness Equipment Manufacturer. Sammy Gharieni tells us more
Promotional feature: Comfort Zone - Beauty Reloaded
Skincare brand Comfort Zone has partnered with Wellness for Cancer to create a new programme of spa treatments for people touched by cancer. Barbara Gavazzoli tells us more
Family spa: Multi-story
With the rise in multi-generational tourism, family spas are growing in popularity. Jane Kitchen reports
Software: Training & education
From bespoke training programmes to 24/7 support teams and company super-users, how are software suppliers helping spas get the most out of their systems?
People taking GLP-1 weight loss medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound
may be losing weight, but they’re also becoming less physically active, according to new
research presented at the ENDO 2026 annual meeting of the Endocrine Society
Abu Dhabi-based investment firm Mubadala Capital has made a binding, fully financed
€1 billion
offer to acquire Pierre and Vacances SA, the European holiday resort operator behind the
continental European Center Parcs business.
Global retreat trade show, Synergy The Retreat Show, has launched a resource called The
Source, which hosts an open-access online Transformation Series programme.
The Standards Authority for Touch in Cancer Care (SATCC) charity has announced its first five-
day Living with Cancer and Beyond retreat, which will be held at Carden Park Hotel and Spa in
Cheshire, UK, between 1 and 5 September.
Patmos Aktis, a Luxury Collection Resort and Spa, has opened in Greece, with a renovated and
rebranded wellness offering called Ansana Wellness and Spa.
The Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, an Autograph Collection property in Hawaii, US, has opened its
22,000 sq ft indoor-outdoor Spa at Mauna Kea as the final step in the property’s overall
renovation, which has cost more than US$180 million (€166 million, £140 mill
The UK spa review and discovery platform for consumers, the Good Spa Guide, has announced
it will host the Good Spa Guide Awards 2026 during an event on 16 November at Sopwell House
Hotel in St Albans, UK.
Eighty-four per cent of consumers now say wellness is a top priority in their lives, with this
percentage increasing year on year, according to a preview presentation of McKinsey’s Future of
Wellness 2026 research report.
Mass protests have been taking place since Monday 1 June in Albania over the development of
a luxury resort by Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner.
Global Wellness Day (GWD) marked its 15th anniversary on Saturday 13 June 2026, with the
theme: #JoyMagenta – a celebration of the healing qualities of simple gestures and activities
that spark joy.
Le Atelier by C.O.D.E. doesn't offer a standard bespoke service, it provides a highly
customised approach to designing massage beds and loungers in high-end wellness
environments. [more...]
