Sokolova is a cultural mix of Swedish, Russian and Latvian / photo: Nobis Hospitality Group
At the Hotel J in Stockholm, a new initiative has seen an atmospheric, turn-of-the-century villa onsite turned into a venue for cultural activities, with chamber music and other classical concerts for residents and guests alike – all with a focus on their health benefits.
Weekend retreats, like a Spring Awakening, hosted in collaboration with wellness practitioner Sophie Benge, combine wild herb foraging, meditation, treatments and cold-water bathing in the archipelago, to create a transformative experience.
These are all part of a series of programmes created by Alla Sokolova, who last year took on a new head of wellness role with Hotel J’s parent company, Nobis. Her brief is to bring more guests to the family-owned, contemporary group which owns nine hotels in Stockholm, Sweden and additional locations in Copenhagen, Denmark and Palma, Mallorca.
Sokolova – who herself is a cultural mix of Swedish, Russian and Latvian – grew up in Sweden, but had spent the past 16 years in Latvia, where she co-founded the Balans International Wellness Centre. She also co-authored a book with Benge delving into the healing traditions of central and eastern Europe (see www.spabusiness.com/healingsources).
Outside influences With a deep understanding of the importance of Nordic heritage and connections with nature, Sokolova began her mission of positioning Hotel J as more of a destination. The property is set on an archipelago on the city outskirts and Sokolova uses the water, woods and seasons to her advantage to create numerous alfresco experiences.
Regular forest bathing sessions, as well as meditation and foraging outings, for example, are offered by herbalist and author Lisen Sundgren. The 2 to 3-hour experiences involve a deliberately slow walk in the trees where guests are guided in different exercises to engage their senses, then end with a ‘fika’, or tea ceremony, using locally foraged herbs.
“We’re thinking about wellbeing from the ground up,” says Sokolova, adding that there’s an emphasis on that elusive idea of happiness since Sweden is consistently placed in the Top 10 happiest countries. “It’s about creating experiences that will make our guests and ourselves feel better – it’s not about creating a spa just because we need to have a spa.”
To this end, Sokolova is also introducing wellness to business guests as the hotel has always been a popular setting for conferences. Breathwork has been the most popular add-on for this audience so far, but other optional extras include sauna rituals, yoga, mindfulness sessions and forest bathing – helping to create a sense of unity among team members and reduce stress and fatigue. “We’re bringing more health and wellness into conference rooms,” she explains. “We work with all kinds of companies and groups to develop mindfulness, to inspire and to help people see new perspectives.”
Local community All of the programmes at Hotel J “have a very strong alignment with a sense of place and community and a real Swedish flair” says Sokolova, to help entice more locals.
The classical music concerts have had great feedback and attract up to 150 people each time – many from the capital which is only a short boat journey away. While pop-up programming by local wellness specialists, including sauna rituals and holistic pilates, keeps the offer fresh and interesting.
And on Saturday mornings, Hotel J hosts a breathwork and guided cold bathing session in the often icy waters of the archipelago – something that grounds guests in the location and offers a dramatic connection to nature, as they are quite literally immersed in the landscape. Sokolova has partnered with local company MindDate, whose coaches first teach the science and essentials of breathwork, then invite guests to use the powerful practice in a controlled cold exposure in the water. So far, more than 800 people have attended these sessions since they started offering them last summer.
However bringing wellness to all the Nobis properties will not look the same across the portfolio, as each of the nine hotels has its own identity; several are urban boutique hotels, and the company also has locations in Denmark and Mallorca. “Wellness will mean different things to every property,” says Sokolova. “We want to create an individual feeling for every brand and adapt to the location. It’s about meeting the guests where they are.”
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
View contents of Spa Business 2024 issue 2
Editor's letter: Cool customers
Spas must adapt to unlock new avenues for growth while mitigating the impact of climate change, says Katie Barnes
Top Team: Therme Group
With its focus on affordable wellness, Therme Group is expanding its social spa concept globally. Jane Kitchen speaks to the people behind the brand
Interview: Susie Ellis
The chair of the Global Wellness Summit has been fundamental in defining the industry and continues to drive it forward
Sponsored: Comfort Zone: Powered by nature
B Corp-certified skincare company Comfort Zone has added a new body lotion to its Hydramemory range, which is inspired by the water-retaining powers of desert plants
Interview: Roger Tempest
The owner of Broughton Sanctuary in the UK is transforming the 900-year-old estate into a retreat-based business
Sponsored: Lemi: touched by tech
Italian spa equipment supplier, Lemi, is embracing the trend towards tech-driven wellness treatments, while also driving sustainable industry practices
First person: The real deal?
What’s the value of an authentic treatment? Andrew and Karin Gibson take to the hammams of Istanbul to find out
Wellness: Full recovery
SIRO is staking a claim to be the world’s first fitness and recovery hotel brand and is planning 100 properties. Lisa Starr visits the first site in Dubai
Sponsored: Gharieni: Defining the well universe
The launch of Gharieni’s new touchless technology brand
Metawell is perfectly aligned with the future direction of spa
and wellness, says the company’s CEO, Sammy Gharieni
Software: Member benefits
Up to a third of spa-goers now have a spa membership. What support can software systems offer?
Sponsored: Myrtha: Herbal Sauna
Pools and wellness facilities expert, Myrtha’s new Herbal Sauna, brings an innovative and therapeutic experience to the spa, says Stefano Cattaneo
In the fast-paced world of fitness and wellness, where high-intensity workouts push us to
our limits and the sweat pours, the importance of efficient recovery cannot be overstated. [more...]
Sokolova is a cultural mix of Swedish, Russian and Latvian / photo: Nobis Hospitality Group
At the Hotel J in Stockholm, a new initiative has seen an atmospheric, turn-of-the-century villa onsite turned into a venue for cultural activities, with chamber music and other classical concerts for residents and guests alike – all with a focus on their health benefits.
Weekend retreats, like a Spring Awakening, hosted in collaboration with wellness practitioner Sophie Benge, combine wild herb foraging, meditation, treatments and cold-water bathing in the archipelago, to create a transformative experience.
These are all part of a series of programmes created by Alla Sokolova, who last year took on a new head of wellness role with Hotel J’s parent company, Nobis. Her brief is to bring more guests to the family-owned, contemporary group which owns nine hotels in Stockholm, Sweden and additional locations in Copenhagen, Denmark and Palma, Mallorca.
Sokolova – who herself is a cultural mix of Swedish, Russian and Latvian – grew up in Sweden, but had spent the past 16 years in Latvia, where she co-founded the Balans International Wellness Centre. She also co-authored a book with Benge delving into the healing traditions of central and eastern Europe (see www.spabusiness.com/healingsources).
Outside influences With a deep understanding of the importance of Nordic heritage and connections with nature, Sokolova began her mission of positioning Hotel J as more of a destination. The property is set on an archipelago on the city outskirts and Sokolova uses the water, woods and seasons to her advantage to create numerous alfresco experiences.
Regular forest bathing sessions, as well as meditation and foraging outings, for example, are offered by herbalist and author Lisen Sundgren. The 2 to 3-hour experiences involve a deliberately slow walk in the trees where guests are guided in different exercises to engage their senses, then end with a ‘fika’, or tea ceremony, using locally foraged herbs.
“We’re thinking about wellbeing from the ground up,” says Sokolova, adding that there’s an emphasis on that elusive idea of happiness since Sweden is consistently placed in the Top 10 happiest countries. “It’s about creating experiences that will make our guests and ourselves feel better – it’s not about creating a spa just because we need to have a spa.”
To this end, Sokolova is also introducing wellness to business guests as the hotel has always been a popular setting for conferences. Breathwork has been the most popular add-on for this audience so far, but other optional extras include sauna rituals, yoga, mindfulness sessions and forest bathing – helping to create a sense of unity among team members and reduce stress and fatigue. “We’re bringing more health and wellness into conference rooms,” she explains. “We work with all kinds of companies and groups to develop mindfulness, to inspire and to help people see new perspectives.”
Local community All of the programmes at Hotel J “have a very strong alignment with a sense of place and community and a real Swedish flair” says Sokolova, to help entice more locals.
The classical music concerts have had great feedback and attract up to 150 people each time – many from the capital which is only a short boat journey away. While pop-up programming by local wellness specialists, including sauna rituals and holistic pilates, keeps the offer fresh and interesting.
And on Saturday mornings, Hotel J hosts a breathwork and guided cold bathing session in the often icy waters of the archipelago – something that grounds guests in the location and offers a dramatic connection to nature, as they are quite literally immersed in the landscape. Sokolova has partnered with local company MindDate, whose coaches first teach the science and essentials of breathwork, then invite guests to use the powerful practice in a controlled cold exposure in the water. So far, more than 800 people have attended these sessions since they started offering them last summer.
However bringing wellness to all the Nobis properties will not look the same across the portfolio, as each of the nine hotels has its own identity; several are urban boutique hotels, and the company also has locations in Denmark and Mallorca. “Wellness will mean different things to every property,” says Sokolova. “We want to create an individual feeling for every brand and adapt to the location. It’s about meeting the guests where they are.”
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
View contents of Spa Business 2024 issue 2
Editor's letter: Cool customers
Spas must adapt to unlock new avenues for growth while mitigating the impact of climate change, says Katie Barnes
Top Team: Therme Group
With its focus on affordable wellness, Therme Group is expanding its social spa concept globally. Jane Kitchen speaks to the people behind the brand
Interview: Susie Ellis
The chair of the Global Wellness Summit has been fundamental in defining the industry and continues to drive it forward
Sponsored: Comfort Zone: Powered by nature
B Corp-certified skincare company Comfort Zone has added a new body lotion to its Hydramemory range, which is inspired by the water-retaining powers of desert plants
Interview: Roger Tempest
The owner of Broughton Sanctuary in the UK is transforming the 900-year-old estate into a retreat-based business
Sponsored: Lemi: touched by tech
Italian spa equipment supplier, Lemi, is embracing the trend towards tech-driven wellness treatments, while also driving sustainable industry practices
First person: The real deal?
What’s the value of an authentic treatment? Andrew and Karin Gibson take to the hammams of Istanbul to find out
Wellness: Full recovery
SIRO is staking a claim to be the world’s first fitness and recovery hotel brand and is planning 100 properties. Lisa Starr visits the first site in Dubai
Sponsored: Gharieni: Defining the well universe
The launch of Gharieni’s new touchless technology brand
Metawell is perfectly aligned with the future direction of spa
and wellness, says the company’s CEO, Sammy Gharieni
Software: Member benefits
Up to a third of spa-goers now have a spa membership. What support can software systems offer?
Sponsored: Myrtha: Herbal Sauna
Pools and wellness facilities expert, Myrtha’s new Herbal Sauna, brings an innovative and therapeutic experience to the spa, says Stefano Cattaneo
Gran Hotel Taoro in northern Tenerife, Spain, has completed the final phase of its three-year
renovation with the debut of its Sandára Wellness Centre.
Hand and Stone Massage and Facial Spa, the spa business with more than 650 locations across
the US and Canada, has appointed franchise expert Carrie Walsh as CEO as the company plans
to expand.
Synergy – The Retreat Show, the global trade show for retreats, has launched a global research
initiative that will provide insights into the retreat sector from both consumer and industry
perspectives.
The Wellness Tourism Association (WTA) has published a non-regulatory global industry
framework designed to ensure the retreat market offers responsible experiences.
A new survey of UK and international spa practitioners shows that stress, burnout and
wellbeing concerns have caused one in three respondents to consider leaving the industry.
The UK's four Chief Medical Officers have published a refreshed edition of Physical activity
guidelines: UK Chief Medical Officers' report, updating the evidence that underpins the nation's
physical activity recommendations and placing greater emphasis on strength, balance, reducing
sedentary behaviour and, for the first time, supporting people taking weight loss medications.
Anna Bjurstam has left her role as Wellness Pioneer at Six Senses Hotels and Resorts and
launched a new wellness, longevity and “consciousness consultancy” called Wahayla.
Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere, has opened today (10 July) in the Northwest of England
with a
1,715sq m Fairmont Spa that has been designed using a ‘Wellness without Walls’
concept.
In the fast-paced world of fitness and wellness, where high-intensity workouts push us to
our limits and the sweat pours, the importance of efficient recovery cannot be overstated. [more...]
