A new chapter will begin for JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort and Spa when it opens its newly transformed spa in January 2026, in Arizona, US.

The US$24 million (€21 million, £18 million) investment into the spa will see the 453-key property receive a wellness makeover.

In the latest issue of Spa Business, Suzanne Holbrook, global leader of spa, fitness and wellness operations for Marriott International, announced underutilised spaces at Marriott properties will be reimagined to provide more wellness facilities. This JW Marriott spa renovation is just the first of many expected wellness revamps.

Designed by architects and interiors firm EDG, the spa will maintain its 32,000sq ft footprint but the space is being revamped to offer intentional areas for guests to relax.

The redesign pays homage to the surrounding 125 acres of Sonoran Desert while adhering to the resort’s brand new Arivéa philosophy. This concept offers guests a holistic approach to wellness that blends personalised rituals with timeless traditions, respect for the preciousness of the location’s water and the significance of stillness in the desert.

The spa will have 20 treatment rooms, including three double suites.

The property is working with a music consultant to curate bespoke audio experiences alongside signature scents throughout the indoor and outdoor spaces.

There will also be an extensive thermal circuit, designed by Bradford Wellness, to promote muscle recovery and circulation. These facilities will include a Himalayan salt sauna, an aromatherapy steam cavern and a cold therapy experience shower that has three settings for mist, a bucket shower or cold air.

An 18-person whirlpool is located in a solarium for relaxation.

Natural light will pour through floor-to-ceiling windows into the main indoor relaxation space, called The Sanctuary. From here, guests will have sweeping views of the eponymous Camelback Mountain.

A quieter relaxation zone, called The Stillness lounge, provides a tranquil meditative space for peaceful relaxation. Guests lie on harmonic wellness loungers for five to 60-minute sessions for sensory relaxation. Weighted blankets, eye masks and noise-cancelling headphones will be provided.

Three exterior hydrotherapy pools make up the spa’s Wellness Waters zone. The main pool will be called The Flow, a salt pool will be called The Still and the cold plunge is slated to be The Chill.

Two private outside cabanas will also be available to reserve and for those seeking a more private escape, the spa has a suite called The Villa. This space, which is designed for couples or small groups of up to 10 guests, has a private pool, a dedicated double treatment room, a padio and lounge area.

There will also be a curated retail space and nail salon.

During the upgrade process, guests can access the property’s boutique Jackrabbit Spa. This facility has 10 private casita spa suites, a skincare boutique, nail salon, a relaxation lounge and a cold plunge.

Treatments

Familiar favourites will remain on the spa menu, including the Ayurvedic-inspired Bindi Treatment and immersive Vichy shower experience.

Refreshed options will include desert-inspired treatments that incorporate indigenous ingredients such as adobe clay, juniper, sage oils, prickly pear and agave nectar oil.

Gua sha facials will be enhanced with LED lights and microcurrents.

Movement

The enhanced wellness experience will include a Wellness Studio, offering sound baths, yoga, mindfulness workshops and guided meditations.

The 24-hour Fitness Centre will be outfitted with Technogym equipment and Peloton bikes, in addition to strength training equipment.

Nutrition

Within the wellness space, the property’s new Ora Café will offer an all-day menu, developed by a licensed nutritionist. The meal options will blend indulgence with lighter wellness-inspired foods.

Designed to be a social hub, the café will have an open kitchen, banquette seating and outdoor tables beneath natural tree canopies.

The resort also offers 36 holes of championship golf, four tennis courts, six pickleball courts, two heated outdoor swimming pools, seven restaurants and lounges.