The Condado Vanderbilt Hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico, has completed the second stage of its refurbishment, including extra luxury guestrooms and a spa.
The US$200m (€149m, £118m) revitalisation of the five-star property, built in 1919 by Frederick William Vanderbilt, is now complete. Originally designed by Warren and Wetmore, the architectural firm known for Grand Central Station and the New York Biltmore Hotel, the 319 guestrooms and two newly-constructed suite towers have been reimagined by Wilson Associates.
The Vanderbilt Spa, which soft-opened on 17 December, will host a grand opening gala on 31 January. Alison Howland of Spa Success Consultants spoke exclusively to
Spa Opportunities, detailing the project’s features.
"My role began with mapping out the flow of the spa with the renowned Jorge Rossello, interior design and space planner and his team,” said Howland.
“It was necessary to understand that a project like this is being built not just for the guest of today, but for that next generation of spa guest. With this in mind, it was key to include traditional spa treatments – massage, facial, manicure, pedicure, body treatments – and to take those treatments to the next level.”
The
10,000sq ft (929sq m) spa features seven treatment rooms, a 185F (85C) sauna, steamroom and hydro showers. Treatments range from LED facials to customised massage and body treatments. According to Howland, this spa features the only hammam in Puerto Rico that includes imported Italian and Turkish marble. Don Genders of Design for Leisure supplied the hammam, steamroom, sauna and hydro showers in addition to the hammam. Luxury linen company, The Madison Collection, supplies the property with towels and other high end textile products.
The spa has an outdoor terrace for guests indulging in clay treatments, with views of the ocean.
Elsewhere, the boutique at the spa offers an aroma blending bar where guests can blend their own signature fragrances.
According to Howland, the theme of the spa focuses on the bygone era of Puerto Rican High Society, balanced with the current cultural awareness of wellness and spa, facilitating ‘social spa-ing’.
