Luxury Spa Boutiques On Tap For Aquapura

Nearly four years in the making, the flagship property of Aquapura Hotels, Villas & Spas has finally opened in Portugal’s Douro Valley wine country.

By Adam Kirby, Associate Editor -- HOTELS Magazine, 9/1/2007

LISBON Nearly four years in the making, the flagship property of Aquapura Hotels, Villas & Spas has finally opened in Portugal’s Douro Valley wine country. Aquapura, which seeks to become the world’s premier boutique spa resort developer, is the newest venture from real estate magnate Diogo Vaz Guedes’ Gespura holding company. With backing by Banco Privado Portugues President Antonio Mexia, the company plans to invest approximately €500 million in 10 to 12 projects worldwide by 2015.

The Aquapura development model revolves around four key concepts: luxury, authenticity, excellence, and, as the name implies, water. Each project will be located close to a body of water, and luxury spas ranking in the 5- or even 6-star range will be the Aquapura standard, says Managing Director Miguel Simões de Almeida. Aquapura hotels will have between 50 and 80 rooms as well as residential villa components. Properties will feature full food and beverage offerings, with at least two restaurants per location and 24-hour roomservice. Foodservice also will be available in the spas, and both the F&B and spa operations will be operated internally. “We will be responsible for all aspects of the operation—we will not be doing any outsourcing,” Almeida emphasizes.

All Aquapura hotels will feature unique architecture with local fl air, with room rates refl ective of the local luxury markets. Most developments will be new-builds, but some reclamation projects are in the works as well. “Each property will have its own identity, but with special attention to the architecture and interior design,” Almeida explains. “We are not positioned in the design hotels situation, but we have an attention to the appearance on every property.”

The next Aquapura development is set to open in Bahia, Brazil, with pipeline projects signed in Prague, Budapest, Macedonia, Italy, Lisbon and the Portuguese wine region of Alentejo. Future projects in Brazil and Panama are under consideration as well, Almeida says.

Aquapura is targeting both leisure destinations and city centers, looking to attract business travelers during the week and vacationers during weekends. “Leisure travel can be for one visit and business travel for another, and we need to provide the equipment and facilities for each situation,” Almeida says.

Aquapura Douro Valley, which opened in June, is centered around a 19th century manor house, offering 50 guestrooms and 21 villas. The property, designed by architect Luis Rebelo de Andrade, also has three restaurants, a wine-tasting room, two bars, six meeting rooms, a library and a pool. Spa treatments on demand are available in a number of venues. The hotel’s interior design, by Nini Andrade Silva, is inspired by the colors of the region and Asiatic luxury. In the 50- to 89-sq. m (538- to 831-sq. ft.) rooms, warm colors accentuate neutral hues. Room rates range from €240 to €290.

For Aquapura, though, the hotel business is ultimately about the spa experience. Douro Valley’s 2,200-sq. m (23,681-sq. ft.) spa features chocolate facials, oxygen treatments and skin products by Karin Herzog. And local organic crops—in this case grapes, olives and cherries—play a central role in spa treatments. The signature Ytsara treatment, which purports to regenerate the soul and purify the skin, is a holistic approach based on Asiatic treatments including orchid-cream facials, herbal wraps and bamboo-root masks. Water, of course, also is prevalent throughout the spa.