As the Government moots modular building to tackle Britain’s housing shortfall, the concept is already powering into the boutique hotel sector.
Another interesting concept from Spa Creators
Leading locker manufacturer Crown Sports Lockers has helped create Britain’s first modular spa facility in what is a transformational development in spa design for the leisure and hospitality market.
SPAshell is the brainchild of Alistair Johnson, director of business and design consultancy Spa Creators, with whom Crown has worked for several years on bespoke installations.
The modular spa building is built to a high specification off-site, complete with interior fittings including the reception and lounge areas, a fitted kitchen, integral sauna and steam room, showers, toilets, tiling, treatment rooms, plumbing and electrics. The building is then transported in sections to its destination and craned into position, ready to go following connection to utilities.
The first SPAshell is now up and running at Fishmore Hall, a boutique country house hotel in picturesque Ludlow, Shropshire and was operational just days after it was installed last November.
“With a project time from concept to reality of around 16 weeks, operators can enjoy a rapid return on their investment, while the installation itself has little or no impact on day to day running”, says Spa Creators co-director Laura Johnson. “Crown’s team were very quick to grasp this new concept and were flexible and creative in their thinking to deliver this very first project.”
Anything you need, Crown can supply
Crown manufactured and supplied the nail bar and retail display with pull-out counter for nail treatments; Bespoke reception desk with feature laminated panel detail; Staff kitchen and desk; Seating units with storage below in the docking pods; Changing room fitouts, each with lockers, seating and wet and dry combined vanity unit; treatment room fitouts, each with cupboards, pull-out therapists’ trolleys and Corian worktops.
A wedding was planned at Fishmore Hall the day after SPAshell was installed and it went ahead without any disruption to the guests – a major advantage for Laura Penman, owner of this 15-bed hotel. A traditional build would have taken months to deliver and would have had a much larger cost. The SPAshell concept makes a spa offering more accessible affordable and provides a fast return on investment.
Boutique independent hotels rely on the quality of their offering and demand high-end installations – one reason why SPAshell features comfort elements such as electric underfloor heating, while also providing an integrated sound system that links with programmed lighting to create the right mood and ambience for spa day visitors.
Although available in four- and eight-bed treatment room options, larger alternatives are possible and are already planned; such is the level of demand.
“We are in talks with several sites interested in SPAshell,” Laura adds. “The concept can be scaled up to almost any size of facility, so we expect enquiries from small to large-scale operators.”
Another stunning success
Spa Creators founder and MD Alistair Johnson has been focused from conception on providing a solution for the smaller boutique and independent hotel operators commented: “The Fishmore Hall SPAshell project marks a key advance in the relationship between Spa Creators and Crown Sports Lockers.
“Like our previous collaborations, Crown have once again demonstrated the client skills, professionalism and product knowledge essential in ensuring we deliver an exceptional quality finish, regardless of the project size.”
Sam Palmer, Project Manager, Crown Sports Lockers, commented: “Having worked with Alistair [Johnson] on a wide and varying portfolio of high-end spas, I was excited to be involved in their new concept, SPAshell.
“From initial design work through to visiting the SPAshell factory and the manufacture of the furniture, the process progressed really smoothly, especially given the short turnaround times involved.”
“This was another project delivered on time and on budget, all part of the service that has seen Crown Sports Lockers make huge strides within the destination spa market.“
“We look forward to a long and successful partnership with Spa Creators and are already in discussions with them regarding the next SPAshell projects.”
Crowns creations:
- Nail bar and retail display with pull-out counter for nail treatments;
- Bespoke reception desk with feature laminated panel detail;
- Staff kitchen and desk;
- Seating units with storage below in the docking pods;
- Changing room fitouts, each with lockers, seating and wet and dry combined vanity unit;
- Treatment room fitouts, each with cupboards, pull-out therapists’ trolleys and Corian worktops.