Accor’s Latest White Paper Reveals A New Era Of Wellness Design In Hospitality

Accor's Wellness Design Innovations

Accor has announced a new white paper redefining the hospitality industry, heralding a fresh chapter in spa and wellness design. "Making Waves: Rethinking Spa and Wellness Design for a Modern Era" outlines the well-being priorities Accor deems most crucial today and showcases how the global hospitality group is pioneering innovative wellness solutions across its extensive portfolio of hospitality brands. This insightful report draws on the insights, forecasts, and analyses from a symposium organized by Accor’s Global Well-being, Strategy, Design, and Development team, incorporating viewpoints from both Accor experts and renowned industry leaders worldwide. Stemming from this collaborative event, "Making Waves" delves into the future of the wellness sector, addressing significant consumer trends and shifts.  

“Wellness has become a leading driver and differentiator for us, particularly in the areas of luxury and lifestyle design. It is also an exciting area of design that touches the hearts and lifts the spirits of our guests more profoundly than almost any other aspect of the hotel experience,” says Anne Becker Olins, Global Chief Design & Technical Services Officer – Ultra Luxury & Luxury, Accor. 

“With Making Waves, we aim to educate, inspire and innovate the ways in which the hospitality industry approaches wellness and well-being design.” 

Accor’s study, which involved 7,500 consumers from six countries, showed that wellness is a key concern for 79% of its guests. This aligns with insights from industry authorities, including Skift’s 2023 Luxury Traveller Survey, which indicated that 80% of travellers consider well-being a factor in their travel decisions.

ISPA’s 2024 spa-goer survey also states that "Spa memberships are becoming a notable trend within the wellness and hospitality sectors, fueled by an increasing societal focus on self-care, relaxation, and holistic wellness."  

One theme examined in Making Waves is the trend of hotel spas and fitness clubs shifting toward membership models. This trend is reflected in Accor’s initiative to pioneer a movement focused on creating hotels that cater to travellers and local communities.  

“We are approaching spa design in the same way - for the people who live next door or who work down the street. We are creating clubs, thermal facilities, wellness centers, and fitness offerings that are on par, or better, than the local gym. Our hotel spas are where the locals want to go to get fit, to be social, and to feel better,” says Emlyn Brown, Global SVP of Well-being, Strategy, Design, and Development at Accor. 

Making Waves explores how thermal wellness—illustrated by the highly anticipated BASIN Glacial Waters facility, which will open in Summer 2025 at Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise—and wellness-focused socializing are reshaping spa and fitness offerings within the hospitality industry. The rising trend of hot and cold plunge circuits underscores consumer enthusiasm for holistic wellness and natural therapies, as seen in Accor's The Purist concepts. Additionally, a new generation of spa enthusiasts is increasingly pursuing social wellness experiences, including group bathing, sauna sessions, and water therapy clubs, providing healthier social alternatives to bars and nightclubs. 

Other areas of content in the white paper include: 

• Rethinking the ubiquitous, multi-purpose hotel pool that has enjoyed decades of uncontested existence 

• Outsourcing spa services such as salon and esthetician services to top-quality local businesses 

• Creating exclusive new spa experiences designed for adults only, with enriched entertainment and services provided separately for the littlest hotel guests 

“Hoteliers around the world are shifting their focus to define their wellness strategies, ensuring they align with their brands and their guest demographics,” adds Brown. “It is our hope and intention that the insights we’ve gathered in Making Waves will support these efforts, as we all seek to create more impactful wellness spaces and places.”