September saw the completion of Glasgow’s first long awaited luxury spa at the five-star Blythswood Square hotel, designed by Graven Images as a soothing refuge from the bright lights and busy streets (but often inclement weather) of one of the UKs most vibrant cities.The Spa at the Blythswood Square hotel is located over two floors, covers an area of 10,000 square feet, and incorporates nine luxury treatment rooms, a thermal suite with a range of experiences, two relaxation pools, a relaxing lounge and cafe area plus several additional relaxation areas.
With reception and changing rooms on the lower level and treatment rooms on the upper level, the guest’s journey through the spa is designed to be a soft sensorial experience, with a muted, largely monochromatic colour palette of natural stone, Calacatta marble, dark oiled oak veneers and subtle lighting creating a calm, serene mood.. This reaches its fullest expression in the Spa’s dark vitality pool, situated at the furthermost point from the Spa’s entrance, where lighting, dark natural stone and a cool, dark body of water combine to create a moody, dream-like environment which guests may find difficult to leave.
The calm, luxurious yet understated atmosphere of Blythswood Square Spa is the ideal location for a range of especially designed treatments including the Blythswood Thermal Experience – a seven stage journey of alternating temperature experiences to sooth, relax and detoxify the body prior to spa treatments or as a restorative therapy. The Spa’s menu also features the UK’s first indigenous Scottish treatments designed in conjunction with luxury organic skincare house, ila, and special Seaweed Bath complete with organic hand-harvested seaweed sourced direct from the Hebrides.
The emphasis on distinctly Scottish products continues the theme set by the designer’s client The Townhouse Collection in the Blythswood Square hotel, in which Scotland’s textile heritage is celebrated with the creative use of Harris Tweed on a range of luxurious floor-length curtains to bespoke lampshades, chairs and event waiters’ uniforms. Jim Hamilton, Graven Images’ design director, explains:
“Our intention was to continue the guest experience of staying at Blythswood Square hotel into the spa –it is designed to feel essentially ‘Scottish’ but in a sense, celebrating all that is good about contemporary Scotland and not tartanalia. As vibrant and sociable a city as Glasgow is, it often does not enjoy the best of weather. After pounding the streets of Glasgow, both day visitors and guests of Blythswood Square hotel can seek the refuge of Blythswood Spa and know from the instant they enter that they will be cosseted and relaxed for the duration of their stay.”
