Pool water comes from the Rangitata River, which feeds off glacial Alpine meltwater / photo: Lisa Gane – Lumo Photography
The power of communal bathing has inspired the inception of a new sustainable spa and wellness tourism destination in south-east New Zealand.
With the strapline ‘sourced from the mountains, powered by the sun’, the two-hectare property in Methven has been designed to deliver a sustainable hot pool and spa experience set against a mountain backdrop.
Ōpuke Thermal Pools and Spa has recently launched featuring a collection of pools filled with water from the nearby Rangitata river that’s fed by glacial meltwater from New Zealand’s Southern Alps. These are heated by power sourced from an on-site solar farm.
Owned and operated by Methven Adventures, the project was developed over two years following an investment of NZ$17m (€10.2m, US$11.8m, £8.7m).
Ōpuke GM, James Mattinson, told Spa Business the project has been conceived to welcome all ages.
“Our vision is to build a premium-quality, sustainable hot pools and spa facility in the heart of mid-Canterbury that attracts visitors from all corners of New Zealand and the rest of the world,” he says.
“The facility caters to the needs of families, adults and private spa guests, offering a host of innovative customer experiences.
“Our ethos is inspired by the spectacular mountain backdrop of our two-hectare site and draws on the ‘clean green’ principles of sustainable operations,” Mattinson adds.
Facility mix Ōpuke has an exclusive adults-only area as well as a family-friendly hot pool area featuring an aqua play zone to encourage curiosity and adventure.
All areas are linked by an interconnected network of pools that follow the form of a river, allowing for private nooks, open spaces and ample room to explore.
The adult’s area features water jet massages, bubble therapy, sauna therapies, a cold plunge pool and a luxury relaxation area.
The offering is completed by four secluded cedar hot tubs with views across the foothills of the Southern Alps, a pool bar, a social spa hut, hot pool packages and private cabanas for the delivery of premium treatments.
The on-site spa is home to five treatment rooms, including two for couples, a four-person rasul and a relaxation lounge. Here, visitors are offered a range of treatments supplied by French spa and skincare brand, Yon-Ka.
Spa and wellness consultants Spa Vision and Spa Guru Consulting have supported the Ōpuke project since its early stages, with the scheme being developed on a turnkey basis.
This involved them working alongside product-house Kurland which has designed and supplied a custom rasul room and Soft-Pack system – a cocoon waterbed for delivering body treatments.
Marketing the dream “We’ve got a marketing plan that will roll out in phases to attract customers from Christchurch and the wider Canterbury area to kick things off. Next, we’ll roll out our campaign to the whole of New Zealand and then to the rest of the globe once the borders reopen.
“We want to give everyone the opportunity to be able to experience Ōpuke,” Mattinson explains, “our offering is extremely inclusive.”
Ōpuke is up and running, he says the team may look at opening other sites or additional developments in or around Methven.
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Pool water comes from the Rangitata River, which feeds off glacial Alpine meltwater / photo: Lisa Gane – Lumo Photography
The power of communal bathing has inspired the inception of a new sustainable spa and wellness tourism destination in south-east New Zealand.
With the strapline ‘sourced from the mountains, powered by the sun’, the two-hectare property in Methven has been designed to deliver a sustainable hot pool and spa experience set against a mountain backdrop.
Ōpuke Thermal Pools and Spa has recently launched featuring a collection of pools filled with water from the nearby Rangitata river that’s fed by glacial meltwater from New Zealand’s Southern Alps. These are heated by power sourced from an on-site solar farm.
Owned and operated by Methven Adventures, the project was developed over two years following an investment of NZ$17m (€10.2m, US$11.8m, £8.7m).
Ōpuke GM, James Mattinson, told Spa Business the project has been conceived to welcome all ages.
“Our vision is to build a premium-quality, sustainable hot pools and spa facility in the heart of mid-Canterbury that attracts visitors from all corners of New Zealand and the rest of the world,” he says.
“The facility caters to the needs of families, adults and private spa guests, offering a host of innovative customer experiences.
“Our ethos is inspired by the spectacular mountain backdrop of our two-hectare site and draws on the ‘clean green’ principles of sustainable operations,” Mattinson adds.
Facility mix Ōpuke has an exclusive adults-only area as well as a family-friendly hot pool area featuring an aqua play zone to encourage curiosity and adventure.
All areas are linked by an interconnected network of pools that follow the form of a river, allowing for private nooks, open spaces and ample room to explore.
The adult’s area features water jet massages, bubble therapy, sauna therapies, a cold plunge pool and a luxury relaxation area.
The offering is completed by four secluded cedar hot tubs with views across the foothills of the Southern Alps, a pool bar, a social spa hut, hot pool packages and private cabanas for the delivery of premium treatments.
The on-site spa is home to five treatment rooms, including two for couples, a four-person rasul and a relaxation lounge. Here, visitors are offered a range of treatments supplied by French spa and skincare brand, Yon-Ka.
Spa and wellness consultants Spa Vision and Spa Guru Consulting have supported the Ōpuke project since its early stages, with the scheme being developed on a turnkey basis.
This involved them working alongside product-house Kurland which has designed and supplied a custom rasul room and Soft-Pack system – a cocoon waterbed for delivering body treatments.
Marketing the dream “We’ve got a marketing plan that will roll out in phases to attract customers from Christchurch and the wider Canterbury area to kick things off. Next, we’ll roll out our campaign to the whole of New Zealand and then to the rest of the globe once the borders reopen.
“We want to give everyone the opportunity to be able to experience Ōpuke,” Mattinson explains, “our offering is extremely inclusive.”
Ōpuke is up and running, he says the team may look at opening other sites or additional developments in or around Methven.
Sponsored: Comfort Zone - Rethinking packaging
With its commitment to meeting the highest standards in relation to sustainability and regeneration, Comfort Zone is reducing its plastic footprint through the use of innovative packaging design and an important partnership to stop ocean-bound plastic
Project preview: Cultivating health
Montara Hospitality Group is developing Tri Vananda, a multi- generational, residential wellness community on the island of Phuket
Sponsored: Art of Cryo – Cold gold
Introducing cryotherapy can be lucrative for spas, as well as offering customers a cutting-edge therapy with powerful benefits for both body and mind
Interview: Brothers in spa
Saverio Quadrio Curzio of QC Terme on working with brother Andrea
on the global expansion of their luxury brand, which is built around European bathing traditions
Everyone’s talking about: Property investment
Reductions in travel and the growth
of homeworking have changed where people spend their time. Our experts consider how this will impact investment
Research: Crossing the watershed
The Global Wellness Institute dives deep into data on the US$4.4tr global wellness economy. Kath Hudson reports
Q&A: Michael Roizen & Victor Koo
The Global Wellness Summit in Boston brought the industry together for three idea-packed days. Spa Business caught up with this year's influential co-chairs
Mystery Shopper: Out of the blue
Jane Kitchen visits Iceland, the
land of fire and ice, to compare
and contrast experiences at the
famed Blue Lagoon and the newly-opened Sky Lagoon in Reykjavik
Sponsored: Optimal results
Gharieni is using research findings and insight to ensure its innovative wellness concepts exceed customers’ expectations
First person: True North
Andrew Gibson heads to Larvik in Norway to experience the world of wellness that is Farris Bad
Urban spas: La Samaritaine
Ghislain Waeyaert visits the Dior Spa at La Samaritaine in Paris, after its €500m upgrade
Spa software: Staff retention
How the latest software can help retain staff and increase business potential in a COVID-challenged world
Finishing touch: COVID attacks fat cells
Researchers from Stanford University set out to explain why people with obesity are at higher risk when contracting COVID-19, as Tom Walker reports
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