Sokolova is a cultural mix of Swedish, Russian and Latvian / photo: Nobis Hospitality Group
At the Hotel J in Stockholm, a new initiative has seen an atmospheric, turn-of-the-century villa onsite turned into a venue for cultural activities, with chamber music and other classical concerts for residents and guests alike – all with a focus on their health benefits.
Weekend retreats, like a Spring Awakening, hosted in collaboration with wellness practitioner Sophie Benge, combine wild herb foraging, meditation, treatments and cold-water bathing in the archipelago, to create a transformative experience.
These are all part of a series of programmes created by Alla Sokolova, who last year took on a new head of wellness role with Hotel J’s parent company, Nobis. Her brief is to bring more guests to the family-owned, contemporary group which owns nine hotels in Stockholm, Sweden and additional locations in Copenhagen, Denmark and Palma, Mallorca.
Sokolova – who herself is a cultural mix of Swedish, Russian and Latvian – grew up in Sweden, but had spent the past 16 years in Latvia, where she co-founded the Balans International Wellness Centre. She also co-authored a book with Benge delving into the healing traditions of central and eastern Europe (see www.spabusiness.com/healingsources).
Outside influences With a deep understanding of the importance of Nordic heritage and connections with nature, Sokolova began her mission of positioning Hotel J as more of a destination. The property is set on an archipelago on the city outskirts and Sokolova uses the water, woods and seasons to her advantage to create numerous alfresco experiences.
Regular forest bathing sessions, as well as meditation and foraging outings, for example, are offered by herbalist and author Lisen Sundgren. The 2 to 3-hour experiences involve a deliberately slow walk in the trees where guests are guided in different exercises to engage their senses, then end with a ‘fika’, or tea ceremony, using locally foraged herbs.
“We’re thinking about wellbeing from the ground up,” says Sokolova, adding that there’s an emphasis on that elusive idea of happiness since Sweden is consistently placed in the Top 10 happiest countries. “It’s about creating experiences that will make our guests and ourselves feel better – it’s not about creating a spa just because we need to have a spa.”
To this end, Sokolova is also introducing wellness to business guests as the hotel has always been a popular setting for conferences. Breathwork has been the most popular add-on for this audience so far, but other optional extras include sauna rituals, yoga, mindfulness sessions and forest bathing – helping to create a sense of unity among team members and reduce stress and fatigue. “We’re bringing more health and wellness into conference rooms,” she explains. “We work with all kinds of companies and groups to develop mindfulness, to inspire and to help people see new perspectives.”
Local community All of the programmes at Hotel J “have a very strong alignment with a sense of place and community and a real Swedish flair” says Sokolova, to help entice more locals.
The classical music concerts have had great feedback and attract up to 150 people each time – many from the capital which is only a short boat journey away. While pop-up programming by local wellness specialists, including sauna rituals and holistic pilates, keeps the offer fresh and interesting.
And on Saturday mornings, Hotel J hosts a breathwork and guided cold bathing session in the often icy waters of the archipelago – something that grounds guests in the location and offers a dramatic connection to nature, as they are quite literally immersed in the landscape. Sokolova has partnered with local company MindDate, whose coaches first teach the science and essentials of breathwork, then invite guests to use the powerful practice in a controlled cold exposure in the water. So far, more than 800 people have attended these sessions since they started offering them last summer.
However bringing wellness to all the Nobis properties will not look the same across the portfolio, as each of the nine hotels has its own identity; several are urban boutique hotels, and the company also has locations in Denmark and Mallorca. “Wellness will mean different things to every property,” says Sokolova. “We want to create an individual feeling for every brand and adapt to the location. It’s about meeting the guests where they are.”
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2024 issue 2
Editor's letter: Cool customers
Spas must adapt to unlock new avenues for growth while mitigating the impact of climate change, says Katie Barnes
Top Team: Therme Group
With its focus on affordable wellness, Therme Group is expanding its social spa concept globally. Jane Kitchen speaks to the people behind the brand
Interview: Susie Ellis
The chair of the Global Wellness Summit has been fundamental in defining the industry and continues to drive it forward
Sponsored: Comfort Zone: Powered by nature
B Corp-certified skincare company Comfort Zone has added a new body lotion to its Hydramemory range, which is inspired by the water-retaining powers of desert plants
Interview: Roger Tempest
The owner of Broughton Sanctuary in the UK is transforming the 900-year-old estate into a retreat-based business
Sponsored: Lemi: touched by tech
Italian spa equipment supplier, Lemi, is embracing the trend towards tech-driven wellness treatments, while also driving sustainable industry practices
First person: The real deal?
What’s the value of an authentic treatment? Andrew and Karin Gibson take to the hammams of Istanbul to find out
Wellness: Full recovery
SIRO is staking a claim to be the world’s first fitness and recovery hotel brand and is planning 100 properties. Lisa Starr visits the first site in Dubai
Sponsored: Gharieni: Defining the well universe
The launch of Gharieni’s new touchless technology brand
Metawell is perfectly aligned with the future direction of spa
and wellness, says the company’s CEO, Sammy Gharieni
Software: Member benefits
Up to a third of spa-goers now have a spa membership. What support can software systems offer?
Sponsored: Myrtha: Herbal Sauna
Pools and wellness facilities expert, Myrtha’s new Herbal Sauna, brings an innovative and therapeutic experience to the spa, says Stefano Cattaneo
Sokolova is a cultural mix of Swedish, Russian and Latvian / photo: Nobis Hospitality Group
At the Hotel J in Stockholm, a new initiative has seen an atmospheric, turn-of-the-century villa onsite turned into a venue for cultural activities, with chamber music and other classical concerts for residents and guests alike – all with a focus on their health benefits.
Weekend retreats, like a Spring Awakening, hosted in collaboration with wellness practitioner Sophie Benge, combine wild herb foraging, meditation, treatments and cold-water bathing in the archipelago, to create a transformative experience.
These are all part of a series of programmes created by Alla Sokolova, who last year took on a new head of wellness role with Hotel J’s parent company, Nobis. Her brief is to bring more guests to the family-owned, contemporary group which owns nine hotels in Stockholm, Sweden and additional locations in Copenhagen, Denmark and Palma, Mallorca.
Sokolova – who herself is a cultural mix of Swedish, Russian and Latvian – grew up in Sweden, but had spent the past 16 years in Latvia, where she co-founded the Balans International Wellness Centre. She also co-authored a book with Benge delving into the healing traditions of central and eastern Europe (see www.spabusiness.com/healingsources).
Outside influences With a deep understanding of the importance of Nordic heritage and connections with nature, Sokolova began her mission of positioning Hotel J as more of a destination. The property is set on an archipelago on the city outskirts and Sokolova uses the water, woods and seasons to her advantage to create numerous alfresco experiences.
Regular forest bathing sessions, as well as meditation and foraging outings, for example, are offered by herbalist and author Lisen Sundgren. The 2 to 3-hour experiences involve a deliberately slow walk in the trees where guests are guided in different exercises to engage their senses, then end with a ‘fika’, or tea ceremony, using locally foraged herbs.
“We’re thinking about wellbeing from the ground up,” says Sokolova, adding that there’s an emphasis on that elusive idea of happiness since Sweden is consistently placed in the Top 10 happiest countries. “It’s about creating experiences that will make our guests and ourselves feel better – it’s not about creating a spa just because we need to have a spa.”
To this end, Sokolova is also introducing wellness to business guests as the hotel has always been a popular setting for conferences. Breathwork has been the most popular add-on for this audience so far, but other optional extras include sauna rituals, yoga, mindfulness sessions and forest bathing – helping to create a sense of unity among team members and reduce stress and fatigue. “We’re bringing more health and wellness into conference rooms,” she explains. “We work with all kinds of companies and groups to develop mindfulness, to inspire and to help people see new perspectives.”
Local community All of the programmes at Hotel J “have a very strong alignment with a sense of place and community and a real Swedish flair” says Sokolova, to help entice more locals.
The classical music concerts have had great feedback and attract up to 150 people each time – many from the capital which is only a short boat journey away. While pop-up programming by local wellness specialists, including sauna rituals and holistic pilates, keeps the offer fresh and interesting.
And on Saturday mornings, Hotel J hosts a breathwork and guided cold bathing session in the often icy waters of the archipelago – something that grounds guests in the location and offers a dramatic connection to nature, as they are quite literally immersed in the landscape. Sokolova has partnered with local company MindDate, whose coaches first teach the science and essentials of breathwork, then invite guests to use the powerful practice in a controlled cold exposure in the water. So far, more than 800 people have attended these sessions since they started offering them last summer.
However bringing wellness to all the Nobis properties will not look the same across the portfolio, as each of the nine hotels has its own identity; several are urban boutique hotels, and the company also has locations in Denmark and Mallorca. “Wellness will mean different things to every property,” says Sokolova. “We want to create an individual feeling for every brand and adapt to the location. It’s about meeting the guests where they are.”
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2024 issue 2
Editor's letter: Cool customers
Spas must adapt to unlock new avenues for growth while mitigating the impact of climate change, says Katie Barnes
Top Team: Therme Group
With its focus on affordable wellness, Therme Group is expanding its social spa concept globally. Jane Kitchen speaks to the people behind the brand
Interview: Susie Ellis
The chair of the Global Wellness Summit has been fundamental in defining the industry and continues to drive it forward
Sponsored: Comfort Zone: Powered by nature
B Corp-certified skincare company Comfort Zone has added a new body lotion to its Hydramemory range, which is inspired by the water-retaining powers of desert plants
Interview: Roger Tempest
The owner of Broughton Sanctuary in the UK is transforming the 900-year-old estate into a retreat-based business
Sponsored: Lemi: touched by tech
Italian spa equipment supplier, Lemi, is embracing the trend towards tech-driven wellness treatments, while also driving sustainable industry practices
First person: The real deal?
What’s the value of an authentic treatment? Andrew and Karin Gibson take to the hammams of Istanbul to find out
Wellness: Full recovery
SIRO is staking a claim to be the world’s first fitness and recovery hotel brand and is planning 100 properties. Lisa Starr visits the first site in Dubai
Sponsored: Gharieni: Defining the well universe
The launch of Gharieni’s new touchless technology brand
Metawell is perfectly aligned with the future direction of spa
and wellness, says the company’s CEO, Sammy Gharieni
Software: Member benefits
Up to a third of spa-goers now have a spa membership. What support can software systems offer?
Sponsored: Myrtha: Herbal Sauna
Pools and wellness facilities expert, Myrtha’s new Herbal Sauna, brings an innovative and therapeutic experience to the spa, says Stefano Cattaneo
Expo 2030 Riyadh is being planned as a permanent visitor destination, with organisers
confirming the six-million-square-metre site will become a Global Village after the event closes.
The owner of one of Australia's best-known waterparks has acquired a major competitor,
creating a new attractions business spanning two of the country's largest visitor destinations.
The Toverland theme park in the Netherlands has announced a €98m expansion programme
that will add a resort, new attractions and staff facilities as it pursues plans to become a multi-
day destination.
Hotel de France, located on the British Isle of Jersey, has created a wellness retreat package
that includes a hot yoga session that will take place in Jersey Zoo’s butterfly sanctuary.
A new immersive attraction designed to transport visitors into the final hours of ancient Pompeii
is preparing to open near the world-famous archaeological site in southern Italy.
Experience design company, BRC Imagination Arts, has completed a transition that sees founder
Bob Rogers pass ownership of the business to four long-serving senior executives, while
remaining actively involved with the company.
Movie Park Germany has opened a new Paramount Pictures-themed attraction as part of its 30th
anniversary celebrations, using immersive storytelling and adaptive reuse to reinforce the park’s
longstanding “Hollywood in Germany” positioning.
Therme Manchester’s 28-acre development, which will include interconnected glass pavilions
that measure 65,000sq m, will be the largest bathing and wellbeing attraction in the world once
complete, according to prof David Russell, CEO of Therme UK.
Efteling has opened Hooghmoed, a new family drop tower designed to broaden the appeal of its
recently launched Sirene Island themed area and introduce younger visitors to thrill attractions.
A proposed Puy du Fou development near Bicester and Universal Destinations and Experiences’
planned resort in Bedford are emerging as part of a wider transformation of the Oxford–
Cambridge Growth Corridor into a major centre for UK leisure and tourism inv
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