Located on an ancient hilltop in a private eight-hectare park in Italy, Palazzo Fiuggi Wellness Medical Retreat will open in May 2021.

The new concept is the vision of Lorenzo Giannuzzi, Palazzo Fiuggi founder and CEO of Sardinia’s iconic spa and wellness destination, Forte Village.

In order to bring the new concept to life, Giannuzzi and a team of health specialists are fusing holistic traditions, advanced Western medicine and nutrition to offer a unique destination within a breathtaking natural setting renowned for its healing mineral waters.

“Palazzo Fiuggi was created by a team of international experts who have developed scientifically-backed and innovative protocols to aid a full recovery of health and wellbeing,” remarked Giannuzzi.

The Palazzo Fiuggi Method will be made up of five personalised programmes, bookable for either one or more weeks, each supported by a choice of à la carte treatments and incorporating the healing water of Fiuggi.

This will include Complete Life Rewind, Optimal Weight, Mindful Movement, Deep Detox and Immuno Boost.

The wellness centre
After a sensitive restoration, the existing majestic 102-room hotel will reopen and be joined by a 6,000sq m wellness centre realised by spa architect Mario Dal Molin and architect and interior designer Claudia Manunta.

The new facility has been built in a contemporary style dominated by white marble and wood to juxtapose the hotel’s grandeur.

Guests will be offered access to a wellness and spa area, medical spa and beauty clinic, offering a combined 21 multi-functional treatment rooms, eight beauty cabins, one private spa suite and six medical rooms.

Industry figure and experienced spa director Thorsten Lipfert will be leading the facility during pre-opening. Lipfert told Spa Business that in the early consultation stages, he worked alongside GOCO Hospitality on the project.

The retreat will harness leading technology to offer first-class medical wellness experiences, including MRI and CT scanners, infrared technology for brain health and sleep, Imedos vessel assessments and retinal scanning.

This will be accompanied by diagnostic testing, VibraHealing equipment, light needle laser therapy and Dynostics – an intelligent holistic system for performance and metabolism analysis that determines fitness levels.

Spa and wellness technology innovator Gharieni Group is also playing a major role in supplying the spa with a host of its verified evidence-based wellness concepts such as the Spa.Wave System and the MLX Dome. The spa will operate as a Gharieni flagship, benefitting from constant training on new products, free maintenance and service and special product upgrades.

All five signature packages will include a variety of spa treatments supplied by Dr Barbara Sturm and Vitalis, ranging from sound healing therapies and Ayurveda to high-tech touchless treatments.

Hydrothermal and fitness facilities
In a nod to traditional Roman bathing and Fiuggi’s history of healing mineral water, Palazzo Fiuggi's spa experience will be anchored by a 700sq m Roman bathing area.

This will be complemented by two hammams, a sauna, steamroom and an experience shower, designed by specialist Italian spa and wellness design firm Stenal.

Johanna Hakimova’s Natural Bio Lifting and Charme d’Orient have been selected to supply hammam rituals.

Guests will also be offered access to two thalasso pools – supplied by Unbescheiden – incorporating Fiuggi mineral water, and a plunge pool.

Palazzo Fiuggi will also cater to fitness enthusiasts with a 400sq m Technogym Workout Movement Lab, an immersive VR fitness experience supplied by Icaros, Pilates and Yoga facilities and cognitive training supplied by Reaxing.

Food as medicine
The Palazzo Fiuggi concept is rounded out by a strong focus on nutrition that's underpinned by a specialist menu using nutrients to activate cellular pathways linked with anti-ageing, anti-inflammation and antioxidant processes.

The offering was devised by three Michelin-star chef Heinz Beck in collaboration with professor David Della Morte Canosci – a specialist in senescence-related diseases and genetics and Palazzo Fiuggi’s medical and scientific director.

“Everything at Palazzo Fiuggi has been carefully curated by a team of world-leading experts,” explained Canosci, “we truly feel that each programme has something to offer anyone looking to positively change.

“Using high-tech and touchless treatment experiences, holistic healing, nutrition, hydrotherapy and a unique movement concept, Palazzo Fiuggi will set a new standard internationally for wellness, medical retreats.”