Garcia-Tunon created all treatments and hired and trained staff
Spa and wellness director Vivianne Garcia-Tunon and consultant Inge Theron have collaborated with Oscar-winning designer Catherine Martin on the newly-opened South American-themed spa at Faena Hotel in Miami Beach.
“Aesthetically, it’s one of the most spectacular places I’ve seen – and I’ve seen a lot,” says Theron, who helped shape the initial concept of the 13-treatment room Tierra Santa Healing House spa. “It’s so chic, so cool, but so different. Think Great Gatsby meets Buenos Aires.”
Martin, who worked on the interiors of Tierra Santa as well as the hotel, has won four Oscars for production and costume design on Moulin Rouge and The Great Gatsby. Both films were directed by her husband, Baz Luhrmann, who’s also been involved with design in other parts of Faena Hotel.
“Art permeates everything,” says Theron, who describes the vibe of the spa as authentic, but playful with murals and wallpaper adding a splash of colour.
Garcia-Tunon says guests “absolutely love the spa’s design”.
The spa and wellness director, who left a senior regional vice president role at ESPA to join Tierra Santa, created the 22,000sq ft (2,044sq m) spa’s treatments, which take their inspiration from places like Mexico and the Amazon. “Everybody’s been looking east and west for concepts and philosophies, and we finally looked south – there’s so much to pull from,” she says.
Among the unique therapies are sessions by Mexican shaman Carlos Gomez, who’s on-site once a quarter for one-on-one healing rituals – costing US$400 (€359, £298) for two hours – designed to reenergise the body, evoke spirits and energy, or repair trauma from childhood.
Other treatments incorporate lapis lazuli from Chile to release tension, sound therapy with bowls from Eastern Vibration and a light massage using palo santo wood that’s traditionally used in South American purification ceremonies.
“Guests have been very fascinated by the shaman and the treatments we’ve put together,” says Garcia-Tunon, adding that the spa has been “extremely busy” since opening.
Preventative wellness and medical care is also offered at the spa by practitioners such as gut health expert Dr Matthew Cooper – aka Dr Enzyme – and cardiovascular specialist Dr Juan Rivera. Meanwhile, advanced beauty treatments are offered by Biologique Recherche and Georgia Louise.
Other industry companies and suppliers involved include Design for Leisure, which worked on the extensive and sophisticated hydrothermal area, Gharieni, Living Earth Crafts, SpaEquip and T-Y Linens.
Theron, who runs her own spa consultancy, Itanda, says Tierra Santa is “very unique… a sublime combination of ancient healing practice, art-inspired interiors and state-of-the-art technology, which makes it one of the most exciting hotel spas in the world and certainly one of the best projects to be involved with.”
Hotelier Alan Faena and American/Russian investor Len Blavatnik opened the 182-bed Faena Hotel in November 2015. It’s the first phase of openings in the larger Faena District Miami Beach, which is designed as an entire new neighbourhood with art and culture at its core.
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2016 issue 3
Top team: Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat
The people behind this world-renowned lifestyle retreat share their business insights with Julie Cramer. Plus a focus on co-investor Hugh Jackman
Ask an expert: Visiting practitioners
Done well, visiting practitioner programmes can boost profits by up to 40 per cent. But how can spas get the offer right? Kate Parker investigates
Promotional feature: Esadore - creating a splash
The MD of Esadore International, Theodora Kioussis, explains how the company’s creative, manufacturing and operational skill sets can bring an international managing director
of UAE-based esadore International to life in a short space of time
Garcia-Tunon created all treatments and hired and trained staff
Spa and wellness director Vivianne Garcia-Tunon and consultant Inge Theron have collaborated with Oscar-winning designer Catherine Martin on the newly-opened South American-themed spa at Faena Hotel in Miami Beach.
“Aesthetically, it’s one of the most spectacular places I’ve seen – and I’ve seen a lot,” says Theron, who helped shape the initial concept of the 13-treatment room Tierra Santa Healing House spa. “It’s so chic, so cool, but so different. Think Great Gatsby meets Buenos Aires.”
Martin, who worked on the interiors of Tierra Santa as well as the hotel, has won four Oscars for production and costume design on Moulin Rouge and The Great Gatsby. Both films were directed by her husband, Baz Luhrmann, who’s also been involved with design in other parts of Faena Hotel.
“Art permeates everything,” says Theron, who describes the vibe of the spa as authentic, but playful with murals and wallpaper adding a splash of colour.
Garcia-Tunon says guests “absolutely love the spa’s design”.
The spa and wellness director, who left a senior regional vice president role at ESPA to join Tierra Santa, created the 22,000sq ft (2,044sq m) spa’s treatments, which take their inspiration from places like Mexico and the Amazon. “Everybody’s been looking east and west for concepts and philosophies, and we finally looked south – there’s so much to pull from,” she says.
Among the unique therapies are sessions by Mexican shaman Carlos Gomez, who’s on-site once a quarter for one-on-one healing rituals – costing US$400 (€359, £298) for two hours – designed to reenergise the body, evoke spirits and energy, or repair trauma from childhood.
Other treatments incorporate lapis lazuli from Chile to release tension, sound therapy with bowls from Eastern Vibration and a light massage using palo santo wood that’s traditionally used in South American purification ceremonies.
“Guests have been very fascinated by the shaman and the treatments we’ve put together,” says Garcia-Tunon, adding that the spa has been “extremely busy” since opening.
Preventative wellness and medical care is also offered at the spa by practitioners such as gut health expert Dr Matthew Cooper – aka Dr Enzyme – and cardiovascular specialist Dr Juan Rivera. Meanwhile, advanced beauty treatments are offered by Biologique Recherche and Georgia Louise.
Other industry companies and suppliers involved include Design for Leisure, which worked on the extensive and sophisticated hydrothermal area, Gharieni, Living Earth Crafts, SpaEquip and T-Y Linens.
Theron, who runs her own spa consultancy, Itanda, says Tierra Santa is “very unique… a sublime combination of ancient healing practice, art-inspired interiors and state-of-the-art technology, which makes it one of the most exciting hotel spas in the world and certainly one of the best projects to be involved with.”
Hotelier Alan Faena and American/Russian investor Len Blavatnik opened the 182-bed Faena Hotel in November 2015. It’s the first phase of openings in the larger Faena District Miami Beach, which is designed as an entire new neighbourhood with art and culture at its core.
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2016 issue 3
Top team: Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat
The people behind this world-renowned lifestyle retreat share their business insights with Julie Cramer. Plus a focus on co-investor Hugh Jackman
Ask an expert: Visiting practitioners
Done well, visiting practitioner programmes can boost profits by up to 40 per cent. But how can spas get the offer right? Kate Parker investigates
Promotional feature: Esadore - creating a splash
The MD of Esadore International, Theodora Kioussis, explains how the company’s creative, manufacturing and operational skill sets can bring an international managing director
of UAE-based esadore International to life in a short space of time
Abu Dhabi-based investment firm Mubadala Capital has made a binding, fully financed
€1 billion
offer to acquire Pierre and Vacances SA, the European holiday resort operator behind the
continental European Center Parcs business.
Disney has reaffirmed its commitment to investing US$30 billion in its US parks and cruise
business by 2033, using new America250 celebrations to underline the role its attractions play
in supporting jobs, tourism and economic growth.
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.
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