Written by Don Genders, founder & CEO of Design for Leisure. This article originally appeared in chapter four of the “Guide to Hydrothermal Spa & Wellness Development Standards,” created by the Global Wellness Institute’s Hydrothermal Initiative.
Designing an efficient and welcoming communal bathhouse or hydrothermal bathing area requires more than just an understanding of spatial requirements—it demands a keen insight into the user experience. Whether it's a dedicated bathhouse you're creating or a hydrothermal bathing area within a larger spa, these spaces are social by nature and can often offer both clothed and nude communal bathing areas (in the US and the UK, nude bathing will typically be same-sex, while in Europe, everyone sauna bathes in the nude together.)
Here are some “insider” tips on hydrothermal spa design from a seasoned hydrothermal specialist:
Space and Features
Spaciousness is fundamental as bathhouses are primarily social environments. The minimum space needed for a bathhouse business model to succeed is approximately 5,000 sq ft. (For inspiration on the types of rooms and experiences you may want, explore these wellness rooms and features.)
Bathhouses and large hydrothermal spas should boast expansive bathing areas, replete with multiple saunas and steam rooms, offering varied environments—from the serenity of silent meditative saunas to the animation of Event Saunas with lively Aufguss performances.
The inclusion of diverse steam rooms, pools, and plenty of easily accessed relaxation spaces is imperative for guests to cool down between bathing sessions. Cold experiences—be it plunge pools, ice rooms, or cooling rain or drench experiences—should be ample and strategically placed to manage guest flow during peak times.
A well-designed bathhouse will accommodate the essentials: a 200 sq ft to 400 sq ft event-style sauna, a smaller 150 sq ft to 200 sq ft sauna for quieter reflection, and an ample steam room space that can also host communal events.
Lockers and Changing Rooms
European bathhouses often feature coed changing 'villages'—enclosures with cubicles that host two doors, separating the 'dry' entrance, where street shoes are worn, from the 'wet' exit leading to the bathing facilities. Here, guests will don slippers provided by the facility and store their belongings in lockers conveniently located near all exit points.
This setup not only minimizes cross-contamination between the dry and wet areas but also offers total privacy and helps eliminate “pinch points” that can occur when there is a male/female occupancy imbalance. A “changing village” helps mitigate this issue because occupancy is mixed gender so if more women attend during the day and more men at night, the imbalance is not an issue.
In general, changing areas need to be able to cope with peak occupancy. Nothing is more irritating to a guest who has paid for a 2-hour session to waste some of that time searching for somewhere to change and seeking out an empty locker. So, if there will be a rush at 5-6 pm and another when those guests leave between 7-8 pm, the changing areas need to be sized accordingly.
Prioritize Relaxation
If a guest spends 15 minutes inside a sauna or steam room, they will spend at least 20 and, more likely, 30 minutes out of the sauna before entering it again. A cooling experience is short and sharp, so owners/operators need to get the spacial allocation correct. If a guest cannot find a space to relax, it could dissuade them from visiting again. If you're building a community bathhouse that relies on repeat business, not enough relaxation opportunities could prove a fatal flaw to your business' success.
Outdoor Spaces
Outdoor areas are incredibly valuable to guests and relatively low-cost in terms of maintenance and management. They are often a prime attraction, especially in urban environments where guests may live in high-rise buildings with little or no quality access to open space. In a high-temperature thermal bathing environment, in colder months, a cool walk in fresh air after a hot sauna is hugely invigorating.
Membership and Community
If you’re weighing up a membership vs 'pay-to-play' model, it's worth considering that membership models can foster a strong sense of ownership. This can make members more vocal about concerns they may have about your facilities and/or how they are being operated. Though feedback should always be encouraged, it can get distracting if you're trying to please a small handful of vocal members.
This can often make a 'pay-to-play' model more appealing to operators. It's best to aim for a balance that fosters loyalty without inviting "constructive" criticism or input that might be a time waster. (Of course, this doesn't mean you should not invite reviews and feedback from your guests. It's important to understand what's working and what's not.)
F&B Services
Depending on the kind of hydrothermal area you're creating, consider offering food and beverages (F&B) on-site. Bathhouses, in particular, are social, communal spaces. If a guest comes straight from work, they may be hungry or ready to enjoy a drink during or after bathing. Alcoholic beverages, like beer and wine, are often offered and can enhance the convivial atmosphere.
EPOS Systems & Time Management
Managing a guest’s time is important. If they have paid for two hours of bathing but spend 30 minutes of that time eating, they can feel short-changed. This is something an electronic point of sale (EPOS) system can mitigate. Guests will be issued a fob linked to their payment card. Fobs are attached to a wrist strap, enabling guests to walk freely through the space, claiming a locker, purchasing secondary spend items, such as renting a towel, robe and slippers, F&B items, or paying for additional treatments such as infrared, red-light therapy or cryotherapy.
Another upside to an EPOS system: the time spent in the F&B area can be automatically deducted from the bathing time they’ve purchased through a tap-in/tap-out system. Fobs can also be used for product purchases and therapist-led treatments, with a single checkout transaction at the departure point. This can be a turnstile-type control, where a card payment is taken by the machine. One member of staff can supervise multiple checkout points and deal with any guest queries.
To learn more tips, be sure to download the latest “Guide to Hydrothermal Spa & Wellness Development Standards.”
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