Wellness that pays off

From private saunas in the suite to luxury wellness retreats

Wellness is no longer just an extra service, but a key factor in choosing a hotel. Increasingly, guests are seeking relaxation with an emphasis on peace and privacy at a time that suits them. This is reflected in a clear trend: wellness is shifting from central spas to the hotel room or holiday accommodation itself.

According to KLAFS, this trend is playing an increasingly significant role in the way hotels design their wellness offerings. “Guests are looking for a holistic experience that appeals to both body and mind,” says Peter Rietveld, director of KLAFS Netherlands. “Private wellness responds perfectly to this: it enhances the guest experience and offers hoteliers new opportunities to stand out from the crowd.”

From a shared facility to a personal experience

Whereas wellness used to revolve mainly around communal facilities, more and more hotels and resorts are opting for integrated solutions within suites or accommodation units. This ‘spa en suite’ concept offers guests maximum privacy and exclusivity, whilst creating tangible opportunities for operators in terms of higher room rates, a unique selling point and a more efficient use of central facilities.

KLAFS offers a wide range of solutions for integrating a sauna into hotel suites. These range from bespoke saunas, which are individually tailored to the specific space, to innovative concepts such as the space-saving, extendable S1 sauna. The Italian boutique hotel Miramonti opted for this solution, enabling it to offer a full wellness experience even within a compact suite.

Hotel De Blanke Top

Closer to home, Hotel De Blanke Top in Cadzand-Bad is a prime example. In the luxury suites, bespoke KLAFS saunas are fully integrated into the bathrooms. The saunas blend seamlessly with the interior design concept, which features natural materials and light colours, inspired by the surrounding dune landscape. Large glass panels and cleverly positioned skylights create an open, light-filled atmosphere. Here, guests enjoy the ultimate wellness experience, complete with sea views. For the hotel, this integration adds significant value to the positioning of the suites and the overall guest experience.

Hof van Saksen: private wellness on a larger scale

The Hof van Saksen family resort in Drenthe proves that this approach also works on a larger scale. Here, 600 luxury farmhouses have been refurbished, with approximately 25% fitted with a bespoke KLAFS sauna in the bathroom. The saunas have been integrated into the new interior design by Studio Piet Boon, which focuses on tranquillity, space and high-quality materials. By integrating wellness facilities on this scale into the accommodation, the resort is responding to the growing demand for comfort and privacy within the luxury segment. For guests, this means an accessible and comfortable wellness experience; for the resort, it represents a clear enhancement of its premium offering.

This trend is evident more widely across the market. KLAFS has also installed saunas in suites at various Van der Valk Hotels, including those in Wassenaar, Tilburg, Volendam, Sassenheim, Roermond and, most recently, Maastricht.

Strategic added value for hoteliers

Private wellness is therefore not just a luxury extra, but a strategic choice. It enhances the appeal of rooms and accommodation, supports higher pricing and caters to the growing demand for personalised experiences. At the same time, it can reduce the pressure on central facilities and contribute to more efficient operations.

The role of central wellness areas remains relevant, depending on the hotel’s concept and scale. The key lies in striking the right balance and in solutions that are both aesthetically and technically suited to practical use.

KLAFS supports hoteliers from concept through to completion and maintenance. “Whether it’s a single sauna in a suite or a large-scale resort project: bespoke solutions are always the starting point,” says Rietveld. “In this way, we create wellness concepts that are aesthetically, commercially and operationally sound and contribute to a sustainable, distinctive guest experience.”