Hugh Wallace, celebrity architect and star of RTE’s The Great House Revival and Home of the Year, has unveiled a new €1.2 million spa at The Osprey Hotel of Naas, Co. Kildare.
Commenting on the spa's design, Wallace said, “We wanted the spa to feel like a real retreat but didn’t want it to feel forced or contrived, so we took our inspiration from the natural Irish landscape and used the colours and textures that are readily seen in nature and in Ireland. For example, the curved feature wall which snakes its way through the heart of the spa is made with beautiful Irish oak, the wallpapers have been inspired by the weave seen in Irish linen and even the light fittings are reminiscent of delicate, traditional Irish wicker baskets. It was important for our client, the PREM Group, who own The Osprey, to make the spa feel inherently Irish, not in a twee way, but to create a contemporary Irish spa that will really ‘wow’ even the most discerning spa aficionado.”
Stretching over 10,000 square feet, the spa is set over three floors with the thermal suite offering a range of heating experiences including double and single seaweed baths, a dry floatation bed, Rasul Chamber, heated, mosaic, free standing stone loungers and a Salt Grotto. Meanwhile, two distinctly different relaxation rooms offer guests a space in which to relax either pre- or post-treatment. The Light Relaxation Room features a complete wall of glazing which looks out onto a balcony and has been heavily planted in bamboo. The Dark Relaxation Room, on the other hand, is conducive to a post-treatment nap and has been adorned with a textured linen weave wallpaper and natural wood log panelling around each relaxation bed.
The spa's second floor has six treatment rooms, while the private couple’s suite on the third floor is filled with natural light, courtesy of a large glazed atrium. This area is separate to the rest of the spa and is approached by its own private spiral staircase.
The Osprey Spa is the latest addition to the complete Osprey Complex. Last year, the hotel opened a new restaurant called Herald & Devoy, which was also designed by Douglas Wallace Architects. The lobby area was also completely remodelled by Wallace and his team, and plans are in place to boost the capacity of the hotel by another 23 bedrooms, with work is due to begin before the end of 2018.
© 2018 Hospitality Ireland – your source for the latest industry news. Article by Dave Simpson. Click subscribe to sign up for the Hospitality Ireland print edition.
