With the global market for wellness tourism expected to surpass $2.4 trillion by 2035, many new spas and spa hotels are popping up in different pockets of the world — and, to differentiate themselves from an endless number of competitors, we see much experimentation not just with the types of treatments offered but also the thematic concepts.
In Philadelphia, the new Fusion Spa & Resort taps into the “social spa” concept typical to the communal bathhouses in countries such as South Korea and Norway but a contrast to the individualist culture of the U.S.
Air France is currently in the process of building a lounge with a full spa in Terminal 4 of London Heathrow Airport while the Accor brand Orient Express partnered with cosmetics company Guerlain to launch a full spa aboard a 5,000-square-foot yacht.
Sæl Spa is the new “modern British sanctuary” overlooking the Thames
Over in London, The Sæl Spa is set to open in the Fulham Pier riverside district around the new stadium later in May. The wellness club draws upon the old Old English word for season and serenity for a “modern British sanctuary” of rooftop swimming, a gym and various spa treatments overlooking the Thames.
Designed as a private club (and so not accessible for tourists to drop into), the spa will offer memberships starting at £3,000 (roughly $4,085 USD) per year for access to both a 15-meter infinity pool on the roof and wet spa with a botanical steam room, Finnish sauna, cold immersion pools and infrared therapy suites.
Related: Luxury hotels increasingly launch spa memberships, subscriptions
Members will also get access to health consultations and work out programs to hit health and fitness goals in partnership with healthcare management firm 3 Peaks Health.
“Sæl Spa is designed around how people want to live today, where wellbeing is approached as a connected system,” Sæl Spa Director Michaela Hurst said in a statement. “By bringing together movement, recovery, clinical insight and longevity in a beautiful riverside setting, and structuring this through personalized pathways, we support not just how people feel in the moment, but how they function over time.”
The concept of a very British but also very modern spa is set to be a driving point for the Fulham Pier district.
The Sæl Spa
Fullham Pier is the newest riverside district in London you should probably check out
The riverfront spa was designed alongside the ongoing development of Fulham Pier as a residential and visitor destination; the new luxury Fulham Pier Hotel opened in October 2025 while the Riverside Market food hall featuring 10 different vendors also just opened its doors to visitors alongside a number of new high-end restaurants.
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The £150 million development is meant to help both drive passive income from the fans that will already be in the area for matches and bring in other travelers to a different part of London with riverside entertainment along the Thames.
The pier was designed to host various music, comedy, art and community events throughout the year as part of the same effort to build a modern district.
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