The $1.8 trillion global wellness market is having its day in the sun—especially at sea. The trend is one of the most noteworthy in yacht design, moving away from the stereotypical image of a gin-soaked party palace. Saunas and steam rooms are the new popular gathering spaces on yachts over 130 feet, while gigayachts raise the stakes with indoor lap pools, beauty salons, cryotherapy, and even the occasional snow room.
“We see an increasing focus on healthy living onboard the yachts we design,” says Peder Eidsgaard of London-based studio Harrison Eidsgaard, who designed a lower-deck spa for a new Heesen concept, Project Monte Carlo. “A wellness area is intended to be relaxing, quiet, and private. At the same time, our clients want there to be views and access to the sea.”
Simon Rowell, creative director of London-based studio Bannenberg & Rowell, notes that “every yacht is different, and both circulation and available volume will have a huge bearing on a spa location. Hair, beauty, and massage treatment rooms require careful ergonomic planning and maximum lighting control, while exercise equipment benefits from higher ceilings.” That said, “both fitness and relaxation areas can benefit from the innate well-being associated with views and the outdoor environment.”
One 460-foot Lürssen currently in build has an entire upper deck dedicated to fitness, while Carinthia VII’s glass-encased, air-conditioned gym was requested by the current owner to bring modern design and panoramic views to the 20-year-old boat’s bridge deck. The vessel also has a fresh-juice bar, as does new arrival Kismet, which introduces a lifestyle element into the design consideration. But it’s the oak and steel dumbbells, oak bench press, and custom-built joinery units in Kismet’s gym that tap into one of the hottest design trends: natural wood.
“There’s a big push to move away from the matte black and polished chrome of yesteryear and lean toward a natural-wood aesthetic with beige tones and softer colors,” says Edward Thomas, founder of Gym Marine, who has created gyms on 70 of the top 100 largest yachts in the world. “A traditional gym sits in stark contrast to the dreamy interiors found aboard yachts, and owners want something in keeping with their surroundings, customized to their tastes.”
That includes equipment made from sustainably sourced walnut and oak, cork yoga mats, and custom wood staining. For a personal touch, monograms are added to the ends of weights and client logos heat-embossed onto leather bench pads. Demand is so strong that Thomas actually launched a separate company in October, Paragon Studio, to cater exclusively to the natural-wood element of his business, which was turning over a million dollars per year on its own. “We’re looking to scale it independently because the projections are just so good,” he says.
For a yacht’s spa or wellness sanctuary, a design theme can set the mood. Clients’ tastes can range from a Grecian-themed indoor pool—as found aboard Leona, with marble floors, a twinkling LED ceiling, and Aphrodite statues—to the type of Balinese-inspired spa as seen on Kismet, which includes a chromotherapy and massage bathtub, a plunge pool, an ice-shaving station, and heated loungers. “We wanted a cozy, relaxed atmosphere for Kismet’s spa, with dark materials and subtle lighting,” says Andrew Langton, cofounder of Reymond Langton Design. He used textured black stone with a durable leather finish for the floor and glass privacy panels, encased in grass, that can toggle between clear and opaque.
“I’m a great believer that the link to make the client feel ‘well’ comes from the use of natural elements,” says Valentina Zannier, who, as the director of interiors at Nuvolari Lenard for more than 20 years, led the artistic vision of more than two kilometers of the company’s most celebrated yachts before opening her own firm in 2023. That includes Ahpo’s Japanese-themed gym and wellness area, where a flowing waterfall, sodalite-blue granite, and bamboo-walled treatment rooms bring a natural touch.
Zannier recommends the use of bronze inlays, limestone, and wood details within spas, while Rowell gravitates toward marble, glass, and metal. He used Siminetti mother-of-pearl mosaics in jade—a color naturally associated with well-being—behind the mirrors and washbasins in the changing rooms on newly delivered Renaissance’s wellness deck.
“Once you weave in surface texture and lighting, the permutations and control options open up enormously,” he says, adding that lighting is the “single most significant factor” when it comes to adding a touch of glamour. “On Renaissance, we combined all the elements to create a timeless ‘transition’ zone between the main yacht interior and the wellness areas.”