The world’s largest Guerlain Wellness Spa has opened at the newly re-modelled Waldorf Astoria New York, US, which re-opened earlier this year.

Guests of the 375-key hotel and 372 residences are now able to enjoy the 22,000sq ft spa, which is managed once again by Trilogy Spa Holdings.

Between 2011 and 2017, before the property’s renovations, Trilogy managed the spa. Read more about what David Stoup, chair of Trilogy, had to say to Spa Business in anticipation of the spa’s reopening earlier this year, here.

Design and features

Located on the fifth floor of the hotel, the spa’s design has been crafted by Wimberly Interiors to incorporate features inspired by the hotel’s famous Art Deco heritage in combination with Guerlain’s refined Parisian style.

Sculptural silhouettes and metallic accents are complemented by decorative lighting and custom millwork in a palette of soft whites and warm woods.

The spa has 16 treatment rooms, including two double suites.

It has a cryotherapy chamber, an infrared sauna, steamroom, Moroccan hammam, Arctic snow cave for specialised cold therapy experiences and three lounges. The thermal areas are by Prestige Wellness Group.

The spa offers traditional facial and body therapies in addition to a range of holistic wellness programmes to support Guerlain Wellness’ foundational pillars of nutrition, movement, sleep and mindfulness.

There are multi-month wellness programmes on offer, as well as targeted one-hour sessions with practitioners designed to address specific needs like sleep or skin radiance.

The spa will also host a series of three-day wellness retreats, blending personalised nutrition plans, expert-led consultations, high-performance treatments and mindfulness practices.

Residents at the property will also have access to their own dedicated wellness area on the 25th floor of the building, which will feature two treatment rooms, a 25-metre swimming pool and a fitness centre. There will also be two saunas and two steamrooms, also delivered by Prestige Wellness Group.

Later this year, two Guerlain boutiques will open on the hotel’s ground floor, with one in the lobby and another on the corner of 50th Street. These will display Guerlain’s fragrances, skincare and beauty products.

Technology

In addition to treatments that use Guerlain’s skincare, beauty and fragrance products, it is also offering therapies that use its proprietary Guerlain LongeviSkin device.

The equipment is a multi-modal tool that can perform seven therapy functions: LED light, plasma skin rejuvenation, microcurrent, micropeel, ultrasound, cryo and radiofrequency therapies.

Gharieni Group has supplied the spa with its MLX Quartz table for multisensory treatments that involve sound, heat and massage therapies.

Gharieni Group’s touchless treatment technology division, Welnamis, has also supplied the Amphibia Welnamis system. This is a bed that uses binaural vibroacoustic technology linked to the different energy centres (chakras) of the body, to promote deep relaxation.

The spa has also added AI virtual reality goggles to be worn during specific treatments.

Upon opening, David Stoup, co-founder and chair of Trilogy, said: “To accompany the hotel and spa's renovation, we've created a seamless integration of spa, wellness, and retail designed to maximise the Guerlain experience for travellers and New Yorkers alike. With expanded facilities, two new Guerlain boutiques and cutting-edge wellness technologies, we're poised to deliver an unparalleled guest journey that honours the legacy of both Guerlain and Waldorf Astoria.”

Fitness

The spa is complemented by a 7,000-square-foot fitness centre designed by Pierre-Yves Rochon, the hotel’s interior designer.

The facility will offer technology-driven consultations, including personal training sessions based on Technogym’s AI CheckUp service results.

Spa pricing

Spa services start from US$189 (€166, £144). Guests without a booked spa service can enjoy the facilities with a day pass reservation priced at US$75 (€66, £57) for hotel guests and US$150 (€132, £114) for local visitors.