Issue link: https://www.balharbourdigital.com/i/643518
"Salus per aquam"—which translates into "health through water"—was the inspiration behind The Gainsborough Bath Spa, which debuted in September and is the only hotel in Great Britain with exclusive access to thermal waters. "We built a temple to the water, a celebration of the tradition of bath culture," says Champalimaud design principal Jon Kastl, who with founder Alexandra Champalimaud sought to combine history with modernism in their design plan. The origins of bath culture in South West England date to the First Century AD, when the Romans discovered thermal waters bubbling near where The Gainsborough now stands. Roman bathhouses soon became a place to cure, congregate, bathe and converse. In the Georgian era, the city of Bath evolved into a well-known spa town where the fashionable flocked to luxuriate in the curative and healing properties of its thermal water. Writer Jane Austen and portrait and landscape painter Sir Thomas Gainsborough—whom the hotel is named after—settled in Bath in the 18th century, portraying the town in their respective works. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage city in 1987 and located just 90 minutes southwest of London by rail, the area is now a weekend destination for stylish urbanites including shoe designer Manolo Blahnik; it has also played home to numerous celebrities, including musician Van Morrison and filmmaker Ken Loach. "When we designed the spa we understood the program was all about the bath," says Champalimaud, whose practice has become synonymous with luxe properties across the globe—from the legendary Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles to The Island House in Nassau, Bahamas. The Portuguese designer always remains sensitive to historical context while fulfilling the wishes of her client. In this instance it's the Malaysian brand YTL, whose recent entry into the U.K. is highlighted by the five-star Gainsborough. The property is an amalgam of distinct architectural styles, including Grade II Georgian and Victorian façades that have been incorporated into the restored structure. British architect John Pinch designed the main building in the 1820s as the United Hospital; in 1935 it was relocated when the buildings were transformed into Bath Technical College and eventually renamed the Bath College of Art & Design. The structures stood empty from 2005 until YTL purchased them in 2011 and hired the London-based EPR Architects—known for their work with heritage properties—to oversee the restoration, including the construction of the spa atrium. Each of the 99 rooms and suites is distinct, painted in hues of pale blue juxtaposed with toile headboards, brown leather and dark wood. The public spaces, including the lobby and main staircase, are very much part of the structure's original DNA, insists Champalimaud. "We didn't want to make it Neo-Georgian; we kept it true to its beginnings." The design of the property's Spa Village was based on a Roman "bath circuit" of self-guided treatments from hot to cold, starting with the warm balneo pools; cool lymphatic hose; a choice of infrared or dry sauna and steam room; lavender ice alcove; and lastly the main atrium pool outfitted with streaming jets. "The tendency is to do a Jane Austen, very chintzy with doilies, and very sweet," says Kastl. "We purposely did not go down that path. We wanted to deliver something more unique and sophisticated. A place where Jane Austen would want to go today." PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE GAINSBOROUGH BATH SPA 148 BAL HARBOUR The hotel's restaurant features inventive cuisine by Johann Leher, one of Germany's most celebrated Michelin-starred chefs.