MINERAL SPA
“We decided to create two unique projects, allowing us to attract different kinds of tourists to our region”
marbled and very colourful interiors of the 70-bed hotel, the 2,500sq m (26,910sq ft) spa has been designed with the signature minimalist look of Pritzker prize-winning architect Álvaro Siza Vieira (right). The nearby Pedras Salgadas Spa and
Nature Park opened a few years later, in 2013, with a focus on the environment. Lisbon-based architect Luis Rebelo de Andrade built 13 deluxe eco houses and two striking tree houses that suspend guests in the verdant pine forest. Siza Vieira was again commissioned to work on the spa by restoring the park’s art nouveau thermal baths. Marques says: “We’ve combined the preservation of the natural environment and renewal of the thermal park concept in Portugal with modernism and innovation.” Unicer says total investment amounted
to €70m (US$87m, £55m) – €50m (US$62m, £40m) for Vidago and €20m (US$25m, £16m) for Pedras Salgadas. “One of our main goals was to renew the thermal tourism concept,” says Marques. “[But] as the two projects were so geographically close, it didn’t make sense to have the same offer. So we decided to create two unique projects, allowing us to attract different kinds of tourists to our region.” It seems the tactic is paying off. Pedras
Salgadas has captured the imagination of Iberian tourists, with 84 per cent of its guests being Portuguese, and 10 per cent coming from Spain. The Pedras Salgadas brand is the most famous mineral water drink in Portugal, which has no doubt helped attract locals. Vidago, on the other hand, appeals to a wider spread of nationalities: 65 per cent of customers are Portuguese; 12 per cent Spanish; and 11 per cent from Europe.
UNICER
l Unicer is one of Portugal’s largest beverage companies, with multiple brands and 13 production centres around the coun- try. Focused mainly on
ÁLVARO SIZA VIEIRA
Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza Vieira is known for his minimalist style and his projects range from swimming pools to mass housing developments, offices, restaurants, art galleries and retail. Some of his best known works are
located in his home town of Porto includ- ing the Boa Nova Tea House (1963), the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Porto (1993) and the Serralves Museum of Contemporary Art (1997).
Drawn to the waters Of course, the USP that ties both sites together is the healthy mineral water, known for its particularly high iron content and for aiding the digestive system, liver detoxification and overall cleansing. Spa manager for both sites, Vera Gonçalves, says: “The Vidago
brewing and bottled water, the business also com- prises soft drinks, wine, malt production and sales,
and latterly, tourism assets l Fifty-six per cent of Unicer is owned by Portuguese shareholders
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spabusiness.com issue 1 2015 ©CYBERTREK 2015
– Viacer Group (BPI, Arsopi and Violas) – and 44 per cent is owned by
the Carlsberg Group l The company has a strong international presence, with brands now in 50 countries
He’s won numerous awards over his
60-year career, including the prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize in 1992. The jury citation for the position of
Pritzker laureate said his work was “a joy to the senses and uplifts the spirit. Each line and curve is placed with skill and sureness… Like the early modernists, his shapes, moulded by light, have a deceptive simplicity about them; they are honest… To paraphrase Siza’s own words, his is a response to a problem, a situation in transformation, in which he participates.”
waters are believed to be therapeutic and curative, with only 0.5 per cent of waters in the world sharing the same mineral properties. These waters are collected directly from deep underground granite rock springs and are now used in several of our exclusive signature treatments.” In stark contrast to the main building, with its belle époque style, the spa at Vidago Palace Hotel is designed as a modern, Zen-inspired space that Gonçalves says “exudes tranquility and promotes an immediate sensation of wellbeing”. Spa facilities at Vidago include 17
treatment rooms (including five for water therapies and two suites); a doctor’s room; a beauty room; two relaxation areas; a hydro pool, plus an indoor and outdoor pool; and a gym with Matrix equipment.
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