INVESTMENT: PEDRAS SALGADAS
“We decided to create two unique projects, allowing us to attract different kind of tourists to our region.”
Pedro Vieira and Diogo Rosa Lã. In contrast to the ornate, 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. The nearby Pedras Salgadas Spa and Nature
Park opened in 2013, with a focus on the envi- ronment. Lisbon-based architect Luis Rebelo de Andrade built 13 deluxe eco houses and two striking tree houses that literally 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 E70m (US$87m, £55m) – E50m (US$62m, £40m) for Vidago and E20m (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 that the tactic is paying off. Pedras Salgadas has captured the imagination of Iberian tourists, with 84 per cent of its visitors being Portuguese, and 10 per cent of guests 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 custom- ers are Portuguese; 12 per cent Spanish; and 11 per cent from elsewhere in Europe.
UNICER
n Unicer is one of Portugal’s largest beverage companies, with multiple brands and 13 production centres around the country. Focused mainly
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 in his home town of Porto including the Boa Nova Tea House (1963), the Faculty of Architecture at Porto University (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 detoxifi- cation and overall natural purification. Spa manager for both sites, Vera Gonçalves, says:
on brewing and bottled water, the business also comprises soft drinks, wine, malt production and sales, and latterly, tourism assets n Fifty-six per cent of Unicer is owned by Portuguese
shareholders – Viacer Group (BPI, Arsopi and Violas) – and 44 per cent is owned by the Carlsberg Group n The company has a strong international presence, with brands now in 50 countries
He has 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...To paraphrase Siza’s own words, his is a response to a problem, a situation in transformation, in which he participates.”
“The Vidago waters are believed to be ther- apeutic and curative, with only 0.5 per cent of waters in the world sharing the same min- eral 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 tranquillity and promotes an immediate sen- sation of well-being”. 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
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