The resort pool has reached its utopia, perhaps best demonstrated by the Circa Stadium Swim, at the Circa resort in Downtown Las Vegas.
There, guests don’t simply loll by the pool. They slide into poolside boxes, water couches, daybeds and lower cabanas. They sip drinks, watch the big game and participate in fantasy-football parties. Massive 40-foot high-definition screens reach skyward, while six pools on three levels augment the luxury experience.
Welcome to the crossroads of luxury, decadence and affluence. Does anyone even want to go swimming anymore?
Stadium Swim is just one example of the surge in pool and spa construction at casino hotels. Besides exuding luxury, they make room for shared experiences. Beverages, saunas, salons and hot tubs are valued amenities, keeping guests happily on property.
Just Say ‘Ahh’
“Spas are an increasingly popular antidote for our stressful world,” says Emily Marshall, IIDA, interior design director and principal at HBG Design. “The more harried life becomes, the more guests are seeking a serene and rejuvenating spa experience.”
The modern spa retreat “is less about opulence, and more about wellness and the way a space makes the guest feel—with more authentic, contextual, holistic design features and smart technology integration that produces distinctiveness and differentiation for the resort.”
HBG Design has created pool and vitality pool environments that connect to the spa, to food-and-beverage venues and to other special events, Marshall says. “These pools are activated for entertainment, integrating dining and beverage service opportunities as separate revenue generators.”
Indoor Pool and Events Complex at Gun Lake
Event-connected pools include the rooftop pool environment at Four Winds South Bend Casino and the Indoor Pool and Events Complex at Gun Lake, now under construction.
“Spas are typically set apart from the gaming amenities as a space for guests to quiet the outside noise and reconnect with themselves,” says Landon Shockey, ASID, HBG’s lead interior designer and spa design specialist. “Successful spa design enchants and indulges all five senses, while emphasizing wellness and presenting experiences that nourish the soul.”
F&B offerings range from café-style light fare and healthy options to seasonal dishes that emphasize the healing benefits of ingredients. Knowing the customer demographic in the specific market often dictates how much of a driver food and beverage becomes in relation to the spa experience.
“We’re also seeing a trend in the design of larger VIP suites that accommodate spa services,” Shockey says. “These suites provide a secluded escape for couples and small groups to partake in extended spa services all within their own private space.”
Healing Springs
The 8,000-square-foot Astral Spa at Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort offers a lush, contemporary take on the iconic Hot Springs bathhouse spa, Shockey says, “along with a relaxed nostalgic ambiance that frames each guest’s spa journey through a complete sensory wellness experience.”
Designed by HBG with the Arch Amenity Group and Design for Leisure, the attraction is the first major full-service spa to be designed and built in Arkansas’ famous “Spa City” in more than a century.
Marrying crisp modern lines with historic themes, the spa’s design
celebrates the history of Hot Springs and Oaklawn’s thoroughbred horse racing. It features a dedicated 1,925-square-foot women’s spa and a 1,500-square-foot men’s spa, each with distinctly tailored parlors, dressing room areas and aqua-thermal lounges featuring vintage-inspired needle showers that recall historic bathhouses.
Unique hot/cold wellness circuits in the women’s and men’s areas allow guests to “heat, cool, rest, repeat” in vapor rooms, infrared saunas, ice lounges, vitality pools and thermal loungers. “The infrared saunas are the first of their type in the region,” says Shockey.
At the new 317-key hotel, spa and conference and events expansion at Four Winds Casino in South Bend, Indiana, guests are greeted with a “seamlessly beautiful display of contemporary design,” says Paul Bell, AIA, HBG principal and project manager. That look “flows through every space, with a celebration of the Pokagon Tribe’s rich heritage and the natural elements of their native lands,” he adds. “One of the most important cultural elements in this celebration is the red cedar wood that’s prominently featured throughout the property.”
The 10,000-square-foot Cedar Spa, designed by HBG with Blu Spa Consultants, offers a variety of traditional and unique spa therapies in a tranquil, biophilic space designed to fully embrace relaxation, well-being and healing.
Up on the Roof
The soothing experience originates at the spa entrance on the main promenade of the hotel, highlighted by an illuminated ceiling feature appearing as sunlight shining through a canopy of red cedar trees.
Ornate copper ceiling elements allow pockets of light to peek through, creating dancing shadows around the spa entry. Multi-colored lighting introduces serene color palettes into the space.
Floor-to-ceiling screening combines cedar planks mixed with copper blocking and color-changing lighting to create elegant wayfinding from the entry reception and retail area to the treatment corridors.
The unique layout of the spa allows each treatment area to be hidden from the next, granting each guest a private and personalized experience. Guests are guided through the river rock and stacked stone-lined main treatment corridor to reach their desired spa service.
“While some resorts incorporate the pool environment into the spa experience, Four Winds South Bend has made its new rooftop pool deck a central part of their F&B, events and entertainment offerings,” Bell says. The entire third-floor level is dedicated to high-end VIP and hospitality suites that accommodate smaller intimate events, catered parties and VIP receptions.
“Perched on the third-floor VIP and hospitality suite level adjacent to the hotel’s new Edgewater Café bar and restaurant, the pool environment, with its large pool deck, lounge seating and hot tub, becomes an extension of this entertaining space,” says Bell. “The café and the rooftop pool are interconnected through clerestory windows and retractable glass partition walls.”
HBG Design is currently leading the architectural and interior design for the $300 million Phase 5 expansion of Gun Lake Casino in Wayland, Michigan, just south of Grand Rapids.
The Spa Retreat, featuring a spa pool and fitness center, will be located on the lower level of the new hotel expansion, with a palette inspired by nature in the region. The spa pool will offer a relaxing retreat away from the excitement of the casino.
Pooling Resources
Casino operators “want guests to feel there’s something for everyone,” says David Nejelski, creative director and principal at TBE Architects. “Catering to parents, kids, singles and professionals can mean flexible spaces for multiple uses. A spacious pool deck can function as a nice spot to hang out as a family by day and shift to a private party deck for corporate or private events by night.”
Owners are taking advantage of the holistic whole-body trend by partnering with spa companies. The partner leases the space and both reap the benefits. “While one spouse is on the gaming floor, the other can take advantage of a facial treatment or soak in a hot tub,” Nejelski says. “Both parties are happy.”
Nejelski espouses two rules of thumb regarding pools and spas: one for places like Las Vegas, and the second for locals markets.
“For Las Vegas, the adage ‘If you build it, they will come’ isn’t new, but it’s always relevant. Your ideal client should be well thought out before designs are made. What’s their age? What are their aesthetic preferences? What’s trending for this clientele?
“Properties wanting to cater to a younger demographic can create layers of emotion with high energy as well as rejuvenating and invigorating experiences in the pool and spa areas.
“By having a firm grasp on your vision and a strong sense of direction, such details as visual art, mood and artistic lighting, color palette and scents and sounds can assist the owners to orchestrate a better guest experience so they will want to visit again and again.”
At locals resorts, the goal is to keep a property’s established community satisfied while expanding its market reach, says Nejelski. Attractions and amenities that involve the whole family will draw in guests from the surrounding areas and farther afield. Casino resorts that help create memories for adults and singles, families and kids will stand out.
While the main objective is to keep patrons on the gaming floor and increase the incremental drop, each time they leave to eat, sleep or spend time with family, there’s a risk they may not return. As a result, “owners are seeing the advantages of creating spaces for private events, personal rental spaces and exclusive high-limit features,” Nejelski says. “Providing unique individualized conveniences is at the forefront of design planning and property operations. The question becomes, ‘How can you give each guest the VIP treatment?’
“Specific design features include private poolside cabanas, reservable party pool decks and exclusive whirlpools. And don’t forget the views—whether it’s the city skyline or a mountain view, take advantage of it. It’s all part of creating memorable spaces and moments for guests.”
Spa at Prairie Band Casino Resort
TBE projects include a 70,000-square-foot expansion of the Prairie Band Casino & Resort in Mayetta, Kansas. It includes 74 beautiful new guest rooms and a therapeutic spa where patrons can soothe the spirit and indulge in a personal sensory experience.
“The spa features a palette of calming colors, accentuated by the soothing glow of 48 Himalayan salt tiles embedded in a wall of soft white and gray to infuse the space in calming energy,” says Nejelski. “As guests step into one of two plunge pools, they will undoubtedly reflect on the intricately carved wood relief on the opposing wall. Moving deeper into the spa area, guests looking to reduce stress will find an abundance of space to relax in the new 179-square-foot steam room.”
TBE is also putting its 50-plus years of experience to work on multiple nondisclosed projects throughout the country. These renovations and additions include health-and-wellness pool and spa areas to rejuvenate, restore and create memories for the entire family.
“From unique whirlpools with spacious views, to upscale party decks that will make the guest the talk of the town, poolside private cabanas that make them feel like royalty, an expansive holistic whole-body experience, and pool adventures the kids will beg to return to, the TBE design team is flourishing with ideas,” says Nejelski. “We take properties to the next level.”
Pools of the Present & Future
The pool at Encore, Wynn Las Vegas
Pools are going to continue to be a major draw in casino resorts,” says Andrew Kreft, executive senior principal and director of design for Lifescapes International.
“They offer so much more beyond the gaming floor. There are various uses for the pool, from the reveler to the sunbather, playful and relaxing.”
Advancements in technology include pool floors that rise above the water level to meet the adjacent paving surface, which extends the spa patio. There’s been an evolution of VIP experiences, with whole pool areas dedicated to exclusivity and an upscale feeling.
Resort pools are evolving to create unique and distinct areas that appeal to different age groups, activity levels and price points. And there’s a major focus on monetizing pool areas.
“Upscale offerings include paying for premium seating, chaise lounges on Baja ledges, prime locations and cabanas,” says Kreft. Most of these features require reservations and advance planning for the guest, he adds.
Amenities are the revenue driver. His company creates spaces where the casino resort can upcharge. Properties also want the pool area to be flexible for concerts, events, etc.
Pools can also cross-purpose with clubs (such as XS nightclub at Wynn Las Vegas) where the pool is an extension of the indoor environment. And small details are a big deal.
“You want to make sure the pool area gets decent amounts of sun all day, that it’s conveniently located for ease of guest access, and that it has enough seats for the number of guests,” says Kreft. “You also want to make sure the design has a good balance of water, plantings and other amenities, so it feels like a dynamic space and not a ‘parking lot’ for chaises.”
The pool at Resorts World Las Vegas
In this case, one size usually doesn’t fit all, he indicates. Every property is different.
“Are there views you’re trying to hide or views you want to showcase? These things guide us into dividing a pool up into many experiences which create interest for guests staying multiple days.”
Multiple days indeed. That gives guests multiple options, multiple amenities and multiple reasons to stay at the property.
