Marriott Hotels Partners with Therme, Developer of Large-Scale Urban Wellness Destinations
On August 13, Marriott International announced a strategic partnership with Therme Group, a developer of large-scale urban wellness destinations, to jointly explore a series of wellness-centric, future-oriented hotel initiatives. Founded in 2011 in Vienna, Austria, Therme Group positions itself as the "global pioneer of inclusive urban wellbeing."
Above: Rendering of Therme's Singapore project
Josef Wund, a German architect and friend of Therme Group founder Robert Constantin Hanea, began innovative wellness destination design in the late 1990s, combining thermal baths inspired by ancient Roman and other cultures with large-scale water attractions such as slides and wave pools, as well as tropical botanical gardens and retractable glass roofs, to create indoor projects accessible to the public year-round. These proved highly popular in Germany. After Therme Group was established, this innovative model expanded to multiple locations.
Above: Some of Therme's projects
Above: German architect Josef Wund and Therme Group founder Robert Constantin Hanea, a Romanian doctor of law
In 2016, the group's first flagship project, Therme Bucharest, opened in Romania (below). Covering a total area of 250,000 square meters with 37,000 square meters of indoor space, the center features thermal pools, water slides, saunas, a spa, restaurants, and Romania's largest plant collection. Currently, Therme Bucharest is one of Europe's largest thermal wellness complexes and one of the most popular attractions in Central and Eastern Europe, with peak daily visitor numbers exceeding 8,000.
Therme Group is now actively expanding into North America, Asia, and the Middle East, with planned projects including Manchester in the UK, Frankfurt in Germany, Toronto in Canada, Washington DC and Dallas in the US, Dubai, and South Korea. In June this year, Therme's Singapore project was officially launched, located at southern Marina Bay, with a total floor area exceeding 720,000 square feet (equivalent to nine football fields).
Above: Rendering of Therme's Singapore project
This seven-story building is divided into play, relaxation, and restoration zones, and will include more than 20 indoor and outdoor pools and water bodies, as well as over 70 wellness treatment rooms. It is expected to open in 2030.
Following the strategic partnership with Marriott, Therme Group's initial focus includes developing travel and accommodation packages related to Therme destinations and enhancing guests' wellness experience throughout their journey. Additionally, Therme Group will collaborate with the Marriott Design Lab, Marriott's research and development center dedicated to improving hotel operations and travel experiences through products and services.
Therme will leverage its expertise in large-scale wellness spaces to help redesign various hotel facilities and services—covering everything from spa and fitness amenities to guest room design concepts. These initiatives aim to implement near-term projects while providing guidance and reference for long-term development in areas such as product innovation, service models, and destination planning.
This move can be seen as an extension of Marriott's focus on health and wellness. At the end of March this year, Marriott acquired the Italian luxury wellness hotel brand Lefay.
Above: Exterior view of Lefay's hotel in the Dolomites
| Source: Official press release, Therme Group website, Marriott Group website
| Image source: Therme Group website