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<\/div>\nIt\u2019s an amenity that many aren\u2019t willing to compromise on, even looking to build full-floor health and wellness<\/a> centers at home to replicate their experience abroad. \u201cI always get calls from clients that want their home to feel like the Aman<\/a> they went to,\u201d says Aaron Kirman<\/a>, a real estate agent based in Los Angeles. \u201cA lot of savvy developers have really taken that strategy and made it work for them.\u201d<\/p>\n At the moment, Kirman has the solution: A hillside mansion designed by Paul McClean<\/a> that he\u2019s co-listing with Tomer Fridman<\/a>. Included in the 24,000-sq-ft amenity package is a wood-clad home spa that\u2019s kitted out with a hot tub, a steam shower, and an infrared sauna. A massage room, a private basketball court, and a gym are located in separate, adjoining rooms.<\/p>\n This level of customization and square footage wasn\u2019t always commonplace. In the past, home spas were tucked away, rather than showcased across an entire floor. \u201cThey used to be integrated or retrofitted in bathrooms, or wherever we could fit them,\u201d says Francis Nicdao, principal and chief creative officer at interior design firm Pembrooke & Ives<\/a>. \u201cNow, they\u2019re part of the initial conversation regarding the scope of the house.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n See also: The Biggest Wellness Travel Trends Set to Shape 2026<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n When designers sit down with clients, they often come with a long list of wellness-centric must-haves, whether it\u2019s a cold plunge pool, a dry sauna, or even a float tank. These are important, of course, but they\u2019re not the most critical element. \u201cThe biggest non-negotiable is making sure it\u2019s a haven for them,\u201d says Nicdao. \u201cIt has to be a destination.\u201d Otherwise, a spa can feel like an uninspired checklist, rather than a space you\u2019ll actually want to spend time in.<\/p>\n Quality time here is more than just sitting alone in a steam room, too \u2013 over the last few years, home spas have evolved into social spaces. \u201c[Clients] aren\u2019t building them out just for themselves, but for their friends and family who are coming to their compound and using the space,\u201d says Cathy Purple Cherry, founding principal of Purple Cherry Architects<\/a>. It\u2019s something designers weigh heavily when piecing together a layout. Often there will be a seating area off to the side, or a handful of chaise longues near the pool. It\u2019s indicative of a broader cultural shift toward visiting luxe bathhouses and wellness centers with friends, rather than staying out late drinking and clubbing.<\/p>\n Naturally, if you want visitors to feel at home in your personal spa, then it needs to feel like an escape \u2013 materials are a key part of telling that story. Often, designers will take inspiration from a home\u2019s location, a practice that has become part of design firm Liaigre<\/a>\u2019s visual identity. Its spa projects are inspired by \u201cbathing rituals from Roman antiquity and ancient Greece,\u201d says Bertrand Thibouville, the brand\u2019s senior creative director. \u201cEach space is conceived in response to its specific context.\u201d A spa in Aspen, for example, might be clad in granite to evoke the mountains; an escape in St. Moritz<\/a> may use natural woods in combination with patinated metals.\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"luxury](\"https:\/\/elitetraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/02\/luxury-home-spas-2560x1709.jpg\")
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