One of the most distinctive features of luxury private villas are dedicated spa and massage rooms, where guests can privately indulge in spa treatments without going to a separate spa. These in-villa facilities can encourage relaxation through their own special design elements.  

Whether relaxing in a room decorated with soothing earth tones or lounging in the great outdoors, the design elements of spa and massage rooms in luxury private villas are intended to minimize stress on the body while delighting the senses.  

Related reading: The Rise of Wellness Tourism in Bali: A Haven for Spa Centers, Holistic Healing and Wellness Retreats

5 Design Elements that Make Spa and Massage Rooms Extraordinary

The soothing design elements of spa and massage rooms emphasize softness over harsh lines. Inspiration from nature and organic forms are meant to stimulate and calm the sense of sight, while soft fabrics add a comforting texture against the skin. Any combination of these elements can contribute toward the relaxation of the body and the calming of the senses. 

The following design elements are taken from luxury private villas with spa and massage rooms in Phuket, Koh Samui, and Bali. While these spa and massage rooms are different in their own ways, inspiration can be taken from these rooms to incorporate into your own home or villa.  

1. Connections to Nature

Nothing can be more relaxing than being in nature, where the sound of tropical breezes blowing through palm leaves can lull anyone into a relaxing trance. But short of having a massage outdoors, the next best thing would be to have a massage room with a spectacular view.  

The massage room at Phuket’s Villa Sawarin opens to a view of the garden leading to the beach. The sight of the blue ocean from the massage tables offers a calm contrast to the minimal lines of the massage room, the better to eliminate distractions and concentrate on relaxation. 

2. Organic Materials

Woven blinds, cotton sheets, wooden furniture: these organic materials bring a comforting and earthy warmth to every room, but especially to a spa or massage room. The connections to nature are also established through these details, especially when the materials are locally sourced.  

Villa Ambra in Bali has a dedicated spa room where guests can indulge in massages and spa treatments outdoors. The massage tables are made with warm Indonesian wood, and rustic organic accents bridge the indoor and outdoor elements of the space.     

3. Soothing Earth Tones

Earth tones such as brown, beige, and green are anything but basic when incorporated into the designs of spa and massage rooms. These tones are easy on the eyes, creating a relaxing atmosphere. Colorful accents can also be added through fabrics and plant accents like flowers.  

The quiet, neutral tone of the walls and sheets in the massage room of Villa Riva on Koh Samui may not register much at first. Combined with the translucent and soft fabric of the curtains in the room, however, the massage room is transformed into a relaxing sanctuary where natural light filters through the curtains. The round shapes of the pottery accents add visual interest that compliments the room.  

4. Strategic Décor

Many massage rooms opt for clean lines and sparse décor to create a relaxing atmosphere. There are, however, a few spa rooms that incorporate art into their décor, with the purpose of inspiring relaxing thoughts and adding tropical accents to indoor spaces.  

Villa Purissara in Phuket has a massage room that’s decorated with ornate art, but the art itself is taken from Thai tradition. The painting of the tree inspires thoughts of renewal, while the metallic piece facing the headboard is a nod to Thailand’s history and culture.  

5. Gentle Lighting

The best spa and massage rooms tend to forego harsh fluorescent lighting for warm light; in the absence of natural light, smaller lights and lamp-like fixtures provide necessary illumination. By switching to gentler, warmer tones in the lighting, the room takes on a spa-like feel. 

At Villa Amylia in Koh Samui, the ambient lighting comes from strategically-placed light fixtures. Rather than fully illuminating the whole room, these fixtures provide warm illumination where needed. Combined with earth tones and batik sheets to cover the tables, Villa Amylia’s spa room becomes a relaxing sanctuary.  

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Create Your Own Sanctuary of Relaxation

Home and villa owners can take comfort in the fact that a spa room is a welcome addition to their property. Villa owners can add a spa room to their luxury private rental with the promise of additional services to create a relaxing and indulgent environment for their guests. Homeowners can use their spa room as a sanctuary from the stresses of life.  

Mixing and matching elements of nature and culture into spa and massage rooms can contribute toward creating a calm, soothing atmosphere. Adding at least one or two of these design elements into an ordinary spa room can elevate the space to a refreshing oasis.  

Need more inspiration? Book a luxury private villa in Phuket, Koh Samui, or Bali to experience the soothing effects of massage and body treatments in your own private spa room.   

Related reading: Kick-Start a Luxury Approach to Wellness

 Featured image: Outdoor massage room at Villa Rose in Pandawa Cliff Estate, Bali