V Starr redesigns spa at PGA National Resort
V Starr, the South Florida design firm founded by tennis ace Venus Williams, has redesigned the spa experience at PGA National Resort, taking inspiration from the idyllic spirit of Palm Beach to create a 40,000ft2 tropical wellness mecca – or “resort within a resort” as the practice calls it.
Located in the heart of Palm Beach Gardens, the facility comprises 29 wet and dry treatment rooms; a hair and nail salon; a modern-meets-vintage barbershop; an outdoor pool deck with café/bar; and a retail shop. The outdoor deck features three mineral pools with salts from around the world, including France, Israel and Turkey, while two couples treatment rooms and two Himalayan salt rooms complete the offering.
The V Starr design team, led by Holly Nixon, nodded to the tropical surroundings with a palette of soft, sandy whites, washed woods, fresh champagnes, blushy corals and palm prints. Large bronze doors open to a domed entry and pink, palm feature wall accented by champagne gold ceilings. The wet areas, one of the spa’s most distinct elements, offer private male and female retreats adorned with green and coral accents that extend into a co-ed lounge and feature large blush stone slabs imported from Turkey. Taking on its own personality meanwhile, the barbershop encompasses a more masculine, monochromatic backdrop and a custom mural telling the vintage history of golf days gone by.
“The convenience of having a spa on-site can often be the difference between a traveller booking or not,” says Principal Sonya Haffey. “In the case of PGA National Resort, guests range from avid golfers, families, weddings and honeymooners to recreational trips with friends as well as business and conference travellers. For a full resort experience, the spa is important for those seeking moments of peace and decompression. Now more than ever, health and wellness is a priority.”
Haffey adds that V Starr is currently working on various projects in the hospitality and multifamily markets, expanding its portfolio internationally while maintaining a home base in South Florida. “We are on track for the completion of eight multifamily projects in 2022 across the US, together with a hotel model room reviews as we speak. On the boards we also have two guestroom renovations – one being in Puerto Rico – three F&B schemes and 11 multifamily projects in America, which are all in different stages of design. And then there are discussions regarding another spa project, so stay tuned.”
