Wellness and emotions in Matera

The sprawling hotel Aquatio Cave Luxury Hotel & SPA has recently opened in Matera, that in 2019 will share with Plovdiv, in Bulgaria, the honour to be European Capital of Culture . The structure has numerous rooms that are located directly on the side of the Sasso Caveoso, an area called Conche that dates back to the XIII century. The lower part houses the reception, a restaurant, the breakfast area, conference rooms and wellness center. The aim was to create an atmosphere where wellness and emotions blend together seamlessly to envelope the guests as soon as they step in through the large entrance. The architect Cosimo dell’acqua, who designed the project and most importantly followed the architectural restoration, worked tirelessly to create a structure that would be cohesive with what the spaces were originally used for. A striking example is the parallel between the areas that were anciently convivial rooms and which today are used as relaxation areas, the restaurant and open ambients were guests can congregate. “Aquatico – explains Simone Micheli, the man behind the interior design and light installations – is a real living work of art, one that can be lived in and experienced fully. A space that goes above and beyond the traditional interpretation of time, creating a limbo between the past, present and future.” The SPA is gorgeous, over 500sqm large, it is the real heart of the structure and makes up the majority of the restored subterranean rooms that date back to the IX century. The grotto is the largest space, so roomy in fact that it houses the pool, whose walls have been plastered following the traditional techniques. The old water receptacles have been transformed into emotional showers, some of the relaxation recliners are actually ergonomically cut rock. There are singles and couples massage rooms, a Turkish bath, sauna, relaxation area, beauty treatment rooms and products by [conform zone]. The final result is a space that transports guests, both physically and emotionally.