If, like us, your mum never took you to Center Parcs when you were little, fear not – something even better is on the horizon.
A 33 degree climate, all-season beach and outdoor swimming pools – it sounds like something you’d find at an all inclusive resort on a tropical island. Therme Manchester is one of the most talked about projects in the UK, and work has finally begun on the innovative wellness resort.
Credit: Therme Manchester
Therme Manchester will be a giant indoor-outdoor complex, home to palm trees and botanical gardens, with hundreds of species of plants all under one roof. Designed with the ancient art of thermal bathing at its heart, it’s innovative, boundary-pushing and most importantly, sustainable.
Expected to open in 2027, Therme’s construction has been pushed back multiple times, firstly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, then again when there were delays demolishing the EventCity building that Therme is to be built in place of. The resort was initially planned to open in 2023.
But good things come to those who wait, and boy, does it look good. Therme will sprawl over a 14-hectare site adjacent to the Trafford Centre, bringing a host of luxury wellness facilities to the city. With pools, lagoons, saunas and slides, it’s unlike anything Manchester’s ever seen before.
The resort will be split into three key zones – Play, Relax and Restore. The Play zone will cover both indoor and outdoor settings and will feature next-gen waterslides, a wave pool, beach, warm water lagoons, steam rooms and red light therapy, alongside a host of family dining experiences.
Relax and Restore will both be adults-only. Relax will be dedicated to rest and relaxation, so you can expect indoor and outdoor lagoons, waterfall showers, mineral baths, steam rooms and dining experiences. With a focus on premium wellbeing, it sounds like a little slice of paradise.
Restore will feature industry-leading health, nutrition and wellbeing therapies. There’ll be diverse sauna experiences, private lagoons and volcanic sulphur baths, alongside exhilarating plunge pools. With one-to-one nutrition consultations, it’s perfect for fitness-minded visitors.
The best bit? An emphasis on affordability and accessibility means the resort is open to all, not just the elite. You’ll choose which zone you want to access, using a state-of-the art on demand locker system and RFID wristbands to purchase additional goods and services as you go.
Sustainability is a number one priority, so Therme won’t just mitigate its impact on the local area, it’ll actively improve it. The resort will leverage renewable energy sources, ensuring zero carbon emissions. In fact, it’ll be the first UK spa to be constructed in line with the prestigious LEED Platinum certification.
Credit: Therme Manchester
It’ll look great from the outside, too. Not only is the massive complex a site to behold, the surrounding area will get a facelift, including new walking and cycling routes to be installed alongside the Bridgewater Canal, connecting the site to the Metrolink station at Barton Square.
And that’s not all – a PwC study has forecasted that the resort will generate over £4.5 billion for the UK economy. Therme’s Manchester team are already active within the local community, collaborating with Manchester International Festival and sponsoring the Manchester Marathon.
If you want to get a taste of things to come, take a look at Therme Bucharest, which opened in 2016. The resort has been a huge success, welcoming 1.2 million visitors in its first year and landing double gold at the World Travel Market Responsible Tourism Awards.
Therme Manchester is expected to open in Trafford Park in 2027. What do you think of the plans?
Cover image credit: Therme Manchester
