Building spa and wellness into the very fabric of its in-room architecture and design, Preidlhof Hotel and Spa in South Tyrol is proud to unveil its award-winning Dream Well Suite, winner of this year’s Innovation Award at the European Health and Spa Awards.
With optimal sleep the basis for a healthy life, guests staying in the Dream Well Suite at Preidlhof can gently awaken to a slow-starting bird concert and sunbeams finding their way through treetops, or fall asleep to a sunset at a small mountain lake, or choose the perfect sound of silence in an expansive space, to ensure the deepest, most relaxed and regenerative state of sleep possible.
Daniel Lathan at SONAMI AG realized his vision for the first Dream Well Suite at Preidlhof after more than 20 years of experience in natural sounds, psychoacoustics, room acoustics, architecture and lighting design. Lathan’s DEEPSEA Relaxation Room – unique to Preidlhof Spa – also received an Innovation Award at the European Health and Spa Awards in 2016.
The European Health & Spa Awards entail a rigorous two stage process and are the only independent award for the Health and Wellness Sector; they distinguish Europe’s best companies for their outstanding performances and uniquely, each award nominee is further scrutinised by a mystery check.
Preidlhof’s Dream Well Suite features a special acoustic ceiling, which significantly reduces the reverberation time and echo in the room and thus creates the optimal condition for a restful sleep. Building on the experiences of the DEEPSEA Relaxation Room, the Dream Well Suite at Preidlhof has been further developed to offer this in the private hotel room environment.
Extremely high quality sound is reproduced via specially developed speakers. The room acoustics were developed and modeled on nature: the result is a highly complex ceiling element that absorbs certain frequencies in the forest and/or reflects them in different directions, similar to the treetops (leaves, branches, free space).
Controllable colour LEDs simulate sunrises and sunsets, all controlled via touchpad.The focus is on the acoustic stimulus, rather than concrete visual triggers (real images) and so real natural sound images (recorded by special SONAMI microphones) prompt individuals to formulate their own images or dreams. This process is supported by the interaction with coloured light, which follows natural harmonies (colour, intensity and time). Each of the lighting programmes entailed two to three weeks of development. The lighting programmes are based on time, intensity and colour algorithms developed by Daniel Lathan specifically for the Dream Well Suite at Preidlhof and are based on nature.
"The goal was to create a completely authentic space that was as close as possible to the acoustic environment of a deciduous forest," says Lathan. Multiple combined sound and light programmes selectable via a touch panel allow for an optimized sleep and wake up process”.
“At Preidlhof we take the importance of a good night’s sleep very seriously, it is an essential component of a healthy lifestyle. We are excited to collaborate with Daniel Lathan again on his pioneering new Dream Well Suite as we believe wellness experiences in the hotel room are the future. This innovative new sleep ‘architectural application’ as Daniel Lathan best describes it, also further enhances our existing sleep-enhancing products, services and spa treatment programmes” says Klaus Ladurner, Owner – Preidlhof.
Other in-room sleep promoting features at Preidlhof include a “Good Night” menu including 12 different kinds of pillows, mattress toppers, and a relax bag with different sleeping aids. WLAN service is switched off during the night from 12:00 pm to 7:00 am, however internet can still be accessed via cable. A targeted sleep-promoting spa treatment menu can be tailored according to the individual health and wellbeing needs of guests.
"We cannot close our ears. Especially at night, we perceive the space around us subconsciously. Every human being spends about one third of their life asleep. This is a not inconsiderable part of life. About one in ten people suffer from a chronic sleep disorder. Sleep disorders or lack of sleep or ‘unhealthy sleep’ can lead to circulatory and skin problems, nausea, increased sensitivity to cold, reduced concentration, increased irritability, and affect our quality of life enormously. Mattress manufacturers try to use the subject very skillfully to increase sales. The room in which we sleep is and has almost always been neglected. However, what if the acoustics have at least or even greater influence on our sleep than the supposedly perfect mattress?” says Lathan.
The Dream Well Suite at Preidlhof aims to provide guests with the ultimate ‘private spa experience’, and comes complete with its own sauna, hot tub, swimming pool and gym.
The price is from €3,450 for a minimum three-night stay on a full board basis.
For more information, visit www.preidlhof.it