Wellness & Retreat News: August 2026 Openings Roundup

A short roundup of dated wellness and retreat news from the past two weeks. This edition covers a major alpine spa reopening in Austria and a new medical spa in the Pacific Northwest, two ends of the same trend: properties treating wellness space as the main draw rather than an amenity. Always confirm dates, rates and what is included directly with each property before you plan a trip.

An outdoor thermal spa pool with steam rising against a snowy alpine mountain backdrop — A thermal spa pool at Therme Bad Kleinkirchheim in Austria, shown for illustration; it is not one of the venues below. Photo: Roemerbad, Therme Bad Kleinkirchheim by badkleinkirchheim (CC BY 2.0), via Flickr.

Hotel Lurzerhof reopens in the Austrian Alps with a new adults-only spa floor

Hotel Lurzerhof, in Untertauern in Austria's Salzburger Land, reopened at the end of July after a four-month closure to complete a roughly 10 million euro expansion, with guests welcomed to the new facilities from July 24, 2026. The project adds two floors to the main building, including an entirely new adults-only wellness level of around 900 square metres.

The centrepiece is a 20-metre cantilevered infinity pool, heated year-round, that projects out beyond the building's edge toward the Radstadter Tauern mountains. It is a clear example of alpine resorts betting on spa architecture as the reason to book, rather than an add-on to the skiing. The expansion is reported by European Spa Magazine.

M.D. MedSpa & Wellness Center opens in Bellingham, Washington

M.D. MedSpa & Wellness Center held a grand opening on Saturday, July 25, 2026, at 3115 Old Fairhaven Parkway in Bellingham, marking a new arrival for the Fairhaven district's wellness scene. The open house ran from 2pm to 4pm with live treatment demonstrations, provider meet-and-greets and details of the clinic's membership options.

The physician-led clinic offers aesthetic and wellness services including neuromodulators, dermal fillers, laser treatments, facials, microneedling and LED light therapy. The launch reflects the continued spread of medical spas into smaller cities, blending clinical aesthetics with the relaxation framing of a traditional day spa. The opening was announced by the Whatcom Business Journal.

For more on choosing a place to reset, see our guide to the best spa and wellness resort retreats in the USA, or browse destinations on the Retreat Central homepage.