Talking to… Stuart Angus

The director of spa at Center Parcs UK and Ireland tells Ellen Cummings about his leadership principles and how Aqua Sana Forest Spa is evolving

Stuart Angus’s journey into the spa world began in health and fitness, a sector where he developed his operational and managerial skills. His first significant foray into the spa industry came in 2004 when he was appointed group spa manager at Shire Hotels, a role that would prove to be influential in his career.

“That was probably the first role I had that really encompassed leisure and spa,” Angus recalls. “I quickly established that spa was a really nice industry to be involved in and it presented some great opportunity for growth, not just in terms of the development of spa, but also around how spa contributes to the overall offering within the hotel sector.”

Subsequent roles with Mercure Hotels and Daniel Thwaites further developed Angus’s strategic and operational expertise. “I moved into a commercial director role, which gave me the ability to focus on all elements of the business,” he explains. “It allowed me to view spa operations not as standalone entities but as key drivers of a brand’s success.”

In 2021, the opportunity to join Center Parcs and lead Aqua Sana presented itself through the newly created role of director of spa. For Angus, it was a chance to combine his passion for wellness with his extensive commercial experience. “I love the product,” he says. “I’ve always been quite an avid Center Parcs fan both in terms of going there with family, but also very aware of it from working within the spa industry and its reputation. It presented me with a really good opportunity.”

Aqua Sana currently operates at five Center Parcs locations across the UK and one in Ireland, each offering its own take on forest-inspired wellness. Since joining the team, Angus has overseen a project to enhance the spa offering while maintaining Aqua Sana’s core ethos of connecting guests with nature.

Angus with the Aqua Sana team at the PB Awards 2024

Strategic leadership

Taking charge at Aqua Sana, Angus prioritised gaining a deep understanding of the brand, its culture and its people, with his leadership style defined by collaboration and transparency. “I’m not afraid to make decisions, but it’s vital to take everyone on the journey with me,” he explains. This inclusive approach has been instrumental in aligning teams with Aqua Sana’s long-term goals.

Central to his success has been his partnership with Laura Freeman, the group spa manager at Aqua Sana. “Laura has great experience in the industry and within Center Parcs, which is a huge asset,” Angus comments. “She’s my technical expert, she has got a great wealth of knowledge in her field and she plays a huge part in the team. There’s never really anything going on in my head that Laura doesn’t know about.”

Angus also credits the company’s board of directors for his ability to effect change within the brand. “The board have been extremely supportive since I joined the business,” he says. “They have shown great confidence in me and the vision that we’ve got around our strategy, which is quite reassuring, but also allows us to move quite quickly.”

Driving innovation

The rebrand from Aqua Sana to Aqua Sana Forest Spa in October marked a major milestone under Angus’s leadership. “The prompt for the rebranding was simple – we weren’t referring to ourselves as a spa before,” he explains. “The new identity reflects our unique positioning as a forest spa while building stronger brand recognition.”

One of the achievements of this rebranding has been its impact on guest perceptions. “It’s been really well received, and I’m incredibly proud of the work we’ve done internally to bring this vision to life,” Angus says.

Aqua Sana Forest Spa’s growth isn’t confined to its existing locations. Angus is closely involved in the recently announced Scottish Borders project, which will see the addition of a brand-new Center Parcs site featuring its own Aqua Sana Forest Spa, subject to planning permission. This expansion reflects the brand’s commitment to making forest-inspired wellness accessible to more guests across the UK.

Connecting with nature

Aqua Sana Forest Spa’s appeal lies in its connection to nature. Each spa is designed to integrate natural landscapes with sensory wellness experiences, creating a sanctuary where guests can unwind and recharge.

The outdoor pool at Elveden Forest

“Elveden Forest is a prime example of our forest-inspired concept,” Angus says. This location underwent a transformative renovation during a nine-month closure, with the £6.5 million redesign including nine new experiences, extra hot tubs, a Scandinavian snug and access to spa gardens. There are also different thermal forest zones inspired by different geological and geographical locations, from cold Nordic forests and Japanese Onseninspired hot springs to a volcanic forest, as well as a nest with scenic views of the surrounding forest.

This philosophy extends to every detail of the Aqua Sana experience, from the design of its thermal suites to the menu of treatments inspired by natural elements. “We want our guests to feel the benefits of being in nature, even when they’re inside the spa,” Angus explains.

The Nordic Sauna at Elveden Forest

Recognising excellence

This dedication hasn’t gone unnoticed; Aqua Sana won Employer of the Year at the Professional Beauty Awards in 2024, and the Elveden Forest location is shortlisted for Spa of the Year in 2025.

“We’ve been very fortunate,” Angus says. “It’s nice to be recognised, and it’s a great representation of us as a business, who we are and the journey that we’re on.”

Angus also points out that the awards are a good opportunity to reflect. “It gives us a bit of a sense check in terms of where we are in comparison to some of the other spas out there. It’s not only a really competitive market, but it’s also a highstandard market. When I think about some of the spas that are out there, they all do a great job, so it’s a nice way of creating a benchmark in terms of how we perform against those.”

The Forest Cavern at Longleat Forest

Looking ahead

Despite its success within the industry, Angus describes Aqua Sana Forrest Spa as a “sleeping giant” when it comes to consumers. The brand refresh is also part of his broader mission to increase the spas’ visibility. “We’re ensuring consumers understand that they don’t need to be Center Parcs guests to enjoy our spas,” he says. Enhanced marketing efforts and strategic messaging are important parts of this strategy, helping Aqua Sana Forest Spa attract standalone visitors while retaining loyal Center Parcs clientele.

As the spas grow in popularity, maintaining high standards amid increasing visitor numbers is a critical focus, and Angus and his team have implemented new measures to balance this. “We work hard to maintain high standards through strong capacity management,” he explains. Initiatives such as phased start times and guest journey guidance, with staff to help move visitors through the different areas, help to ensure that no one area ever gets too busy.

Wellbeing activities also play a role in optimising guest flow. “We offer activities like discovery and sleep sessions, which we can adjust to manage guest flow,” Angus adds. These sessions also help to personalise each guest’s wellness journey.

With a commitment to collaboration, innovation and guest satisfaction, Aqua Sana Forest Spa seems poised to reach new heights. “Our priority is to be the best version of ourselves,” Angus concludes.