Don’t call Rekoop a spa, fitness centre, yoga studio, or medical clinic. Although it offers cutting-edge treatments like oxygen therapy, cryo ice therapy, lymphatic drainage, and ice baths, it seeks to be positioned as a social wellness club.
“A spa is for passive escape and relaxation and a fitness centre is about output and physical performance. A yoga studio caters to a crowd and a clinic is where doctors diagnose and treat medical conditions,” says co-founder Diana Kraemer.
Wellness, she continues, extends beyond restoring physical, physiological, psychological and spiritual well-being through active transformation. It also creates the optimal conditions for the body to heal itself by itself. As such, Rekoop takes a holistic approach to well-being and focuses on personalised care.
In drawing on a Havard study that found that social fitness is the biggest predictor of a happy life, incorporating the social aspect as a pillar of the brand’s DNA was a no-brainer. As it is, few wellness environments encourage interaction with other people, Kraemer adds. “It’s usually about privacy and seclusion, not a social experience. We’re not saying that’s wrong, but it can be limiting, which is why we wanted to give guests the option to have privacy or share the experience with friends and loved ones,” she says.
For this reason, Rekoop holds activities like ‘connection card gatherings’ and ‘mindful meditation meetups’ to bring the community together.
The centre only uses top-of-the-line technology. These range from lymphatic compress suits the Kardashians do to reduce fluid retention and inflammation, and the same ice bath celebrities like Mark Wahlberg and Chris Hemsworth use to improve circulation and enhance muscle repair. Its oxygen hydroxy pods, Kraemer points out, are also the same ones well-loved by Drake and Sam Mendes.
But it doesn’t just rely on the approval of the rich and famous. A sound healing programme utilised by the US Military Special Forces Green Beret and Navy Seals is available here too.
In a nutshell, Rekoop is a social wellness club as it facilitates both the pursuit of health and meaningful connections. “The space is designed to be a part of your routine,” Kraemer sums up.
