Step into the future of wellness experiences at HydroLight Lounge, a spa where holistic health meets a happy hour atmosphere through a selection of unique water and light therapy services.
Shannon Engel opened the lounge in Nocatee in October of 2024 with the intention of helping the community find a place where they could come for relaxation and release. A place where they could enter with their woes and leave feeling refreshed.
She utilized her background in advertising and her 10-plus years in the alcohol/music space to create an entirely unique water and light therapy experience.
“When I decided to take on this venture, I knew I wanted to get into the wellness space and take some of my background to create a place that was different from what you’d typically expect at a wellness center,” Engel said. “I didn’t want to be just a spa or a medspa — I wanted to create a different kind of experience entirely.”
HydroLight Lounge infuses wellness with a sleek bar/lounge ambiance. Clients can find everything from a delicious mocktail menu to cheerful music played in the rooms, to mirrors decorated with trendy song lyrics. The rooms (aka lounges) are private, and clients can decide whether they want to watch Netflix, play music, listen to a guided meditation, or scroll on their phone. The whole process is designed with a “choose your own experience” mentality.
Depending on their needs, clients visit HydroLight Lounge for cold plunges, red light therapy, infrared saunas, general light therapy, or contrast therapy. Each service at the lounge is designed to detoxify the body, reduce inflammation, improve circulation and support heart, skin and digestive health.
While not initially offered at the lounge’s opening in October, colon hydrotherapy was introduced in November and has quickly become one of the lounge's most popular services. Also known as a colonic, this water therapy removes toxins in the large intestine to improve digestive and gut health.
“In the area, there are other places that may offer cold plunges or saunas, but I wanted to add a service that was not only water-based but also actually rare to find in Northeast Florida,” Engel said.
Engel said some clients have traveled hours for colon hydrotherapy in the past and were thrilled to discover that the service is now available in Northeast Florida.
HydroLight Lounge takes walk-in clients but also takes appointments via phone or online. Located in a newly developed area of Nocatee, the storefront may not attract passersby like other shopping centers, but it’s steadily growing a loyal and dedicated clientele. In the future, Engel hopes to expand the lounge’s current offerings with new services and modalities that keep up with the next generation of water and light therapy techniques.
