Tulē - Behind the Build

The founder of Tulē - An Urban Wellness Retreat walking the space during the design process.

Five months ago, we set out on one of the most meaningful—and slightly overwhelming—journeys of our lives: to build a multi-million dollar experiential wellness retreat right here in the heart of Yolo County, California.

And this week?
We submitted our building plans to the City of Davis. ✨

It’s a major milestone. Not just because it moves the project forward on paper, but because it brings us one step closer to opening the doors to Tulē—a design-forward urban spa and wellness retreat offering amenities like saunas, cold plunges, steam rooms, floatation therapy, and space for intentional movement and community connection.

A Look Behind the Design Process

If you’ve ever tried to design something deeply personal—something that exists more as a feeling than a blueprint—you’ll understand why this has been both thrilling and exhausting.

We’ve had:

• Wins that made us tear up

• Setbacks that made us question everything

• And a whole lot of “how is this still not done?” moments

Through it all, one thing kept us moving: the vision of Tulē as a space that feels as healing and human as it is beautiful.

🎥 Want to see the process?
We documented it on Instagram. [Watch the video here →]

Submitting our building plans for Tulē - An Urban Wellness Retreat in Davis, CA.

3 Lessons We’ve Learned (the Hard Way)

1. Everything takes longer than you think
   Especially when you're designing something with soul—and when every inch needs city review and health code compliance. Patience is part of the process.

2. You can’t rush good design
   Sometimes, the best ideas come only after sitting in the quiet discomfort of “not quite right.” When we waited, better ideas found us.

3. Trust the right people
   Working with designers, builders, and engineers who care about both form and function—who think about energy flow, emotion, and experience—not just code and concrete… that changes everything.

What Tulē Will Offer

Tulē isn’t just another day spa in Davis.
It’s a love letter to the wellness seekers, the overstimulated, the burned out, and the curious.

We’re creating a space where:

• You can sit in stillness in a steam room, or sweat it out in a traditional sauna

• You can recharge in a cold plunge or float effortlessly in our high-salinity floatation pool

• You can meet like-minded people in a communal lounge or reconnect with yourself in quiet zones

• You can move intentionally in our fitness space, offering mobility coaching and small group training

This isn’t a transactional place to "book a service."
It’s a third space. A sanctuary. A container for transformation.

Whether you come for the hot and cold contrast therapy, float therapy, or to simply breathe and be—we want Tulē to meet you where you are, and offer what you didn’t know you needed.

What’s Next?

We’ve still got a long road ahead—permits, construction, inspections, and no doubt more curveballs.

But this moment deserves celebration.

Thank you for following our story. Thank you for being curious about what a modern wellness retreat in Davis, CA could become. We’ll keep sharing as the next milestones unfold.

If you know someone who’s into contrast therapy, modern spa design, or just needs a place to hit reset—share this post or invite them to join our newsletter.

Warmly,

Miles G.
Founder, Tulē