Special RepoRt : Spa and wellneSS
NothiNg if autheNtic not
Spa secrets to success
A signature waterfall room at the spa at St . Regis Aspen incorporates local stones in the design to help give guests an authentic , unique experience .
Spa guests today want products , treatments and services they can ’ t find anywhere else , and to deliver , many hotels are looking right in the neighborhood . St . Regis Aspen , for one , sources its body-care line from a company in nearby Boulder , Colorado , and design elements such as local stones , locally harvested decorative crystals and a chromatherapy wall reflecting the colors of an Aspen autumn also contribute distinctive ambience .
“ All these elements come together to create a cozy and elegant feel that truly reflects the Aspen our clients know and love ,” says Spa Director Julie Oliff . The Peninsula Hotels , in contrast , is relying on a global authority to give its spas greater authenticity . The group recently introduced two Simply Peninsula
Royal Thai massages devised in partnership with the Wat Pho Temple in Bangkok . “ Peninsula therapists are taught authentic and traditional Thai massage by the world ’ s leading authority , offering an unparalleled treatment that is true to the ancient art of Thai massage ,” says Robert Cheng , the group ’ s vice president of marketing . However , as hotels appear to race to deliver the next big thing in authentic spa treatments , a word of caution is in order . “ We try to keep those things in moderation ,” says David Stoup , chairman of spa-management company Trilogy Spa Holdings . “ If disproportionate amounts of time and money are spent to achieve what I ’ m calling cultural relevance , it can be a real drag on profits . You can ’ t add an unlimited number of new services that look good but don ’ t sell .”
LOng diSmiSSEd AS LOSS LEAdERS , HOTEL SpAS TOdAy incREASingLy ARE mOving fROm THE REd TO THE bLAck . HERE ARE fivE TipS TO cOnSidER wHEn iT cOmES TO bOOSTing yOuR SpA ’ S bOTTOm LinE :
1
Do your homework . “ Some hotel spas haven ’ t done well because the upfront homework wasn ’ t done to determine the correct scale of operations or types of services delivered ,” says Meg Prendergast , Chicago-based principal at design firm The Gettys Group .
2
Find a strong leader . Hiring a spa manager with both hard and soft skills is critical , notes Susie Ellis , chairman and CEO of the Global Wellness Institute . “ It ’ s not just caring for people ,” she notes . “ They also have to have the hard skills of marketing , finance and sales .”
3
Put spa into the big picture . “ Instead of considering the spa as its own thing , you want to have the spa manager as part of the hotel team ,” Ellis says . “ If the hotel is behind the spa , integrating the spa into what it ’ s doing , it will be so much more successful .”
4
Cater to guests beyond the hotel . “ You ’ ve got to be prepared to reach out to the local population , if it ’ s there , to make sure upwards of 50 % of total revenues come from the locals ,” says David Stoup , chairman of spa-management company Trilogy Spa Holdings .
5
Think broadly when it comes to revenue . In addition to things like the PR a spa can generate , Ellis says spas can draw corporate business or keep guests in house for F & B . “ You have to look at it more broadly that just the revenue that ’ s coming from the spa ,” she says .
24 HOTELS May 2015 www . hotelsmag . com