Some 70 to 100 room attendants at Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel gather each morning for “ housekeeping yoga ,” light stretching set to music designed to kickstart the day .
WELL-
NESS
FOR ALL
The Spa at Whiteface Lodge in Lake Placid , New York , likes to boast that it serves “ the modern man — from Iron Man to everyman .” Thanks to male-focused treatments such as sports massages , deep-tissue massages and deep-cleansing facial The
Outdoorsman , the Spa at Whiteface Lodge is catering to a growing number of men .
“ It ’ s been a huge step in getting men to walk through the spa door ,” confirms Spa Director Jamie Costa . “ Our typical male client is in his 40s , but we ’ re starting to see a younger clientele . A lot of men are becoming more aware of their well-being , and once they ’ ve had a positive spa experience it ’ s enough to make them come back .”
Room attendants are another group that might not be at the heart of the wellness movement , but that hasn ’ t stopped Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel from developing a robust “ housekeeping yoga program .” Every morning , 70 to 100 room attendants from around the world gather for a few minutes of light stretching set to music — a practice that has been going on for almost six years now .
“ We have a few wide eyes when we have a new associate , but then they realize it ’ s something fun ,” says Director of Housekeeping Mark Hughes . “ The idea is to get the body warmed up . It ’ s good to get everybody on the same page and excited for the day .”
GETTING PERSONAL
When The Inn at Palmetto Bluff , a Montage Resort in Bluffton , South Carolina , needed more spa-treatment space to meet growing demand , the property decided instead of guests going to the spa , the spa would come to the guests . The In-Room Indulgences menu includes treatments such as the Butler Bath with a customized soaking bath , spa music and Champagne and Couples Elopement featuring side-by-side body scrubs , massages and foot reflexology .
“ Our guests wanted more than the basic in-room massage ,” explains Spa Director Raye Fetzner . “ Our accommodations have beautiful teacup bathtubs and two-person steam showers and , in essence , function as mini-spas in and of themselves .”
El Santuario , the new spa at Spain ’ s Abadía Retuerta LeDomaine set to debut this summer , plans to take personalization to a new level with the introduction of a Spa Sommelier . This individual will give guests a selection of oils to smell and wines to taste , and depending on guests ’ palette and aroma preferences , the spa sommelier will design a spa experience to target their physical and spiritual needs . For guests who do not drink alcohol , the wines will be replaced with hot teas in winter and cold grape juices in summer . “ Our Spa Sommelier will parallel the role of the conductor of an orchestra , interpreting the guest ’ s needs and orchestrating a wellness experience that is a work of art ,” says Andres Araya , managing director of Abadía Retuerta LeDomaine .
Spacious guestroom bathrooms serve as mini-spas at The Inn at Palmetto Bluff thanks to the property ’ s In-Room Indulgences menu .
26 HOTELS May 2015 www . hotelsmag . com