into wellness . People are definitely redefining their lifestyles . It ’ s created a new sense of wellness , and part of that is taking care of themselves in the spa . We ’ re extending that invitation to all aspects of the sports club ,” says Kelly .
Just as Theresia Kelly has reached out to the on-site audience of men making use of other parts of Boar ’ s Head Resort , Maggee Byrd says the Ritz-Carlton Toronto has leaned into its location in the heart of the city ’ s entertainment and financial district to draw male guests to the spa . “ The majority of our business here is local . We have a very loyal clientele where we have some guests that come to us weekly ,” says Byrd . “ A lot them are businessmen who work in downtown Toronto , and they will come in over a lunch break or before their business day is starting . We created the ‘ Gentleman ’ s Power Hour ’ years ago because that was a way of having gentlemen come in and within that 60-minute time frame commit to some self-care .”
The Gentleman ’ s Power Hour that Byrd refers to offers guests the opportunity to select from three different service combinations to enjoy without disrupting the flow of a typical workday , and the variety of options allows guests to personalize their experience to fit their needs . One package is comprised of a back , neck and shoulder massage , an express facial and a sports manicure , while another offers a scalp massage , foot massage and a nail buff and file . As Byrd points out , any guest is free to enjoy these service packages , but marketing them specifically to men makes it easier for those exploring the menu to step more confidently into the spa .
“ When we first reopened here , because of the popularity of our golf course , we made up an upgraded golf package , and we have had men take advantage .”
— THERESIA KELLY
Surprises and Room for Growth
Even small adjustments to service and treatment names can help guide men toward menu items that can help them get their feet wet ( and potentially exfoliated ) in the spa . Maggee Byrd shares that the spa ’ s nail salon is often populated by men enjoying their “ sports ” manicure and pedicure services , which is a notable change from the past . “ Years ago ,” says Byrd , “ gentlemen weren ’ t always comfortable being in a nail salon . Oftentimes , they felt the salon was really catering to women — ladies coming together and having a glass of bubbly while they get their nails done — but I ’ ve seen a significant shift in that , which is really nice .”
Theresia Kelly has seen a similar shift at Boar ’ s Head . “ I ’ m seeing a lot more pedicures for men , and that ’ s a fairly new phenomenon . In the past , at various spas I ’ ve managed , it has not been an ordinary thing to see a man — especially a man who is over 50 — enjoying a pedicure , but I ’ m seeing that more and more now , which is great .” Kelly adds that the over-50 crowd is far more likely to be found in the nail salon than a younger demographic . It ’ s been a welcome surprise , and perhaps an indication of just how many barriers to entry have been knocked down in the last handful of years . One lesson to take from the success these respective properties have had in the nail salon is to never make assumptions about what men may be drawn to in the spa . Each leader Pulse spoke with for this piece emphasized the importance of speaking directly to men who visit the spa , both to get feedback on their needs and what they may want out of their spa experience and to educate them about service options that may have benefits they don ’ t expect or aren ’ t likely to consider without some prompting .
That ’ s what Escarle Silva is attempting to do at Alira by sharing the benefits of their medspa services with male guests . Opportunities for such education are getting easier to find , Silva says , because she ’ s noticing more men asking about ways to freshen up their appearance , which is something she rarely heard until recently . “ One thing I ’ ve noticed nowadays with men is facials — they want to take care of themselves , and they want a fresher look , they want to have better skin , they don ’ t want to have bushy eyebrows ,” Silva explains . It ’ s possible that constantly seeing their faces displayed on screen during virtual meetings for much of the past two years has led to a greater awareness of their appearance , but whatever the reason , Silva
FEBRUARY / MARCH 2022 ■ PULSE 27