notes, “and we didn’t want to put our
guests in a facility that didn’t fit into
the Ranch as a whole.”
DO: Work Together from
the Start
With a team assembled, Mountain
Sky began to work on the project together,
collaborating on every aspect
of the design rather than dividing up
the work and remaining ‘siloed.’ “In
the early stages we like to have the
entire team put together,” comments
Roodell, “and use the initial stages a
fact-finding mission.” It’s at this point
that key decisions were made regarding
the scope and nature of the renovation.
The goal of the renovation was the
elevate the overall spa-going experience
at Mountain Sky Guest Ranch,
but a few areas and additions were
key. First was the creation of a dedicated
indoor-outdoor yoga studio
that can be “opened up to enjoy yoga
outdoors,” says Middleton. This addition
has allowed Mountain Sky
Guest Ranch to expand its yoga program,
which was a key motivator for
the renovation. Second, the renovation
saw the installation of an outdoor hot
tub—one of the largest in Montana—
and an indoor grotto that permitted
an increased variety of hydrotherapy
treatments. Since unveiling the new
indoor water areas, Mountain Sky has
launched a signature water massage
treatment that has become one of the
spa’s best-sellers.
Lastly, after the combined team
studied the desires of the ranch’s
guests, Roodell designed an expansive
serenity room overlooking the valley
floor below. Previously, the spa had no
real area in which customers could
relax and luxuriate in the spa experience;
now, Runge says that it is a
“common occurrence for a guest to
ask if I can wake them up in 45 minutes”
while lounging in the space.
Mountain Sky guests—the facility is
open to all guests, not just spagoers—also
use the space for reading,
relaxing and quiet socialization.
In addition to the all-new facilities,
the project renovated the spa’s existing
spaces, adding two new treatment
rooms, more bathrooms and shower
facilities—modifications that are less
spectacular than a water grotto, of
course, but which serve as an important
reminder not to lose the forest
for the trees when dreaming big during
a spa redesign.
DO: Be Structured, Yet Flexible
“There are always hurdles, it really
doesn’t matter what the project is,”
Roodell says. Flexibility is critical to a
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