Ms. Fenard

Spas, Health & Fitness

Understanding the Benefits of Combining Creative Spa Design with Efficient Programming

By Elaine Fenard, Partner & Chief Operating Officer, Europe and U.S., Spatality

As the world of spa continues to grow in an attempt to catch up with demand, spa developers throughout the world have realized the importance of creating a true point of differentiation, and nowhere is this more apparent than in the design and programming of the facility itself.

While it's true that unique spa treatments, compelling packages and snazzy marketing all help to create market separation, it is the physical spa itself that holds one of the real keys to creating a memorable experience for guests (the other key being service excellence). But it's much easier said than done. To ensure the long-term success of a spa, one also must ensure that a spa's design and programming is based on functionality to ensure maximum productivity. It's a classic case of art-meets-science.

The ultimate goal of spa design and programming is to create an environment that not only keeps guests at the spa for a longer period, but also drives them to come back for a second, third and eventually ongoing experience. Smith Travel 2007 research on the luxury spa market shows that a well executed hotel spa increases occupancy and rate, thereby increasing the value of the asset. But of course, the spa must be designed to take advantage of these notions. And this begs the question, where to begin? The answer: develop a plan.

The Road Map

Think of your plan as a road map. In the same way you wouldn't plan an extended road trip without a map, spa design and programming should not begin without a plan. How many people do you expect to experience your spa? What is your market situation? Where will you draw from? How much of your spa revenue will come from in-house guests versus local guests? What is the optimum number of treatment rooms to ensure that you are ready to service the demand while minimizing empty-room hours? All of these questions and more should be answered in a well-prepared spa market research and feasibility study. A strong market research report will provide you with the essential information to define the structure and eventual positioning of your spa. It also will help you determine an optimal site, your competitive set and proposed budget and detailed financial forecast. Only after you have determined the business case for the spa should you focus on architectural strategies. Without it, you are simply building in the dark.

Architectural Foundation

A strong architectural program should first and foremost consider the guest experience and how it will be delivered on both a practical and sensory level. Such a program should include goals, facts, concept and need.

First, the goals: what should the spa achieve? What are the financial goals and considerations? How can the space create the "wow" factor that all good spas exude? Determining these goals will help establish the direction of the programmatic concepts of the spa while helping to define the physical space itself. In short, it's a matter of science first, art second, not in terms of priority, but in terms of order.

Second, the facts: In a refit situation, the existing conditions and requirements of the property certainly must be considered and adhered-to. In a new-build, consider the available space allocated and its specific location within the property. In both cases, it is essential to consider adjacencies (both for esthetics and efficiency), as well as user characteristics and preferences. Other specifics to consider include the necessary equipment to be housed, the FF&E as well as the OS&E. Don't make the mistake of ignoring the latter or you will run the risk of tainting your beautiful spa design the moment the operational equipment is delivered to your doorstep. Again, planning is the name of the game.

Third, the concept: The programming process will uncover abstract ideas that beget functional solutions to reaching the goals. These will become the basis for the design concept, now a creative process rooted in objectives and strategies, and not merely an exercise in creative brainstorming.

Finally, the need: This part of the process in architectural planning balances the desires of the guest with the available budget; in a perfect world, it even helps to establish the budget itself. Overall, it separates the wants from the needs and considers form, function, economy and time.

Operational Efficiency

The floor plan can look great and include some wonderful conceptual elements, but if it is not designed to function efficiently it will have a negative effect on revenue. A good rule of thumb here is 1,000 sf to every treatment room. A productive floor plan maximizes revenue-generating spaces and outlines the correct number and mix of treatment rooms. It is essential that the spa's back-of-house spaces and working areas are considered regarding their relationship to the property's back-of-house. This helps to reduce turn times for the treatment rooms and ensures the guest experience is not compromised by, for example, attendants running towel carts through public areas.

Making intelligent decisions based on knowledge of spa industry statistics of treatment room use and how it fits within your specific market mix can save you from making mistakes that will affect projected spa revenue. There is a tendency to review the competitive set and build according to your competitors' treatment room offerings and offer a similar menu. Do not be influenced by this. For example, your nearest competitor perhaps might offer wet rooms (e.g. Vichy showers) and hydrotherapy rooms (tubs). It sounds great, but considering that such offerings traditionally incur a much lower average-room utilization versus a multi-purpose treatment room, it might not be in your best interest. There are always exceptions of course; wet rooms and hydro tubs can work if it is part of your overall programming and positioning, but the point here is to plan it out based on financials, not one's whimsy or what someone else provides. The key is to make sure the treatment areas mix is right for your situation and guests.

Consideration of treatment room size also is critical. Many hotel management companies mandate minimum sizes to meet the brand standard. But it also is essential that treatment rooms are not too small. A too-small room can definitely hamper the guest experience. In a case where the mandate reduces a treatment room size beyond customer comfort might tell you to slightly reduce the number of rooms in favor of more space on a reduced number of rooms. Of course, the architectural plan will help you to figure this all out. But always remember, if a guest is happy, they'll likely come back. And space in a treatment room has a lot to do with the outcome of the guest experience.

In addition, efficient design can help reduce labor costs. For example, you may want to incorporate several entrance points that include street access or the private accommodation of celebrities depending on your market situation. The goal should be to keep the operation simple and ensure the labor model is efficient during down times.

The Design

Once the architectural program is in place, it is now time to include the design team. It is critical to make sure the architects and designers fully understand the objectives and parameters of the spa space to create a synergy where function and form truly meet at the apex. The first point of these meeting of the minds should be the arrival, where all five senses of the guest need to be considered.

• Touch: what can be done to enhance the tactile nature of the space?
• Taste: what tastes will the guests experience (a signature tea? a pre-treatment drink?)
• Smell: the olfactory sense is the strongest memory recall of all of the senses; what will yours be?
• Sight: what is the first thing a guest sees; what draws the eye?
• Sound: will there be music? what should it invoke? sound effects? water features? All of these factors, well executed, can help create the "wow" factor. The entry portal into your spa can help create a feeling of decompression and relaxation, so don't take this part for granted. It is the first impression and can often dictate the guest's expectations for the rest of the spa experience. All of the human senses should be factored, particularly in the arrival. Your teams should think about creating a dynamic element or elements that truly "wow" the guest from the very beginning of the experience.

The second point should be to determine how the guest will journey through the entire spa and the touch points that create an overall effect. Look for the details that will help to create your spa brand, the points that guests will remember. Throughout the spa the key touchpoints should draw the eye, heart and mind. Make them unforgettable, and your brand will forever be cemented in the guest's mind.

Elaine Fenard is an integral partner in Spa Strategy, one of the world's leading spa consulting and design firms. Joining in the Spa Strategy quest to create innovative and profitable spas, Elaine brought to the team more than 25 years experience in spa development and operations with one of the world's largest hotel companies and the leading international spa operations company. As an industry pioneer and recognized expert, Elaine is a frequent speaker at many conferences, and is a regular guest speaker at Cornell University. Ms. Fenard can be contacted at 303-573-8100 or Elaine@spastategy.com Extended Bio...

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