Ms. Segerberg

Spas, Health & Fitness

Integrating Your Spa into Your Hotel

By Jane Segerberg, Founder & President, Segerberg Spa Consulting, LLC

Spas are no longer a frivolous amenity to a hotel-resort. According to the International Spa Association's Spa Industry Survey conducted by Pricewaterhouse Coopers, spas are a booming industry that will continue to grow.

The principal growth is in day and hotel-resort spas. According to Peter Ellis, CEO of Spa Finders states, "You almost can't open a hotel without a spa anymore." Just as swimming pools became a necessity 20 to 30 years ago, spas are now an expected amenity in hotels-resorts.

Hotel-resorts and Spas that are well integrated maintain a competitive advantage with the spa demonstrating the hotel-resort's distinctive positioning. Hotel-resorts that are happily married with their spas report that the spa helps to uphold their market share, significantly drives occupancy and double occupancy, raises ADR, creates an opportunity to market to locals and promotes shoulder season business. Spas also keep guests on property and Post 9/11 has seen a significant rise in requests for spa services because guests want to relax in protected private experiences.

Integration Requires Innumerable Considerations

Hotel-resorts and spas can fall into an uneasy marriage due to lack of understanding. As spas have evolved and times have changed, spas have become profitable and a happier marriage enhances both the hotel-resort and the spa. Integration requires innumerable considerations and should be treated like a business plan. It takes serious planning from HR to Marketing to the Front Desk. And, as we all know, the attitudes and time investment trickle down from Top Management.

The Market

Understand the spa's market. According to the International Spa Association's 2001 Spa Goer Survey, hotel-resort spa users average age is 44 years with a fairly equal spread between ages 30 and 54. 66% are married and the average annual household income was $122,000. Women travelers are definitely the heaviest spa users, but not only women enjoy spas, men are becoming comfortable with spa experiences and each year the number of men partaking of spa experiences is rising. Meeting groups, incentive groups and women business travelers seek spa treatments. Families and reunions are also part of the spa market. The market is driven by awareness of the importance of health and well being, high-stress jobs, aging baby boomers and the need to cocoon.

The Nature of Spas

Understand the nature of spas. What is a Spa? Spa experts continually deliberate this question. To understand "spa", first understand the spa experience, which is defined as "your time to relax, revitalize, rejoice". The spa provides variety in its programming to benefit the relaxing, revitalizing spa experience. It is a very sensory, guest-focused, one on one experience. The spa facility aids in the smooth flow of the guest from treatments to relaxation areas and exudes a relaxing, soothing ambiance.

The Supporting Infrastructure

Human Resources plays an important role in the spa's success. Successful spas are supported by a HR department that understands the nature and the needs of the employees that will be working one on one with guests during an extended period of time. HR should also recognize that spa employees and spa management have different requirements. Spas need managers who can direct and lead a diverse group of professionals and personalities. When hiring spa management, keep in mind that the managers will lead the technicians who in turn, will deliver the spa treatments. Managers do not need technical skills. Spa technicians tend to be more individually as opposed to team focused.

Searches for employees are more successful when there is dedication to creative recruiting that works cooperatively with the payroll department. The spa's payroll, due to the combination of commissions, incentive bonus and split gratuities can be more complex than other departmental payrolls.

Spa employee training is continual and constant. Due to the one on one contact with guests, training is precise and needs to be continuously updated. It involves not only the treatments, but also the management of guests in the locker room, relaxation areas and at the desks. HR support, payroll budgeting and spa management dedication to training is paramount to a spa's success.

Spa accounting and budgeting will require different formulas than the accounting department may have experienced. Accountants assigned to the spa's budget will need to learn a new jargon and be dedicated to understanding the business and the unique relationships of the various line items. Assign an accountant who is willing to learn new territory to your spa's account.

Maintenance and housekeeping can contribute to the spa's success by being sensitive to the special needs of the spa due to moisture, areas (such as ceilings) that are constantly in view of guests while receiving treatments, and equipment emergencies that directly affect the guests' experience. The timing of maintenance and housekeeping is a major consideration. Just as vacuuming a dining room during dinner hours or cutting down trees on a golf course during heavy tee times would not be considered, neither should major cleaning or renovation be considered at the spa during its open hours. Odors and noise adversely affect the guest's experience.

Marketing and PR

According to hotel-resort managers, the best PR that they receive is when an article is published about the spa. Writers are searching for interesting spa angles. The International Spa Association's annual New York media luncheon is a hot item on the writer's agendas. Writers want interesting stories about treatments, and spa activities that appeal to various market sectors.

Marketing and the spa cooperatively can enhance the spa's visibility with groups. The spa's presence in marketing to group publications and group travel shows is a requirement for creating group interest in the hotel-resort. Placing the spa prominently in the hotel-resort's group collateral attracts the interest of group planners. Group planners know that spousal happiness is important to the success of the group meeting. The spa creates an important alternative to the regular golf and tennis recreational activities.

Encourage your marketing and spa departments to collaborate on packages and specials that appeal to the seasons and to the resort-market segments. Be sure that your marketing department has first hand knowledge of the spa and has experienced it repeatedly in order to correctly represent the spa in all hotel-resort collateral and the spa's collateral.

Reservations/Front Desk/Bell Stand/Concierge

Departments in contact with guests pre-arrival and during arrival have an opportunity to guide the guest to plan for the spa during their stay. Training of these areas including direct experiences at the spa will enhance their ability to represent the spa appropriately. Keeping in mind that a relaxed guest is a happy guest; these areas are crucial to leading the guests to activities that will increase the success of their stay.

Sales Department

The spa has valuable impact on closing the sale of the resort to groups. Spas also cause groups to return to the hotel-resort more frequently because of the added diversity of the hotel-resorts offerings. Site visits and planning visits should include spa tours and consultation with the spa's group sales coordinator. The spa and sales department both benefit from a jointly planned menu especially designed for groups.

The Spa's Responsibility

The spa is part of the team of players in ensuring the guest's seamless hotel-resort experience and should see itself in that role. When spa management and employees understand the spa's relationship to the entire resort then the two cultures will meld and service will be consistent with the hotel-resort. The spa's dedication to health and well being can contribute to its potential of being a shining star amenity.

Like any other department, good management and good marketing lead to a healthy bottom line. Spa management should ensure that the spa is adequately staffed to handle the potential volume of business. A well-managed desk staff is a valuable key to maintaining the volume of business warranted by the hotel-resort's occupancy. By communicating deficits in staffing and maintaining accurate wait lists the spa becomes more efficient. Spa managers should be aware of occupancy changes and adjust staffing accordingly. Turning people away because there are no therapists available decreases not only the bottom line but also guest satisfaction.

Just Imagine...

Having read this, take a moment to close your eyes and imagine your hotel-resort with the most ideal spa. Imagine the look, the feel, the smell, the sound of the spa, how it relates to the hotel-resort and what the guests are enjoying and saying about the spa. Now, imagine your hotel-resort without this wonderful amenity. Through imagery it becomes very clear that a well integrated, well run spa is very important to the overall hotel-resort position. Regardless of whom you work with to integrate your spa into your resort, this approach makes a successful marriage.

Jane Segerberg is founder and president of Segerberg Spa Consulting, LLC., a multi-faceted spa consulting and management company with an industry reputation for creating spas that work –they are compelling for the property’s market, attain recognition, engage guests in memorable experiences and achieve bottom line success. Over Jane’s thirty-year history in the wellness, hospitality and spa industry, she has become recognized for providing outstanding service and keen attention to detail. For company information please view http://www.segerbergspa.com. Ms. Segerberg can be contacted at 912-222-1518 or janesegerberg@yahoo.com Extended Bio...

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