Mr. Walton

Spas, Health & Fitness

Spa Design for Both Luxury and Bottom-line Efficiency

By Greg Walton, Vice President, Hospitality, RTKL

Co-authored by Gina Goodin LEED AP, Principal, RTKL

There’s no question that design is a differentiator, especially for spa design where an emphasis on detail is not only expected, but celebrated. Good design is not simply form and decoration. In order to both attract guests to a spa facility and maximize revenue, every step must be taken to create a memorable experience through thoughtful design and attention to operations. Today’s best spas not only boast high-quality design, but also efficient programming and back of house space planning. Considerations such as the size of the treatment rooms, the proximity of guest areas and support spaces, the balance between private and communal areas, and whether employee and service areas are both functional and accessible, are all fundamental components to elevating the guest experience and financial success.

Flexibility is Key

The design of spa spaces must be flexible enough to adapt to changing trends, ownership, and the treatment du jour. To achieve this flexibility, spa operators are embracing the creative use of multi-functional spaces and services that maximize the usage of available square-footage and provide more options for a wider variety of patrons.

For instance, it’s increasingly common for spas to offer general use of their whirlpool baths, saunas and thermal suites to bring more guests into the facility. These “self-directed” experiences require fewer staff while providing more flexibility, increased flow, and increased revenue for the spa from guests who wouldn’t necessarily opt for specific treatments. Some facilities push the envelope of common area design to cater to those just seeking a relaxing spa environment and experience. For instance, spas with features such as hammams, traditional communal bathing facilities inspired by ancient Turkish baths, allow guests to simply enjoy the spa and relax in a beautiful setting.

RTKL’s design for Eau Spa at the Ritz-Carlton Palm Beach is as much a personal retreat as it is a place for pampering. At the heart of the project is a co-ed open-air garden punctuated with water features, fragrant plantings, and social and quiet enclaves for guests to seek respite and enjoy spa amenities. The spa also offers private villas with gardens that can be booked for special treatments or as a private place of refuge. Separate men’s and women’s wet areas have self-scrub bars tailored to guest preferences, steam and sauna rooms, and a large whirlpool for guests to use at their leisure.

Treatment rooms equipped to accommodate multiple services are another way for spa operators to maximize the use of their space. Rather than being dedicated exclusively as a massage or a facial room, treatment rooms are designed for a variety of wet, dry, or packaged facilities to provide more flexibility for the spa and ensure that spaces don’t sit empty.

Our firm’s design of the spa at Loews Don Cesar Beach Resort and Spa in St. Pete Beach, Florida required us to work within the small space constraints of an existing site area adjacent to the building. To obtain the greatest functionality from the square footage, we included showers and tubs in many of the rooms so that scrub, shower, and wet or dry treatments could take place in the same room at different appointment times. As a result, less square-footage was required for the locker room shower areas, leaving more space for revenue-generating treatment rooms. Similarly, our cruise ship spas are intentionally designed with hard-surface flooring and in-room showers to provide more treatment options for each room and maximize already limited space on the ship.

Investment in Materials and Infrastructure

Possibly more than any other type of facility, spas requires frequent soft-goods renovation to keep the space and the design fresh. To increase the design lifecycle of a spa, the selection of quality, durable materials from the beginning is a must. While the aesthetics of a spa may appear stunning on the surface, the use of incorrect materials can create serious unforeseen problems for operators.

For example, a seemingly straightforward decision like using steel studs in a steam room can lead to rusting and structural damage. Instead, in this situation and in consideration of a number of other variables, we would recommend masonry construction to prevent long-term problems. Another issue often overlooked is the HVAC system and acoustics in the spa. Why invest in beautiful fixtures, materials and finishes if your guests are going to be subjected to the discomforts of uncontrolled temperatures and disruptive noises easily transferred through improperly integrated or designed ductwork?

To further extend the life of the design, we also recommend a neutral, timeless palette for hard surfaces such as tiles, marble, and flooring combined with interchangeable ‘pops’ of color for accent areas and finishes. And while materials must look and feel luxurious, they must be equally durable and easily maintained.

For example, our luxury aesthetic and functional design of Eau Spa is achieved through the use of high-performance materials including porcelain and glass mosaic tiles, scrubbable paint finishes, damask patterned carpet tiles, porcelain wood floors, and washable lush slipcovers, as well as richly patterned Crypton leathers and fabrics.

The spa’s color palette, inspired by an earth, water, fire, and ice design concept, drives the look and feel of the spa’s public areas, wet areas, salon, and treatment rooms. Rich colors play out against modern Baroque design elements and a crisp white architectural background. Individual treatment rooms can be easily personalized with color-changing LED lighting, aromatherapy, and music, catering to guest needs and offering the flexibility that makes modern spas more desirable and profitable.

These specifications achieve the necessary balance and integration of high design aesthetic and long-term durable performance.

Spas as a Place of Inherent Wellness

Not only do well-designed spas save money, but they are inherently more sustainable. Low-flow water appliances, occupancy sensors, thermostats, lighting controls and green materials and products naturally dovetail with the spa wellness concept.

A prime example is The Lodge and Spa at Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Georgia, outside of Atlanta. From the project’s inception, sustainability served not only as important design criterion, but also to fulfill Callaway’s mission to provide a living landscape where visitors can experience nature, and cultivate a longstanding relationship with the environment.

The most unique aspect of Callaway’s sustainable effort is the development of the Building Education Program. Utilizing different instructional methods, the Lodge and Spa actively educates the public about the benefits of green building and sustainable living practices. Visible signage positioned throughout the property describes the various conservation tactics used on site. Since many of the tactics are not immediately obvious, guests can go on guided tours that illustrate and explain individual features.

Spa Operations and the Guest Experience

Attention to circulation and layout is critical to ensuring that guests can move throughout a spa with an appropriate level of privacy while staff can continue to operate efficiently.

A few simple measures such as providing storage and staff break rooms near the treatment rooms and allotting space for laundry bins and products enhance guest experience and flow, employee efficiency, space versatility, and operational functionality.

Typically, we design linen holding rooms discreetly tucked into corridors near treatment areas which allow staff to quickly change linens without a disruption to service. These rooms can also store additional treatment products so that staff don’t have to run back and forth to the control dispensary each time new products are needed.

While some of the strategies presented here may not work for every brand or type of facility, they are just a few examples of how simple and thoughtful planning and design go a long way in elevating spa efficiency, functionality and service. Regardless of size, location, or brand, creating a lasting impression and elevating the guest experience is ultimately what matters most in spa design.

Gina Goodin contributed to this article. As Principal of RTKL, Ms. Goodin is a seasoned interior designer with more than 30 years of experience. She specializes in hospitality design for some of the world's most respected brands. Her work includes a diverse range of spa projects including the Ritz-Carlton Spas in Naples, Amelia Island and Key Biscayne, Florida; Canyon Ranch SpaClub in Las Vegas; and the Loews Don Cesar spa in St. Petersburg, Florida. Her hotel design experience includes the Ritz-Carlton Naples, Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island, Ritz-Carlton Sarasota, Marriott Harbor Beach, Orlando Marriott World Center, Marriott Marco Island and Loews Don Cesar Beach Resort.

An architect and interior designer with 30 years of experience, Greg Walton is a Vice President of RTKL’s hospitality group in Miami, where he directs the firm's cruise ship interior design studio. Mr. Walton has worked on a wide-range of hospitality and entertainment projects throughout the U.S. and abroad, including cruise ships, restaurants, spas, and hotels. Mr. Walton's portfolio includes extensive work with noted clients including Celebrity Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, Yachts of Seabourn, Princess Cruises, Loews Hotels, the Ritz-Carlton and Intercontinental Hotels. Mr. Walton can be contacted at 786-268-3200 or gwalton@rtkl.com Extended Bio...

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