The hotel industry has taken spas to a level of sophistication that would have taken years to attain in the main stream. According to the International SPA Association (ISPA), hotel spas are the largest growing spa segment. Yet, with the spa industry still in its infancy we continue to hear many of the same questions we did two decades ago. Is spa a trend? Will we end up with an albatross? To answer these questions we need to further understand how spas have evolved.

By looking at the spas of yesterday and today while thoroughly considering what research tells us, we can better understand where spas sit in our future. With this knowledge we can leverage and build our spa portfolios to effectively serve our guests while also meeting financial goals and expectations.

Two decades ago spas were primarily hair salons with a few treatment rooms. Most luxury hotels felt they had to have some element of spa but didn't want them to occupy prime space. Sometimes they appeared in retail areas and were often relegated to subterranean areas considered non-revenue spaces. They were always outsourced, poised to become someone else's "problem." Contracts were established that highly favored the concessionaire and the ...