HOTEL BUSINESS REVIEW

July FOCUS: Hotel Spa

 
July, 2022

Hotel Spa: Now More Than Ever


In the aftermath of the global health crisis, there is a newfound appreciation for the need to be fit - both in body and mind - and hotels that provide a spa or wellness clinic will reap the rewards. What are clients seeking? Better health, fitness, nutrition, appearance, sleep and mindfulness. It is no longer sufficient for spas to only offer massages or facials; clients are demanding more for the benefit of their overall well-being. For example, a medical spa might offer services such as botox, dermal fillers, body sculpting, and microdermabrasion. Other spas are emphasizing the importance of preventative therapeutics and are using technologies such as body scanners to evaluate their clients' health. Some spas are enlisting osteopaths, naturopaths, fitness coaches, yoga masters, even psychologists, to promote vitality, stress management, and emotional balance. The July issue of the Hotel Business Review will report on these and other advancements, and document how some hotel spas are integrating them into their operations.


This month's feature articles...

Gary Virden

Situated in a place of unparalleled natural beauty on northern Florida's Atlantic coast, Gary Virden, The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island Spa Director and his team have been pioneering the holistic approach to wellness with unique treatments and therapies shown to improve health, quality of life, fitness, appearance and most importantly, the bottom line. READ MORE

Laszlo Puczko

Is this it for hotel spas? Can they really serve the growing demand for treatments and services that belong more to healthcare? Not independently from the pandemic the demand for what hotel spas may offer is changing. Is there a realistic blend between healthcare and wellness in a hotel spa setting? What are the different directions urban and resort hotel spas can follow? READ MORE

Robert Baldassari

Wellness travel was a rising trend even before the global pandemic. The renewed energy surrounding health and wellness will catapult the recovery of those in the wellness category by showcasing offerings that provide not just a vacation, but a transformation. But those that will sustain the growth are properties that can stay authentic to their brand in providing genuine wellness initiatives. READ MORE

Benjamin Farber

Spa revenues are returning to pre-pandemic records, but the ongoing struggles of hotel and resort properties recruiting and retaining their employees remain. In this candidate-driven market, what can employers do to attract and motivate their spa employees? Take a look at how your organization can become an employer of choice for spa staff and executives alike. READ MORE

Michael Koethner

There is a lot of re-thinking and adjustment happening, not only within myself but within humanity at large. Entire industries disappearing or have to totally re-invent themselves. The Spa & Wellness Industry in particular has to also clean-up its act if it wants to be part of the new plan. It has pushed aside their very roots and heart-centered ideals of its own, over the past few years, that has to stop immediately. READ MORE

Kimberley Matheson Shedrick

Hotels are perfectly suited to meet the upswell of demand for wellness. Across all types of customers – business, conference, social and individual transients there is a hearty appetite for recipes for well-being. One size does not fit all. Creating a wellness program that is authentic to your brand and location not only enhances guest experience but can lift key hotel business variables. READ MORE

Michael Goldrich

Stimulating all five senses is a key component of every multi-sensory spa experience. Creating this multi-sensory experience in the digital space has historically been very challenging. However, with the latest targeting and personalization technology layered on hotel websites, online visitors can now receive an engaging experience that mimics the in-person multi-sensory experience that will enhance their anticipation of spa services. READ MORE

Frank Pitsikalis

Spas have come to realize that modern technology is the key to more positive experiences for both staff and guests. These solutions can help empower these facilities to provide the personalized experience guests have come to expect. When spas implement technologies that equip staff to operate more efficiently, it translates to elevated service levels and higher guest satisfaction scores. The bottom line: Tech-enabled spa experiences promote both staff and guest engagement, a huge benefit to the property. READ MORE

Mia Kyricos

In a world still finding its way out of a pandemic, in a war and around an exacerbated mental health crisis, the well-being of people, planet, and community is a topic that's once again taken center-stage. While organizations of all kinds have historically grappled with what programs to offer and how to measure well-being, most still neglect ESG frameworks which can help serve as a framework to do both. READ MORE

Leslie  Wolski

As the hospitality industry emerged from the pandemic the hotel spa faced a colossal challenge. The sanctuary of health and human touch became ground zero in the effort to heal post pandemic stress and fill the human connection void. In the rush to open and meet pent up demand Spa teams had to mobilize and deliver wellness in a matter of days, but at what cost? READ MORE

Mia A. Mackman

Well-being is trust, belonging, physiological, emotional, and deeply spiritual. There are important modes of being well that occur socially and cooperatively. Experiencing societal uncertainties with the need for rapid adaption and change has magnified a widespread need to newly manage life, Self, and personal happiness. This article shares why and what you can do to meet this important and emerging demand. READ MORE

Shannon Seay

In a post-pandemic world, leisure and business travelers alike are seeking opportunities to incorporate wellness into their routines. Regardless of an overnight or extended stay, the contemporary traveler wants to know how their holistic wellness is improving while a hotel guest. As renovations and new construction abound in a mandate-free world, industry professionals are offered an opportunity to explore wellness enhancements across their portfolio and beyond. READ MORE

Andrew Barnard

The global health crisis has forced us to rethink what wellness means to us. Wellness vacations are at the forefront of the travel industry boom with consumers yearning to reset their bodies, minds and spirits. Andrew Barnard, CEO of SunSwept Resorts, discusses the future of wellness travel and how SunSwept Resorts leads the industry through programming for all needs. READ MORE

Lynn Curry

Cultivating wellness offerings and activities that bolster physical health or spiritual development will pay dividends throughout your organization. They'll increase revenues in other departments, enhance guest experience, encourage return visits and glowing reviews, and improve staff pride and performance. Here is a a simple framework for understanding and applying wellness to your guest experience. READ MORE

Rachel Svoboda

The spa and wellness industry is constantly evolving, and we've got the latest trends to help guide spa and hotel professionals. This article features insight on the latest trends and what the future holds for the wellness industry after the pandemic plus four ways to boost your marketing efforts and provide the best spa experience to your guests as possible! READ MORE

Michael G. Tompkins

Hungry for opportunities to optimize their health and well-being, people are seeking enhanced programming and high-tech solutions to help them overcome burnout, manage stress, sleep better, and more. With increased demand for more effective wellness-centric experiences, hotels are poised to deliver offerings that highlight and explore the intersection of technology and wellness. READ MORE

Robert O'Halloran

The pandemic recovery has acted as a catalyst for facilities and programs. Hotels are seeing wellness programs as a link to the wellness tourism and medical tourism sectors. This article will focus on hotel innovation(s) in this area and benchmark best practices by some operations that tie hotel spa and wellness to the great wellness and medical tourism markets. READ MORE

Bendegul Okumus

With the pandemic, current practices, future trends and issues on spa, health and wellness services are changing all over the world. As a multi-million dollar sector, hotels should discuss possible development strategies for the next decade from a supply and demand perspective since better service is possible with a healthy analysis of the sector and a better understanding of customers. READ MORE

Jessica Smith

As you evaluate your hotel spa's treatment menu, take into consideration our society's dire need for both whole-body wellness and relaxation. Keeping this in mind will greatly help determine if you should expand or alter your menu. Guests will not only benefit personally (and appreciate the thought behind each treatment offered), but many different hotel groups have also shown more interest in wellness-related group activities, such as yoga classes, hiking or nature walks, or outdoor aerobics. READ MORE

Jeremy McCarthy

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has stayed true to their strong wellness positioning launching two new global wellness initiatives since the beginning of the pandemic. Both of these initiatives, Inner Strength – Outer Strength and Intelligent Movement find wellness at the intersection of mind and body. READ MORE

Mary Tabacchi

Humans and similar species sought healing, wellness, resting and calming. Whether in Turkish Hammans, Russian Banya, Japanese Onsen (hot springs) Hokkaido, Korean Jimjilbang, Caracalla, in Rome, Bath on Avon, or Ischia founded by Greeks. Ischia, located 245 km from Rome, a volcanic island is the oldest spa in the world. A preferred destination of Ancient Greeks and Romans, Nitrodi, Ninfe Nitrodi (Nymphs of Nitrodi) was and still is famous for retreat and ritual. The use of the term spa – in Latin - Solus per Aqua is not new. READ MORE

Lynne McNees

In this article, ISPA President Lynne McNees explores the evolving relationship between spas and the hotels and resorts they are a part of. Driven by rising guest demand for experiences that seamlessly incorporate aspects of wellness and self-care, this evolution has led to the empowerment of spa leaders to more meaningfully influence offerings across properties, to the mutual benefit of both spa and hotel. READ MORE

Coming up in March 1970...