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As a consultant I see a great many spas in hotels that just don’t measure up. Read on for 5 big mistakes and a list of easy “do’s” for making your spa facility more complete within your hotel.
- The spa is disassociated from the rest of the facility. As if an afterthought or an unexplained addition to a made over house, many times a hotel will add a spa. Sometimes it is located away from logical amenities that would compliment the services offered, like the whirlpool/pool area. Furthermore, some spas are simply ill placed within the larger structure. A spa that I visited at a well-known Los Angeles hotel and fitness club had its massage rooms within the locker room. During my massage I was treated to women chatting, babies crying and endless lockers slamming. Not a pleasant experience, to say the least. A spa can be added on to an existing facility; however, site planning must be carefully analyzed. Sometimes the expense of moving walls or extending plumbing to make the facility design functional is not a choice, it is a must. What is that phrase that our mothers used when we did poorly as children? “Either do it right or don’t do it at all.” As a hotel facility looking to add spa services or a spa area to the existing or new hotel, the commitment to do the project right the first time must be made for the spa’s budget and space allowances. Anything falling short of that will be a disaster.
- The spa is not marketed correctly. Many times the spa is all but forgotten in the marketing efforts by a hotel. Tucked away in the in-room services directory is a one-page attempt to communicate the spa and fitness services. This meager attempt just doesn’t cut it. The spa must be an integral part of the marketing of the hotel as a whole. This means having a spa sampler kit in the room with an easy invitation to book a service at the spa. Just as coffee or a continental breakfast can be pre-ordered with simple door hangers, spa services should be easily made available to guests. The front desk staff must ask, “would you like to enjoy a treatment at our spa during your stay?” A simple promotional piece for the spa should be given to every guest, whether they appear interested or not, inviting them to visit the spa. The steam room, whirlpool, pool area should be made a complimentary amenity to all hotel guests luring them to the spa area. The phone messaging service should include an invitation for guests to enjoy seasonal and currently promoted specific services. Massage should be an in room service to all guests with consideration, of course, given to professionalism.
- The spa is literally a couple of rooms with Soviet-styled, outdated equipment that no real spa goer would accept as an actual facility. I have been the victim of this scenario too many times in the past. When booking a room, I have inquired if the hotel has a spa and or fitness area. The attendant would eagerly confirm that there is a full spa and fitness facility. Then upon arrival I see the painful truth. The “spa” is an old whirlpool and the fitness facility is a rickety treadmill and a stationary bike from another era. As a hotel either you are also offering spa and fitness services or you are not. This means the latest oliptical machines, Lifecycles, up to date treadmills, weights, mirrors, bands, fit balls– the works. The same goes for your spa. Services must include the standard classics like facials, massage, body treatments and signature therapies. Hair and nails services are optional. While the facility can be small (as small as 1500 square feet), it must be well designed, well managed and appropriately appointed.
- The spa has all but forgotten the local patrons. This is particularly problematic if the hotel is in a seasonally affected tourist area and the spa sits empty for one half of the year. It is acceptable to market to the local residents in a different way, for a different price to keep the hotel’s spa busy. Attracting this alternative crowd during off peak hours or as a regular client base to compliment the hotel guests is a logical option. An additional problem to having an empty spa during a great portion of the year is scheduling and attracting the best employees.
- The spa is run improperly. I was a press guest at a $2.5 million dollar spa at a resort. The massage therapist was complaining to me about her boss. The technicians were loudly shuffling through the facility with beepers that beeped instead of vibrated. I received a body treatment in a cold, well-lit room while relaxing to the soft and pleasant melodies of heavy metal. At some point I pointed out to a technician that I was visiting as an industry expert and journalist and that I would be writing a review. This knowledge didn’t faze her. Clearly, the spa was not being managed correctly. I sat in the beautiful eucalyptus steam room casually visiting with other spa guests. They were also miserable. It isn’t enough to build a beautiful spa and call it done. Hiring a reputable spa consultant to help with the details and the hiring of qualified technicians and management staff is imperative to creating a world-class facility.
Important Do’s for Hotel Spas:
Do tie in the room theme, the hotel feel, in room amenities and promotional items to your spa. Make the spa a part of the experience of staying in the hotel.
Do include signature product samplers as a part of the bathroom amenities. Create a simple card to be placed in the spa basket welcoming the guest and inviting them to experience a treatment at the spa.
Include testimonials in the promotional items—including the in room service directory. Having the reassurance of past guests will make guests new to your hotel reassured of the quality of the spas offerings and service.
Have your front desk staff ask every guestwhen they initially book and when they check in about enjoying a spa service while they are guests at the hotel. Script their two to three sentence question to entice the guest into booking a treatment with their room.
Offer seated massage as an option for conference room guests and business meetings. Oftentimes, this type of perk will not only keep your conference rooms full, it will encourage those business guests staying at your hotel for the conference to visit the spa for additional services.
Do pay careful attention to details. Just as hotel guests judge a hotel room by how clean the tile is in the bathroom and how fluffy the pillows are, spa guests have a keen eye for the little things that could otherwise go overlooked.
Committing to offering spa services within your hotel is just the first and easiest step to creating a guest experience that is memorable and pleasant. Spas within hotels are specialty amenities and need to be planned and managed accordingly.
Melinda Minton.The Spa Association is your one resource for information, resources, education, and community in the spa industry. SPAA is the premier association for spa owners and business-to-business providers. Fundamentally, The Spa Association is about making this profession more professional. That equates to image, education, regulation, and problematic issues like licensing and sanitation.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
