A visit to the Evian Spa at Three on the Bund was on my list of "must do's" while I was in Shanghai. Not only did its opening several years ago cause quite a splash, but Alexa Brue reviewed it in the May/June issue of Luxury Spa Finder Magazine, giving it a mixed review which meant I wasn't planning on dropping off any magazines during my visit.

Alexa had found that her facial was much better than the one her friend received, and that of course means an uneven experience. She did give the spa raves for decor.

I had the concierge at my hotel call to make the appointment so they didn't know who I was when I visited. I had also decided to have a facial. Happily my experience was positive for both the treatment and the decor. The facial was terrific (they use Clarins) and the aesthetician very nurturing - and yes, I did get a foot and hand massage as well. My only complaint was that the facial was given on a massage table where I was lying flat on my back with no pillow under my legs and no elevation for my torso. I'm OK in that position but I know it could be uncomfortable for many. It is interesting that they would miss such an important detail so easy to correct.

I learned that there are now three Evian Spas, one in France, this one in Shanghai, and one which just opened in Argentina.

The decor really does work - simple, mesmerizing, lots of white curtains, acrylic chairs, white lockers, candle light, white relaxation chairs with white comforters, white flowers, each treatment room wall with a unique texture and design. Mine had dramatic black and white marble (think cow) floor to ceiling. This spa's decor is an example of such creative, dramatic yet simple design, taking in the space is a large part of the experience. It just works so well that it trumps any small hiccups in the service.

The Turning Point Conference which I attended here in Shanghai is over. A two-day conference and a third day of workshops has come to an end. I always feel so inspired after spending time exchanging ideas with spa professionals from all over the world. The size of an event really makes a difference, as the Turning Point's intimate size allows for strong connections. This year, Don Siegel, who runs the conference, also provided a real treat with a Kungfu performance by monks from the Shanghai Shaolin Temple at one evening's dinner gala.

Here is my "reader's digest summary" of what I got out of the various presentations.

Bob Henry, Architect, International Spa Design Trends - Seems that designing spas is more than just the physical space assigned to a spa these days. There are a lot of nuances and subtleties that contribute to people's health which are now included in design. His Canyon Ranch Living project in Chicago has taken some bold steps.

Richard Dusseau, Spa Strategy Inc., Defining the Brand Experience - His new Nector spa brand, carefully thought out to be a product for 4 star properties, is advertising (not PR) driven, and makes money. Bingo.

Bija Bennett, Yoga Away, The Yoga Experience. Right here. Right now. - She made a great point that when people are stressed because of sitting all day at computers, what they may need more - than a massage - is movement.

Carroll Dunham, Wild Earth Nepal, Spas and Social Responsibility - The spa industry misses out on a real treasure if they do not involve local people in their concepts and development. Some real global good can be done by connecting with the characteristics of local cultures.

Jamie Waring, Six Senses Resorts & Spas, A Holistic Approach to Enhancing the Bottom Line - The story of Sonu and Eva, founders of the rapidly expanding brands behind Six Senses, is an inspiring story of what can happen when you act on your deepest passions.

Clodagh, Clodagh Design International, Living the Spa Experience in a Changing World - Nature is probably the greatest source of inspiration contributing to people's relaxation and health. Sometimes an exceptional photo of some spa related objects say more about a place than a photo showing all of its facilities.

Professor Marc Cohen, RMIT University, Applying the Principles of TCM to Business Wellness - With a medical degree, and two PhD's, it is no wonder Marc mesmerizes everyone with his ideas and vision. Particularly fascinating is how he sees the spa industry making a major contribution to raising consciousness and challenging the global spa industry to take up a global cause - such as water. How fitting.

Heather Stuart, Spa Consultants International, Creating Day Spa Success - With experience in opening spas for the Saudi royal family, managing the Four Seasons in Tokyo, as well as consulting in Russia, she emphasizes exceeding expectations. And wisely suggests that if you can't be #1 in your category, redefine the category.

Mark Wuttke, the Wuttke Group, What Spas Can do to Capture Maximum Retail Income - His message is important in that successful retailing in our spas might very well be the most important factor in determining whether a spa will be profitable or not. And shouldn't we carry over our successful relationship with the client in our treatment rooms to the retail sales process?

And finally, my topic, Strategies for Internet Promotion - I think the major points that resonated with the audience were
1. The importance of professional photography
2. The need for all spa professionals to no longer delegate their Internet strategies but jump in with both feet
3. Online treatment booking is the next big thing.
4. It is smart to learn from the "big boys". Look at what companies like Starwood, St. Regis, Hyatt, Ritz Carlton, and Four Seasons (all who spend millions on web research) are doing and learn from them. Thus their investment dollars are benefiting you.

Nicholas and I decided to try one of the more authentic Chinese spa experiences, so we went to the recommended China Rits CEO Club. It is a 24-hour club where apparently anyone can come in and enjoy the facilities, which include a restaurant and bar, jacuzzi, steam room and lots of rooms for foot massage and body massage. There were absolutely no English speaking people there and all their literature was in Chinese. Somehow we were able to get across that we wanted to each have a foot massage and a body treatment.

I was escorted to the women's locker area and shown to the shower, before I was given some pajama-like outfit which was what everyone else was wearing also. I ended up being taken down numerous corridors (there must have been 50 or more places for people to get foot massages and another 30 or so massage rooms) into a massage room with two massage tables. Since there was absolutely no way of communicating with my therapist I decided to just go with the flow. What ended up happening was they brought Nicholas into the room also - either they didn't realize he was my son (step son actually) which I will take as a compliment - or perhaps they thought this is the arrangement we wanted. Anyway we laughed and decided to give it a go. Both of us ended up having a therapist work on our feet while another therapist worked on the rest of our bodies. All of this lasted a delightful 2 hours.

I figured out we had 8 hours of massage between the two of us and our final bill was $200 total. Not bad at all for us American travelers and a common price for city CEO's in Shanghai.

Did some touring - with a car and English speaking guide (Michael) that was surprisingly reasonable and turned out to be a good investment. Not only were we able to have a quick experience of some of the famous Shanghai sites like People's Square, French Quarter, a silk factory, and gardens, but our guide was also an excellent source of information regarding spa culture. Michael himself goes to the public bath once a week for a massage. I found this amazing in that the average wage earns someone about $300 per month. While that is about how much you would spend at the Chi Spa for just one of their rituals, the public baths and massage for Shanghai's citizens would cost only about $10. So we asked Michael to take us to one of these "spas" to have a look. On the way he explains that the Chinese have a saying which goes something like this: "water in the body in the morning, body in the water at night".

One silly memory – but because it is one of my pet peeves – I am sure I won’t forget it. Of the many spa treatments I’ve had, I can count on one hand the number of therapists who have washed their hands in front of me before starting the treatment. Here at the Chi spa in Shanghai, at the Pudong Shangri-La Shanghai hotel, my therapist made it a point to say between each part of my treatment, “I will go and wash my hands now.” She must have said it 3 times. Kudos then to my first spa therapist in China. And kudos to the Chi spa training program.

A thought. After our first Shanghai spa experience, Nicholas and I had dinner before heading to the Bund to see a bit of the nightlife. When we returned later in the evening, our cab driver dropped us off at the side entrance to the hotel amongst quite a bit of traffic. After we got out of the cab (thankfully) our cab driver got into a fist fight with someone from another vehicle because both vehicles wouldn't budge to alleviate a traffic jam. This was frightening.

I thought later about how I am seeing two aspects of China here….one is the very modern face with skyscrapers, western style restaurants, and plenty of contemporary glitz. The other is a backwardness which is very foreign to an American. The fight was one example; another was a woman helping her young child, about four, squat down to go the bathroom right in front of me on a ferry ride, like a dog going to the bathroom in the street. Then there were the sounds, and sights, of older men clearing their throats and spitting on the sidewalk. It's a bit of a yin and yang experience and I look forward to learning more about the dichotomy while I am here. I wonder if the shift from the dark ages of the cultural revolution to the modernizing influence of the west on this communist country is at the root. It certainly hasn't been a gradual evolution of change for them.

The flight to China…14 hours from New York to Seoul, Korea, a five hour lay-over and a one-and-a-half hour flight to Shanghai. I am traveling with my step son, Nicholas who is 28 years old and loves to have “experiences” rather than “things”. So thought this trip would be a good birthday gift for him – good for him – and for us. Nick came into my life after I married his dad. He was just four when I first met him, and I am happy to say we have always had a great relationship. He is a smart, health conscious, and a great golfer. The plan is that he will visit some spas with me in Shanghai and then while I am at the Turning Point Conference he will play some golf.

On our first day in Shanghai we arrived at the Pudong Shangri-La Shanghai Hotel around noon and didn’t want to nap because we wouldn’t be able to sleep that night. We decided instead to try out the new Chi spa here, where I treated Nick to his first two-and-a-half hour spa ritual – the Himalayan Hot Stone Massage ritual. He has had massages before (living in LA he goes to a place which gives very inexpensive Thai massages - well inexpensive for LA anyway).


The Chi spa has a nice vibe, and nine very memorable treatment rooms (when we compared later, we found that both of our treatment suites were the same). There is a place for two people to sit and have the foot washing ritual, and a changing area with its own steam shower, separate regular shower, vanity area, and armoire for robes and clothes. I liked the touch of a ringing, large silver bell to tell my therapist when I was ready for her to retrieve me for the first part of the treatment, a foot scrub with salt. Then to the massage table (one of two in the room) where she proceeded with a warm-up massage, which lasted almost an hour, followed by another hour of massage with hot stones. Near the massage tables was a beautiful infinity bathtub - even though it wasn’t used in this treatment, it looked nice filled with water and floating flowers, with a colored light shining from the tub. I believe this is the first time I have had a two-hour massage. There certainly is truth to how wonderful it is to “get into the zone”.

This is going to be a big week for Miraval. They are hosting a kick-off celebration for Miraval Living here in Manhattan with Steve Case and Dr. Andrew Weil in attendance. I am so sorry I won't be able to attend (I am leaving this evening for a trip to China) because their kick-off should be a powerful event - especially for the people who have already purchased an apartment on the property. I would think that anyone looking to invest in these properties would find Steve Case and Dr. Andrew Weil's confidence in the project very encouraging. I look forward to hearing about the event from my colleagues.

Thursday, April 26th, will be another huge day for Miraval since Oprah's show will be all about her recent stay there. Apparently, she and 50 women chosen by the show stayed at Miraval, Life in Balance (located in Tucson, Arizona) for almost a week. Fortunately my TiVo is permanently set to record Oprah – and yes, Dr. Phil – so I'll be able to tune in when I return.

I remember the last time Oprah mentioned going to Miraval on her show - Miraval's phone rang like crazy. I can't wait to hear what an entire Oprah show will do, not only for Miraval, but for all the destination spas! I think that when people see a group of women going through a typical destination spa day, viewers will finally get what exactly a destination spa experience is. I am not sure there has ever been an entire hour of spa footage shown to a large audience where various aspects of a destination spa are highlighted. My guess is they will show Oprah and the ladies hiking, exercising, receiving spa treatments, enjoying meals, and engaging in some of the mindfulness experiences like the Equine Experience or one of the challenge program. Places which are somewhat similar like Canyon Ranch, Rancho La Puerta, Red Mountain, Green Valley Ranch Resort, Hills Health Ranch, etc. will probably see a bump in inquiries as well.

And the frosting on this cake is that Oprah shows rerun in the summers, so this will be on-going visibility for Miraval and the destination spa experience itself. This could be huge!

This headline on the front page of the New York Times this morning caught my attention "Online, Students Say "Reach Out to Loners" . The article, written by Virginia Heffernan is, of course, referring to the recent tragedy at Virginia Tech. Cho Seung-Hui, the killer responsible for all of the shootings, was often described by people who knew him as a loner. I thought back to the Columbine massacre, remembering that the two young men responsible had also been described as loners. Who can forget the Unibomber, living in isolation, sending deadly mail bombs from a cabin in the woods?

This concept of “aloneness” is something I have thought about often during my time in the spa industry. It has always been my observation that community is healing - and too much isolation is unhealthy. I learned this during the many years of my destination spa experiences. When guests arrived at a spa exhausted and stressed to-the-max, they invariably want (and need) some time alone to regroup and recharge. But most of the time this lasted for one or two days at the most; by day three, most guests were ready to "come out and play", socialize, talk with others, exchange thoughts and feelings, etc. As the body/mind/spirit fell back into balance, being social was part of keeping that balance.

I heard a speaker once talk about just how painful being alone can be. He used the isolation cell in prisons as his example of the most extreme and painful punishment, feared by inmates more than any other punishment in the judicial system.

I don't pretend to think that the simple slogan "Reach Out to Loners" on Facebook and MySpace websites is all that is needed to prevent these types of tragedies in the future, but I am moved to see the online community giving this foundational truth a voice. It is rather impressive how the slogan automatically implies action. This really is something all of us can do.

I’m learning something interesting from my own experience of “freshening up” and experimenting, through Botox® and fillers, at cosmetic med spas over the past few years: Not only is it science, but a lot of it is art.

Traditionally I think we are brought up with the idea that you have “your” doctor for various needs. Hopping around from one doctor to the next isn’t exactly the norm, but this may not be the case when it comes to cosmetic/medical spa treatments. I travel quite often, which prevents me from being able to see the same medical doctor (plus for work purposes I see many different medical spas), so a while ago I took a leap of faith and decided that I should experiment with different doctors for cosmetic med spa treatments (the results of the procedures I have had are not permanent anyway, so it was a bit easier to rationalize that this was a good idea.) Well, indeed it has been. Not only because I learn something new from each doctor, but also because I notice that each doctor’s technique is really quite different in terms of what they use, how they use it, and the result you get. I now recognize them as artists in addition to being technicians, learning that everyone truly paints a picture differently. This I find to be rather liberating actually, because it means that I too can contribute to the artwork.

This article caught my eye this morning, "Swiss Spa Files Suit Against Ritz-Carlton for Trademark Violations." It is one of the issues I brought up during my presentation at the Monaco Spa Conference in January when I was asked to give a list of suggestions for the spa industry going forward. My #6 suggestion was:

“Let’s respect each other’s intellectual property; patents, trademarks, and copyrights.”

Having not studied the specifics of the La Prairie and Ritz-Carlton case, I have no idea whether the lawsuit has merit. I suppose the courts will decide. However, it does strike me that as our industry grows, violations of intellectual property are likely to increase. Some of it is innocent (in fact much of it is) but I think we have an obligation to be very careful about using names, titles, and terminology which has proprietary value. And when we have done so inadvertently, make a quick change. That is the right thing to do.

I remember in the early 90’s when Deborah Szekely tried to stop the Golden Door name from being used by someone in Australia who was opening a new spa - unfortunately she was not successful. Now there is an entire chain of Golden Door spas in Australia - all resembling the original Golden Door which Deborah and her late husband, Edmond, opened in Escondido, California in 1959. The Szekely's had invested everything they had to create what became one of the most celebrated spas in the world. They had earned millions of dollars in media exposure through decades of hard work and sacrifice. Now that was going to be leveraged (and still is) by another company which simply decided to take the name for their venture. They even used a logo and font for their Golden Door name which was very close to the one used by the Golden Door in the U.S. at the time.

I think this was unfair.

Even if using someone else’s name is “legal” because of international gaps in the system, it creates ill-will within our industry and is costly in the long run. Precious resources that could be invested in improving health and well-being are, instead, diverted to legal fees for both parties. And now the very claim that Deborah Szekely made all those years ago - that the consumer will be confused - has indeed happened. When I travel throughout Asia and mention that I worked with the Golden Door, most people assume it is the Golden Door in Australia.

It may be too late to change that situation, but it is my hope that our industry will be conscientious about this issue going forward and retain the spirit of the law - even if the letter of the law would allow otherwise.

At Spa Finder we have successfully worked with many who inadvertently used the Spa Finder name inappropriately. Thankfully, in virtually every instance we were able to reach an amicable resolution before needing to take legal action. We have even become friends with some as we worked together and found synergies.

I'm kind of a stickler about this issue (as you can probably tell) and so I have made it a point to make sure that at Spa Finder we don't tread on other's trademarks. One example is the term medi-spa which I learned many years ago is a registered trademark owned by Dr. Bruce Katz, a well known medical doctor here in New York. We do not use that term without crediting him.

I don’t know the specifics behind the La Prairie and Ritz Carlton dispute. For all I know it might be tied to the issue that the Swiss Clinique La Prairie and the skin care company La Prairie have been separate companies for quite a while now (something which has been confusing to me all along). However, it is my hope that they resolve the issue quickly and in good faith.

It’s been a busy Easter week and I have not been blogging as much as usual. My apologies – I am planning to get back on track! Before leaving for a few days of family gatherings in Palm Desert, Peter and I had a chance to revisit Miraval Living in New York to see the progress.

It was heartening to see the additional new model designed by Clodagh and it was a pleasure to meet Neil Furman, who has just been hired to be the facility’s program director. The fitness and spa area, the large pool, and the spa cafe are all under construction so it will be interesting to watch how they all develop.

Another spa living community, Canyon Ranch Living, will be opening this summer in Miami and so the idea of Spa Lifestyle Living is truly coming alive. This should be a big year of buzz for this concept.