Tag Archives: California

Cal-a-Vie Spa Guests’ Refrain, “Lucky Me”

It’s a rare phenomenon. If you have experienced it, you don’t soon forget it. It’s like putting a dollar into the candy machine and getting two dollars worth of candy out – every time. The point is you get much more than you pay for and you can’t help but be a bit giddy. It’s a real ‘lucky me’ feeling.

Well, after Peter and I visited the exquisite destination spa, Cal-a-Vie, in southern California last week, we think there is now a spa where one can experience this phenomenon. It is truly to the benefit of guests who come to Cal-a-Vie that Terri and John Havens, who purchased the property about 10 years ago, have poured their heart, soul and a fortune into creating a very magical place with unparalleled facilities and programming.

Peter and I had a chance to visit Cal-a-Vie on Thanksgiving Day because we were on our way to Peter’s mom’s (she lives nearby) to celebrate the holiday. I hadn’t been to Cal-a-Vie in so many years that I was really excited to see all of the changes I had been hearing about. It was also fortunate for us that Terri and John were in-residence which enabled us to see the property through their eyes. We had a chance to learn about the background of so many of the improvements as well as get a glimpse of their plans for its future.

What began as a refurbishment and upgrading of their 26 guest rooms with Terri adding some special antique furniture and furnishings grew to become a huge creative work of art that both Terry and John seem to really enjoy doing together. While raising their three young children, they have also been growing and improving what was already a pretty wonderful destination spa. Along the way they added red clay tennis courts, a labyrinth, and turned the former fitness center into a gorgeous avant garde boutique; they spent millions building what must be the most beautiful gym in the world with chandeliers, beautiful woods, exquisite views; they added small conference capabilities with an amazing great room and a meeting room that would impress the most discerning industry magnates (and can be used at any time by guests as an office away from home).

They decided the lovely pool which was the centerpiece of the property was not big enough for swimming laps so they built an Olympic sized pool nearby. On one of their trips abroad, they came across a lovely chapel that was over 400 years old and decided to give it a new home – at Cal-a-Vie. They had it painstakingly dismantled and shipped over and it was placed on a pinnacle point that has a stunning view. It is perfect for meditation classes, yoga and evening musical performances. John also mentioned that they have been amazed at how many people use it during their stay as simply a place for private reflection.

After placing the Chapel, they realized it was ideal for weddings and recommitment ceremonies but felt it would need an adjacent ballroom and kitchen. So they built a magnificent building they call L’Orangerie with antique walls from a French castle, and a new kitchen which was designed to also serve as a place to film and create TV shows with their star celebrity spa chef, Jason Graham. An antique wishing well and lovely windmill later, everything was perfect for a variety of gatherings – a recent one that even included a former President.

When the golf course next to their property went on the market, they decided to buy it so that their spa’s peace and quiet would forever be preserved. And just recently they decided to plant a vineyard which will not only eventually produce some Cal-a-Vie wine, but in the mean time provides an attractive hillside view .

While we toured the property, we couldn’t help but notice some construction so we inquired, “What’s next?” Well, they are adding a hydrotherapy aquatic center and a two story building to create a larger Morning Room. There will eventually be a new kitchen and in the works near the front of the property – a large retail store – for antiques. Wow! They have truly created a haven (pun intended) to accommodate their growing list of regular clientele which often includes celebrities and others who want a safe place to get away, recharge and reenergize.

How to sum it up? I do believe that Cal-a-Vie has set a new standard. The Havens seem to be motivated by their passion for this place and the transformation it provides more than any kind of financial return – at least in the short term. Those who are fortunate (and smart) enough to join them on this adventure must surely experience that “lucky me” feeling you get when you put one dollar in the candy machine and get two dollars worth of candy back. Sign me up.

PS: Interesting article on John Havens in Forbes called “From Wells to Wellness.”

My twitter address: @susieellis

Spa and Medical Tourism – Learning From What Happened in Detroit

Spa and Medical Tourism – Learning From What Happened in Detroit
by Susie Ellis, SpaFinder Insider

Many of you know that one of the top spa trends SpaFinder predicted for 2009 was the Medical and Spa Tourism Shuffle, so it didn’t surprise us when the New York Times recently ran an article titled, “Heads Up – Medical Tourism: Sometimes, Sightseeing Is a Look at Your X-Rays.” I wanted to share my thoughts on this article (which I thought was fine) but more importantly on the editorials that appeared subsequently. They, in my opinion, showed naivety.

The article, was written by Joshua Kurlantzick and ran May 20th – at just about the same time we were listening to a panel of experts on Medical Tourism and Spas at the Global Spa Summit (GSS). Joshua shared his experience while in Thailand where he fainted and was rushed to the hospital by a taxi. He was taken to Bumrungrad International Hospital (lobby pictured below) where there was no waiting, where he had first class service from a very competent doctor, and ended up paying just $100 for all the care, the room and medication provided. He goes on to talk about the pluses and minuses of getting medical care in a foreign country.

I have been to that very hospital – Bumrungrad in Bangkok. I toured it a few years ago because I had been told it was a cross between a Ritz Carlton, a hospital, and a spa. And to some degree it was – I was very impressed with their concierge service welcoming people, entire floors dedicated to certain nationalities (like the Japanese) with translators, and unique décor, etc. Their children’s area had fun small furniture and play stations and the walls were brightly colored and doors painted to resemble living in a small world. There was a gym to work out at, spa services available, and an outdoor meditation area (which I thought they should scrap and make into a spa because who wants to spend time meditating out on the top floor of a building in Bangkok where it is hot and smoggy). Other than some of the fast food franchises on one of their shopping floors, it seemed like a “hospital of the future” to me.

The NY Times article was interesting and raised some good questions and made some great points. But some editorials (many from doctors) that appeared in the Times a few weeks later had me rolling my eyes. Here is the gist of some of the comments:

“Is Medical tourism a good thing? Not really, I’m afraid. Here in the United States, hospitals lose revenue. That’s dollars that used to cross-subsidize emergency rooms, charity care and chronic medical admissions for sick citizens here.”

“I wonder about the quality of the services provided…what about the blood supplies? How safe are they? What kind of regulation and oversight is there?”

“Medical tourism in the end, hurts poor countries who end up subsidizing the cost of heath care for rich countries.”

In general…most of the editorials brought up “red flags” about medical tourism warning that it is not good for the U.S.

To that I say – wake up!

Fortunately there was one comment which, in my opinion, had a wiser point of view. The writer stated, “The American medical industry should view with concern the off shoring of medical care. When foreign cars began appearing with greater frequency in the 1960s, Detroit mostly dismissed them as filling a small niche for people who wanted cheap, perhaps inferior transportation. But the cars got better, and look who is commanding the market today.”

I thought the analogy of the U.S. car industry and medical tourism was a good one. While clearly we need to ask questions and insist on transparency and quality when it comes to Medical Tourism abroad, it might be a good idea for us to think about what happened to Detroit when we start talking like Detroit was talking for the past few decades. To stubbornly stick with systems which are unsustainable financially while the rest of the world innovates, catches up and surpasses us is foolish. How unwise to dismiss what is happening in other countries – especially when it comes to medical care given that our system is already plagued with problems. We do so at our peril.

In some ways I feel that spa industry professionals are way ahead of doctors on this – I saw it at the GSS where the medical tourism panel was well received. In general I don’t see the “protectionist” attitude within the spa industry – perhaps it is because there are fewer dollars involved as there are with medicine. Spa professionals are not compensated at the high levels that many in the medical field are (insurance companies, some doctors, etc.) and so perhaps they aren’t as rabid about keeping the status quo. Spa professionals seem to genuinely encourage people to avail themselves of a variety of services – whether within the U.S. or outside of the U.S – whether to keep well or get well.

In my view, spas are great bookends for medical tourism procedures. After flying to Bangkok (or India, or South Africa, or Costa Rica, or the Philippines, etc.), it makes sense to me to spend some time at a good spa getting adjusted from jet lag, eating healthfully, and getting body mind and spirit ready for a medical procedure. After then checking into a hospital and having a procedure, it would make good sense to recover at a spa where healing treatments, healthy food, light exercise, fresh air and such could help optimize healing.

Next time you hear the term “medical tourism” – think “U.S. car industry.” Perhaps we can learn from our mistakes in Detroit and participate more successfully in a global world of health care and spa experiences.
**
Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/susieellis
**
If you wish to be put on a list that automatically sends my blog posts to your email, just let dulcy.gregory@spafinder.com know and she will add you to that list. Thanks so much!

Yin of Luxury, Yang of Discount

I’m back in New York after my whirlwind trip to LA. Just a quick recap of that press breakfast and the LA Spa Expo. For the press I reviewed the top 10 spa trends for 2006 that we announced at the beginning of the year. (I decided to give them catchy names this time – well, at least some got catchy names – so they would be easier to remember): McSpa, Spa IQ on the Rise, Home Sweet Spa, Water Water Everywhere, Medical and Sanctuary Tourism, The Yin of Luxury and Yang of Discount, Macho Macho Spa, The Pendulum Swings Back to a Pure Spa Experience, Ohmmm Online, and Fun on the Spa Menu.

Then the discussion turned to how LA is shaping trends in the spa world, and I highlighted three things I noticed:

1. Pregnancy and spa-going a natural – celebrities going to spas pre-baby, during pregnancy, post-baby, and with baby!

2. Medical spa services as standard fare in most spas – seems as if every spa in LA has a “medi-spa room” which a nurse practitioner uses several days a week to administer BOTOX®, perform laser hair removal services, medical microdermabrasion, etc. No biggie…just massage in this room, facials in that room, and medi services in the room at the end of the hall.

3. High-end Asian on the scene in addition to discount Asian – the GP Deva spa on Rodeo Drive, a company from Taiwan, offers a Full Body Zen Massage for 2 1/2 hours at $1,000 (and GPStoreRodeoDrive 718796 Yin of Luxury, Yang of Discount gratuity is not included). I am a bit skeptical. I only had time for a quick tour but look forward to giving it a try if only to see what miracles they work in their $400 one-hour reflexology session. On the other end of the spectrum: locations where you can get a $40 one-hour Thai massage that my colleague Jasmine reports was terrific.

The trip reminds me that there is nothing like going out and visiting spas to get a sense of the industry…It can’t be done by just reading and hearing from others.

**
If you wish to be put on a list that automatically sends my blog posts to your email, just let dulcy.gregory@spafinder.com know and she will add you to that list. Thanks so much!

LA Spa Trends

So today I did a quick tour of a handful of other spas in the area to see if I could sniff out any LA-specific trends. Kinara which we had written about in LSF Magazine last year, the new GP Deva on Rodeo Drive and the still in-construction Dr. Obagi business, also in downtown Beverly Hills. The afternoon I spent at the Resort and Medical Spa Conference at the LA Convention Center, where I met quite a few day spa owners and many who are in various stages of opening medical spas. I think I am ready for our press breakfast Sunday morning. In fact, I’m seeing one trend in particular quite clearly now. More to come later!