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A Toast to the Caudalie Vinotherapie Spa at the Plaza in New York

A Toast to the Caudalie Vinotherapie Spa at the Plaza in New York
by Susie Ellis

A woman soaking in a wine barrel looking out at what you imagine to be a view of a beautiful vineyard – that’s a photo I remember seeing when I first read about the Caudalie Vinotherapie Spa opening in France. It was 1999, and the first time I heard the term Vinotherapie.

caudalie woman 721978 A Toast to the Caudalie Vinotherapie Spa at the Plaza in New YorkIt sounded intriguing to use various parts of grapes for facial and body treatments and like many other people, I found the story captivating. That new Caudalie Vinotherapie spa in France made a big splash on the spa scene with one major magazine after another showcasing its philosophy and setting.

After a few years, however, I didn’t read as much about the spa although I began seeing more about vinotherapie in general and learned that there really was science behind it. Apparently the grapes have polyphenls rich in antioxidants and vinotherapy is said to stimulate collagen synthesis and is anti inflammatory. The results? More youthful skin.
Then about three years ago, Mathilde and Bertraud Thomas who are the founders of Caudalie, and proprietors of the Château Smith Haut Lafitte which is thCaudalie vinegards 746558 A Toast to the Caudalie Vinotherapie Spa at the Plaza in New Yorke family property in the Bordeaux region of France, came to New York and visited us at SpaFinder. Lovely people. Attractive. Young. Authentic. They were brimming with enthusiasm about their product and looking forward to bringing it to more people around the world.

Apparently they learned a lot in the years since opening their first spa. They now have a registered trademark for the term Vinotherapie, as well as a spa in Italy, one in Spain, and have opened in the U.S. Their products are sold in more than 25 countries and distributed in the US at Sephora, select Nordstroms, Henri Bendel, Blue Mercury, flagship Bath & Body Works, and independent specialty cosmetic boutiques.
Tonight, I had the chance to experience their new Caudalie Vinotherapie Spa here at the Plaza in New York, which opened last October. While I think they could have done a slightly better job of space utilization (in their locker rooms in particular) and could tighten up a bit on staff training, I found the spa to be refreshingly unique.
What I liked most about the spa is that it has a point of differentiation. While many spas these days have the predictable contemporary aesthetic, similar treatment rooms, unsurprising spa menus, tea upon arrival, foot rituals, humdrum relaxation rooms, similar equipment in the fitness room lined up in the same way overlooking the same type of view, etc., Caudalie has managed to carve out a unique experience – the highlight being their “French Paradox Wine Lounge.” french pardox wine lounge plaza 760316 A Toast to the Caudalie Vinotherapie Spa at the Plaza in New York
The wine lounge – with its color palette of burgundy and a soft yet vibrant green (think red and green grapes) is spot-on. (The photo on the left doesn’t do it justice.) It is the first social/relaxation/meeting space in a spa I have seen that really works. There are a variety of sitting areas – some with couches, some with chairs, some with a table and four chairs. The focal point is always the beautifully lit glass-encased collection of wine displayed from floor to ceiling. The furniture and decor show high style with a French sensibility and artistic flair.

What really makes this work, however, is that the room is hosted by a wine sommelier who does the pouring and provides fare to sample and in general creates a sophisticated yet casual social setting that works even though everyone is in robes. Enjoying a glass of fine wine after a refreshing facial was yummy.
The term Caudalie is a French term that quantifies the duration of a wine’s flavor in your mouth. One second of time equals one caudalie. The longer the flavor lingers the better and the more caudalies.
The spa gets lots of caudalies from me.
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Successful Spa Sleep-Health Program Leads to Scheduling Many More

Successful Spa Sleep-Health Program Leads to Scheduling Many More

by Susie Ellis
SpaFinder Insider

When I was at the Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat in Australia at the end of July, I was thrilled to see that they had planned a specialty “Sleep Discovery Week” for September. Gwinganna really impressed me in terms of how forward-thinking thehypno sleep 793432 Successful Spa Sleep Health Program Leads to Scheduling Many Morey are, and seeing this “sleep intensive” was another example. I asked Sharon Kolkka, the General Manager, to please let me know how the sleep week goes. Since sleep health was a spa trend SpaFinder predicted two years ago (before almost any spa had it as part of their curriculum) it has been especially gratifying for me to see sleep programs pop up at different spas across the country. This one in Australia, however, was one of the first full immersion sleep programs I have come across outside of the U.S.
Yesterday, I received this email from Sharon with her post Sleep Discovery Week report and wanted to share it with you. I think you will enjoy hearing it in her own words. My kudos to Sharon for blazing trails once again.
Dear Susie,
Just wanted to touch base with you regarding our sleep retreat, we loved it and so did our guests.

In a nut shell it was a huge success, we had 43 guests and one person from the media. It seems that about 1/3 came specifically for the sleep information and have never been to a retreat or spa previously, many of them brought a support person. About 10 guests came because that was the date that suited and the rest were return guests interested to see what they could learn about improving sleep.

The workshops covered the science of sleep, the body clock and the significance of the hormonal cycle as a result of this clock. The impact of the liver and detox on sleep, nutrient absorption and its relevance to sleep, what amino acids promoted sleep and in what foods they are found. The impact of light and dark on the hypothalamus, the effect of electromagnetic fields in the bedroom, the art of rituals and of course stress and the biochemistry of cortisol. We also covered the support systems such as herbs and aromatherapy and a lot more!

We encouraged guests to stop their sleeping tablets whilst staying with us and replaced this with a natural product and offered herbs for support, of course encouraged early rise and meditation. In short we had a ball and the feedback was sensational. We also asked them to continue to look for improvements over the next 3 months rather than expecting a quick fix.

This week, Tracy has received flowers from the media contact [for the first time] thanking her and a note suggesting she is sleeping better than she had in years. We have received many thank you notes, one of them from a husband who is demanding to know what we have done as his wife, is sound asleep by 10pm and stays that way and he has not seen her do that since the death of her father 2 years ago.

I know I don’t need to tell you how rewarding this is, this is what we in retreats truly live for to make a difference. So we have put two more Sleep Discovery programs on our dates from January to April and hope to offer this program at least 4-5 times a year.

Thank you for all the support that you offered with the information you supplied, wish you could have been here I think you would have enjoyed the vibe.

Warmest always

Sharon

Sharon Kolkka
General Manager
Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat

192 Syndicate Rd
Tallebudgera Valley Q 4228
Australia
Tel: +61 7 5589 5000
Fax: +61 7 55338378
www.gwinganna.com
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Visiting Spas Has Other Than Spa Benefits

Visiting Spas Has Other Than Spa Benefits

By Susie Ellis, SpaFinder Insider

The family appreciates me these days.

Am at a family gathering in Puerta Vallarta, Mexico for the 4th of July weekend. Peter and I are with his nephew and wife, their two cute little girls (ages 3 and 6), his sister and his daughter. After 25 years with Peter who has umpteen cousins, each with lots of kids, well, there are always plenty of family gatherings.

It is a new adventure for me to be invited to spend four days in a rented house by the ocean where you eat most meals in and the day consists basically of moving between pool, bedroom, dinner table and assorted naps. Oh, and yes, a massage thrown in now and then. Am adjusting well.

Today was our Dolphin-Encounter outing for the little girls. After years of non-assertive behavior, where I always went along with whatever anyone else wanted to do (to be nice) and later in life learning that this is a formula for depression, I decided to announce that after the Dolphin-Encounter I wanted to stop at a spa (Grand Velas) for a quick tour. This spa is featured on our website and I have never seen it. In years past this “announcement” would have been met with rolled eyes and efforts to persuade me otherwise. No longer. People prefer that I am not depressed. Ditto that for me.

girl dolphin 771666 Visiting Spas Has Other Than Spa BenefitsSo off we went. First stop – Dolphin-land. Quite a nice place with six or seven large pools, all with dolphins and groups of tourists and locals in various encounter adventures. We watched as those from our group went through the whole process: waiting in line, checking in, changing into swimsuits, some crying, more waiting, then instruction sessions, demonstrations, and finally…into the pool with the dolphins. We waited patiently in the hot, noon-day sun on the viewing deck in order to enjoy the faces of the darling little girls who went from being afraid, to getting a kiss from a dolphin, to petting a dolphin and then finally for the six year old and her mom, to actually have a ride on a dolphin.

After our three hour sweltering adventure, it was back into the van and off to Grand Velas (a quick 5 minute drive) where the plan was for everyone to wait in the car while I did my 10 minute walk through the spa. What no one realized at the time is that somewhere in the middle of the sizzling hot dolphin adventure, I decided that the planned lunch stop – at a local thatched roof hut (read – hot) restaurant in downtown Puerta Vallarta, was no longer sounding at all appealing to me. So I suggested to the group that they wander around Grand Velas for a few moments while I tour the spa, in case they might come upon a restaurant which would allow us to eat a tad earlier.

grand velas pool 732295 Visiting Spas Has Other Than Spa BenefitsAlthough it was my first time at Grand Velas, I had done my homework. This property was a Leading Hotel of the World, the spa is in our Connoisseur Spa Collection, and it had also received dining awards. I figured they must have a beautiful dining spot which might prove enticing. Sure enough while I headed to the spa, the group spotted this absolutely magnificent beach and pool side restaurant, Azul, with amazing views and even more wonderful – cool ocean breezes. They all succumbed, lunch was a delight, and I was thanked profusely.

Re the spa and property….plus points for the congenial spa receptionist who gave me a tour, plus points for the size of the spa (more than 20 treatment rooms for around 250 all-suite rooms), plus points for the tastefully appointed treatment rooms – especially the ones for couples, the nicely decorated amenity area with unusual foot baths, and the many options on the spa service menu. Double-plus points for the gigantic outdoor swimming pools whose infinity edging overlook vast ocean views – a site many would recognize from the cover of magazines. And triple-plus points for the supervised children’s water play area and the water volleyball game which was going on in one area of the pool. Sixteen men were having the time of their lives standing in just the right-depth-of-water, playing water volleyball. (From my days at the Golden Door, I can vouch for the fact that there is no better way for men to “bond” than playing water volleyball. I am certain that it easily counts for improved guest return rates.)

Questions which swirled through my head….the spa is beautiful, can it really be very profitable since it is so large? It didn’t appear very busy although it was early afternoon. Spa prices seemed slightly higher than I would have expected. And once again, the sad fact (although outsiders wouldn’t notice) that even though a spa is quite new (five years old) and gorgeous, to those of us in the industry five years ago in the spa world is another generation. It won’t be long before it will seem dated.

images 744499 Visiting Spas Has Other Than Spa BenefitsWould I want to check into Grand Velas next time instead of going to a private house on the beach for a holiday weekend? Well, yes for sure, if I was alone with my husband.

And yes, probably, if we were with the rest of the family. After all…even the little girls kept eyeing that swimming pool all during lunch wanting soooo much to plunge in and play with the other kids.

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The Economic Climate Rains on the Spa Industry Too

The Economic Climate Rains on the Spa Industry Too
By Susie Ellis, the SpaFinder Insider

My twin sister, Katrine, gave me a verbal rap-on-the-knuckles the other day (sisters are good for such things.) I probably deserved it.

Since she is on my blog list that automatically receives an email with my posts, she will often email me with some, often encouraging, remarks. Not this time. She told me that after reading the blog about my trip to the Bahamas and the following post about our record Father’s Day gift certificate sales, it was obvious that I was not being sensitive to what most people are going through right now. The reality is that things are tough. The economy is suffering, gas prices continue to skyrocket, the dollar is tanking and people are losing their homes. Going on, as I did, about a fancy vacation was inconsiderate and insensitive. She makes a good point.

My apologies. I do have a tendency to see the glass half full rather than half empty, however always wearing my rose-colored glasses isn’t living in reality nor always appreciated by others. So I thought I would use this blog post to address some of what I am seeing out there which is not such great news for the spa industry and how we, as a company and I as a person, are trying to help.

red.arrow 799987 The Economic Climate Rains on the Spa Industry TooAs the economy has gone south, the spa industry has been surprisingly resilient – however not invincible. While we may not feel the impact as quickly as other industries, most spas are feeling an impact now. What helps the spa industry stay buoyant a bit longer than most is probably the combination of several things:

  • A portion of our consumer market is affluent and they are generally the last to feel the financial pinch.
  • We are related to the beauty industry with its “lipstick is recession-proof” phenomenon: When things get bad, women still buy lipstick (there was a segment on the Today Show this morning about people continuing to buy candy and small make-up items during hard economic times)
  • Increased stress makes reducing it and staying healthy more important than ever
  • Experiences trump material “things” – especially in a poor economic climates

When things get bad enough – and many people would say that those times are upon us – the spa industry is certainly affected. High net worth individuals begin to cut back, lipstick buyers go to the drug store instead of a spa and people experiment with more “at home spa” treatments. We are seeing some people cancel their summer vacation plans, while others are deciding to stay closer to home, and many regular spa-goers are stretching the time between spa visits.

Here at our SpaFinder office, we are continually discussing ways to help both consumers and spas during these more challenging times. One thing we have done is lowered the minimum amount needed to purchase a Spa and Salon Wish Gift Certificate. Rather than a $50 minimum, people can now buy a gift certificate for as little as $25. This helps people (and spas) in several ways. It makes it possible for people to gift a spa treat to someone for a smaller amount of money and the spa gets a new customer for a very minimal marketing fee.
shrinking.dollar 764512 The Economic Climate Rains on the Spa Industry Too

We have also begun an in-house project we are calling “Operation Deal-Maker.” It is a targeted effort to help spas communicate their discounts and added-value specials. We know that everyone is looking for hot deals these days. In fact, that is one of the most popular parts of our website. We are doing everything we can to encourage spas to offer more enticing deals for customers. That means more savings, lower prices, more goodies.

Milana Knowles, our VP for day and medical spas, is constantly writing “tips” for spas in her regular newsletters to spas, while I address “tips” for consumers. Most recently these tips have been about how to save money. Milana’s focus at her day spa retreat this fall at Red Mountain Spa will be about managing employee compensation for greater benefit.

Our SpaBooker system has added revenue management tools to help both the spa and the customer take advantage of supply & demand variations.

We are also taking advantage of these times to make some progress on the sustainability and green initiatives front. We will be adding a section to our website where consumers will be able to see what kind of green policies a spa embraces in effort to give the consumer more information but also encourage more progress in that area.

Our new online magazine will be translated into five other languages giving spas visibility in countries where stronger currencies are making a trip to the U.S. very attractive.

And finally, the one thing I am doing personally is while trying to be more sensitive, I do want to stay positive. Perhaps it is part of what those of us who have been in the spa industry a long time have learned and embraced. It is in times like this that the principles of mindfulness and balancing body, mind, and spirit are very helpful. These practices allow us to take a more philosophical view of current conditions and keep the long term in mind. While I do not like today’s economic climate, I do realize that every challenge gives us an opportunity to learn new lessons and to reach out to others who may be experiencing even greater challenges.

My sister has certainly taught me a good lesson.

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Finding the elements embraced at this Ayurvedic Spa

Ariel Picture 1 778480 Finding the elements embraced at this Ayurvedic SpaAfter a scrumptious breakfast on the sun drenched dining porch of the Hillcrest mansion (with a view of Lake Ontario from every window) we headed to our next spa – Elemental Embrace. Stacey gave me some background about the property explaining to me that they are very much into ayruveda and that we would be meeting with Muquit who owns the establishment with his mom.
To my surprise we pull up to a very attractive property, enter the front door and are greeted by the handsome son who made us feel very welcome. After a tour of the property and some introductory conversation Muquit had arranged for each of us to experience one of their special treatments. I was down for the Ayurvedic treatment where two therapists do a synchronized oil massage. But Muquit had taken the time to explain to us the history of the treatment, the value of it, and in particular about the oil they use. It was the first time I understood that it isn’t just about the oil, it is about the herbs in the oil and the heating of the herbs which release the medicine in them which can penetrate your body. This was not your resort-style Ayurvedic treatment. The smell was different, the table used was an authentic wooden table from India, the steam cabinet in which I sat post treatment was from India, etc. This Ayurvedic treatment felt more authentic than anything ayruvedic I have experienced anywhere in the world. (And no, I haven’t been to India.)

It really made me realize how important it is to visit a spa to really understand its heartbeat. You can read about it in brochures or on the website, but there is nothing like experiencing a treatment, eating a meal and hearing about the vision of the property from the owner.

Lunch was unusual and unusually good. First, ginger and lime to get the digestive fluids flowing. Next dessert. Yes, dessert is served before the rest of the meal on the theory that it is better to get these food into the digestive process at the beginning of a meal. Next was a wonderful large shrimp cocktail, that was followed by a beautifully presented soup and finally a stuffed trout. The finale was one sweet date and some fennel and sesame seeds – all eaten together.

Adding to this rather surprising and extraordinary experience was the fact that Muquit was so interesting. A young guy, working with his mom in the family business, having been born in Kenya, he relates strongly with his Indian heritage and is a true believer in Ayurveda.
He’s quite impressive – as is the property. Such a specific niche…but for people who are really into Ayurveda I can’t think of a better place.