Tag Archives: Good Morning America

Spa Update: Canyon Ranch Living, Liquidrom Spa, NY Times Article on Spa Facials, and an “I Need a Spa!” Marketing Campaign

Susie Ellis, SpaFinder Insider

I am behind on my blogging, with several topics piling up. I think it is the same problem everyone is facing…lots to do, limited time and feeling extra pressure because of the current focus on economic challenges. So I thought I would try something new: A short recap of four topics (that could each be their own blog) and my “bottom line” observations for each.

Canyon Ranch Living: Visited this new spa lifestyle real estate project that just opened in Miami. I was impressed with the size, style, and staff. It was more than I expected, with the full Canyon Ranch program integrated into this new setting. There are two towers where you can buy residences and one tower that is like a hotel. One of the towers is almost “sold out” and the other is around 25% sold I was told. Bottom Line: I like the concept very much. It just needs one thing – time. Time to increase occupancy and time for people to truly “get it” about this new living option.

Liquidrom: While in Berlin, Nicholas, my stepson, and I went to the famous Liquidrom where you float in a darkened space in warm salt water with music you can hear underwater. There are saunas, steams, cold foot baths, an outdoor Jacuzzi, a bar with fresh fruit, smoothies and snacks, and a few massage rooms. I literally fell asleep in the floating pool propped up by floating noodles. Our massages were excellent. (German therapists are highly trained.) Bottom Line: We both liked our experience. This seems to be a very successful business model similar to others I have blogged about including Centre Parc in the UK; Castle Spa, the Korean fun house in Queens; and Glen Ivy Hot Springs in CA. These places present hydro and thermal experiences as the primary focus and make good money by having volume attendance. They also provide a valuable wellness experience. 500 – 1000 people per day pencils out, even if few take treatments.

NY Times Article, “An Expression of Doubt About Facials”: The same old saw: Doctors saying that facials are overpriced and spa therapists quoted as saying something that doesn’t sound very intelligent. And then a side bar talking about what dermatologists consider valuable. (They mentioned exfoliation, microdermabraion, peels and extractions – the very things aestheticians at spas do!) Three things need to change in my opinion: 1) Aestheticians and spa professionals need to become more educated about terminology and research. They need to become more confident about the value of what they do. 2) Doctors would be well served to think of spa professionals as partners instead of adversaries. Spas do a lot to help people relax and de-stress, exercise, eat more healthfully, take care of their skin, wear sunscreen, etc. In fact, spas are places providing the very behavioral change doctors recommend to their clients. 3) Media would do well to realize that doctors have an invested interest in criticizing spa professionals, as many feel that spas might take away from their dermatology business. Bottom Line: Spas and medical practices are both important. Neither needs to discount the other and the media would be better served to take a more knowledgeable position these days. The consumer is way ahead of this old story.

“I need a spa:” This is a phrase we seem to be hearing (and saying) more often. In fact, Steve Kane, our Senior VP of Gift Sales, suggested we look at this phrase for our next marketing campaign and spread it out to our entire network of spas. He was inspired by what had happened to him that morning. A woman he knows was in a mad dash to make the train he takes into the city daily. Huffing and puffing she ran by him saying, “Boy, I need a spa.” Bottom Line: That pretty much says it all.
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Some Spa Insider Thoughts

Other highlights of my trip to the Caribbean Spa and Wellness Conference:

Spending time with Nime La Fauci, our account rep for the Caribbean, and finding out that she can really make friends on the phone. Everywhere we went, people just couldn’t wait to meet her – and embraced her like a long-lost friend – despite never having met her before!
Reconnecting with Tiffany, who used to be my late-night-at-the-office buddy.

seepc gazebo 759359 Some Spa Insider Thoughts

Getting a tour of Secrets Excellence and Sunscape in Punta Cana from the impressive spa director Juan Monitijo and hearing his enthusiasm for the new couples’ treatment room they are developing, which sounded truly unique in its inclusion of a couples’ Vichy shower and a couples’ hydrotherapy tub. This is an especially good idea for properties that are “adults-only resorts,” where almost all guests are couples. He saw a need and is filling it!
Spending some time with Andrew Barnard, who manages the very popular Body Holiday at LeSPORT on the island of St. Lucia (and is developing additional resorts – several with a real estate component). We had a fascinating conversation one evening in which I found out that he participates in an extreme-sports events called the 4 Deserts. It is a series of seven-day foot races, each covering 250 kilometers, across the world’s largest and most forbidding deserts, including the Gobi in China, the Atacama in Chile, the Sahara in Egypt, and Antarctica. Andrew has already completed three of these races and is now training for the final one – Antarctica. It makes the Ironman Triathlon in Hawaii look like a race for weenies.

Moroccan Spa in Dubai

The next stop was back in Dubai: Park Hyatt, Amara Spa. Loved it! The entire property was impressive with a beautifully done Moroccan theme, while avoiding being “over-themed”. I understand why people quite often describe Dubai as something between Las Vegas (without gambling) and Disneyland.

We arrived at the Park Hyatt just as the sun was setting. The entire spa was illuminated by thousands of candles and fires, which were cleverly surrounded by water features. It was really magical. I thought of calling my friend Gordon Tareta, who is the very talented head of spa operations for the Hyatt brand, to let him know how impressed I was with the spa and the management. I don’t know how he does it with so many spas under his command all around the world, but this is yet another winner!

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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!

Tasteful desert resort and spa

Wow…am already back in the U.S. The last few days of my Dubai trip was a whirlwind, but I don’t want to neglect mentioning the other spas I saw and what I learned about the spa industry as a result of my visit.

Jumeriah Bab Al Shams Desert Resort and Spa is what I envision when I think “Arabian Nights”. Tasteful and stunning. This property is a 45-minute drive from Dubai straight out into the desert. Someone suggested that my sister, who was with me, take a brightly colored cloth with her on our trip. She was puzzled and asked, “Why?” The answer from the smart-alecky guy was “So you will remember what color looks like.” OK, very funny. As it turns out, we loved the pale desert setting and the understated décor of Bab Al Shams. The long stretch of desert dunes was a welcome contrast to the glitz and brash color combinations found in many of the Dubai hotel and resort settings.