Tag Archives: Lausanne Hotel School

What Makes a Spa Soulful? Contemplating this Question at a Soulful Spa in Thailand is a Good Way to Find Out.

six.senses.yao.noi 757720 What Makes a Spa Soulful? Contemplating this Question at a Soulful Spa in Thailand is a Good Way to Find Out.What Makes a Spa Soulful? Contemplating this at a Soulful Spa in Thailand is a Good Way to Find Out.
by Susie Ellis

Am in Thailand at the Six Senses Hideaway Yao Noi while at the same time continuing my work regarding preparations for the Global Spa Summit 2008. Interesting how the two intersect.

Am working with the famous architect Robert Henry who will be leading a panel discussion on “How to Create, Design, and Maintain a Spa with Soul” at the Summit which both of us feel is a very exciting and timely topic. Spas are becoming big business and increasingly we find large companies and corporations beginning to create spas when in the past they were birthed and nurtured by individuals whose passion guided the evolution of their spas. People like Deborah Szekely (Rancho La Puerta and Golden Door), Sheila Cluff (The Oaks at Ojai), Dorothy Purdue (various spas in UK), and Enid and Mel Zuckerman (Canyon Ranch), etc.

Here at this very exclusive Six Senses Hideaway I think most people would agree it is a “spa with soul.” This one was create by founders of the Six Senses and Soneva Brands, the famous Eve and Sonu team.

All villas have butlers, pools, and mesmerizing views – mine with turquoise water and small islands in the distance. The design and décor is imaginative, the entire resort is not only eco-friendly but what I call eco-embedded. The entire experience one of a sort of “barefoot luxury.” Part of the fine dining room sits on top of a glass floor under which is a magically lit green plant garden with trickling stream. And don’t even get me started on the “Private Reserve” villa with the 180-degree view and gigantic pool which rents for $16,000 per night.

My outdoor shower has two shower heads. One is a rain shower and the other a more traditional shower head (for when you don’t want to get your hair wet). The mini bar has lots of healthy things (and some not-so-healthy for the occasional indulgence). No nickel and dime fees….everything is complimentary. (Well, you can figure it is in the price of your villa.)

It is easy to get a spa treatment booked because they have plenty of staff available so I was able to simply walk in and collapse in their care on day one when I was still feeling jet-lagged.

Have had some very nice moments of time to think about what makes a spa soulful. Can’t wait to hear what Robert and his panel share from their points of view.
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Spa-Enthusiasts, like Hannelore Levy, want to know more about the Biggest Loser Spas!

biggest.loser 792450 Spa Enthusiasts, like Hannelore Levy, want to know more about the Biggest Loser Spas!Spa-Enthusiasts, like Hannelore Leavy, want to know more about the Biggest Loser Spas!

By Susie Ellis

I saw Hannelore Leavy who heads up several spa associations (including the Day Spa Association), at our Spa Experience event at Grand Central Terminal in New York last week. The first thing she said to me was “Your Biggest Loser Competition between Spas is a Marvelous Idea!” I had to laugh because whenever I write something in my blog or in the Club Spa newsletter that goes to our database, I never know ahead of time what peoples’ reactions will be. However, I believe this one has struck a chord! As promised, I am adding this piece to my blog so she can respond and add her comments. So, Hannelore, here it is!

From the Club Spa Newsletter distributed on Tuesday, October 30th:

On the hit TV series the Biggest Loser, people lose 50, 75 or even over 100 lbs by the end of the series and seem to keep it off. What you may not know is that 90 miles outside of Las Vegas, near St. George Utah, there are three spas which have similar weight loss programs:

Fitness Ridge Resort & Spa

Green Valley Spa

These spas help people lose weight with an approach similar to that on the Biggest Loser TV program: healthy diet, exercise, education, and motivation. A bonus at these spas, however, is that they also offer massage, body and skin care treatments, and hiking in the picturesque red rock country right outside their doors!

In fact, I have often thought it might be a great idea for these spas to host a Biggest Loser Competition between the three of them! Whether they do that or not, each fitness and wellness program, although a bit different, would be a great choice for people looking to lose weight. Check them out!

Nap Spa, Sleep Spa, Yelo Spa: Napping in New York City – $24 for 40 minutes

yelo window 794018 Nap Spa, Sleep Spa, Yelo Spa: Napping in New York City $24 for 40 minutesNap Spa, Sleep Spa, Yelo Spa: Napping in New York City – $24 for 40 minutes
by Susie Ellis

Ever since SpaFinder and Yelo were mentioned in the same New York Times article, I have been wanting to give Yelo – the nap spa – a try. Late last year when we came out with our list of top 10 spa trends for 2007, “Sleep Health Added to Spa Menus” was at the top of our list. And coincidentally (or not) Yelo was just opening. Yelo is a place in Manhattan where you can go for some quick r & r. Basically they offer foot reflexology and naps – in a kind of sleep cab, equipped with a special sleep chair designed for the most comfortable sleep position, music and lighting, all perfectly conducive to sleep.

Here is my report:
It was late Sunday afternoon as I rushed in a cab to get to my nap before Yelo closed. No one was available for foot reflexology because “they were all booked” which in spa-speak usually means “we don’t have enough therapists.” Indeed that seemed to be the case…but understandable since they just started opening on Sundays. I paid $18 for a 30 minute nap (and was told if I wanted to extend it I could). So I went to sleep cabin number 3 with the attendant and sat in the chair. She gave me a choice of music – or no music – or white noise. I choose a dreamy kind of music, she put a cashmere blanket over my legs, checked my temperature and adjusted the chair so that my knees were bent and my legs were slightly elevated above my torso. She is turned out the lights and let me know I will be awakened gradually with a simulated sunrise.

It takes me time to relax….my mind is wandering, thinking about the financials of this concept, whether or not I chose the right music, etc. Before I knew it, 30 minutes had passed and the sunrise light is coming up and I have only slept a few minutes. I asked for an extension and also for a music change to white noise. As soon as she closed the door, turned the music off, and added white noise, I noticed I was falling asleep almost instantly. 15 minutes and another sunrise later I meandered back to the front desk, payed for my extra nap, perused the retail area(which had various sleep aid products) before heading out to the sound of mid-town Manhattan.

Bottom line? Clever concept. Has possibilities. Could do more for sleep health. Anticipate expansion in other big cities. Not sure how profitable it is.

It will be fun to watch if the sleep cabs catches on…clearly sleep health is an important issue and there certainly have been times (like in airports or at work) when I would love to crawl into a sleep cab for a few minutes.

Thoughts on this Spa Industry Trademark Lawsuit

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.