Tag Archives: massage

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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Spa Suggestions – To Share Them or Not?

Spa Suggestions – To Share Them or Not?
by Susie Ellis
SpaFinder Insider

As you can see from my previous posts, I was very impressed with Gwinganna Health Retreat in Australia. But there are always ways in which a spa can improve. Since I have been to many spas around the world and have garnered a certain amount of expertise, I have developed a sensitivity to what’s working and what’s not working.

I always wrestle with whether or not I should say something. Many years ago I would readily make suggestions to spa managers, therapists, owners, etc. However, I soon realized that those suggestions weren’t always welcome or appreciated. In retrospect, I realize it was presumptuous of me. I also found that it definitely interfered with my spa experience. Jotting down notes, typing things up, and scheduling meetings turned every spa experience into work. So years ago I decided that I would stop giving any feedback unless I was specifically asked. I figured that if someone did ask for my input, I knew they were open and would likely welcome a suggestion. The only problem was that almost no one asked. I think there have been only two instances when someone asked me for feedback.

These days…I am working on finding a happy medium. I don’t generally volunteer suggestions, however if something seems very obvious to me and I know think it might improve a program tremendously, I take the chance and give the feedback to the owner or manager. That’s what I did in this case. Also, I sometimes share it in my blog if the issue isn’t spa-specific because it might be able to help someone else. This seems to be working pretty well as the feedback is generally well-received. I remember when I had some suggestions (which I shared on my blog) for Miraval Living after having attended one of their first showcase events here in New York. I received an email from Steve Case the day after my blog post thanking me for my suggestions and actually asking me for more! So I am feeling that I am making a positive contribution this way and hopefully not annoying people and also not ruining every spa experience for myself.

Anyway…back to Gwinganna. What bothered me was the cars. To my mind the guest parking and some of the staff parking was too close to the action.

gwinganna.spa.tub 756194 Spa Suggestions To Share Them or Not?Spas make a great deal of effort to create a perfect environment for guests and Gwinganna is no exception. The setting is stunning with expansive views – ocean in the distance and beautiful green hills in between. Doing Qi Gong on the outlook early in the morning as the sun came up is a picture emblazoned in my mind even today as I am back in New York. Their property has a variety of buildings all sprinkled around the “campus”. There are various accommodations, a building housing the dining room, a lovely old chapel, the large spa, in another area is their beautiful gym and fitness studio, an infinity pool with that drop-dead view, etc.

What bothered me however, was that whenever I walked from one building to another, more often than not there would be a car passing by. That resulted in dust, noise and the need for me to walk to the side to move out of the way. It just altered the serenity for me each time.

Spa Suggestions To Share Them or Not?There was a staff parking lot in the distance behind the tennis court, however guest cars were parked within the campus area and it seemed there were always some staff driving in and out to various buildings. My suggestion (which I did share with Tony de Leede who was very gracious and seemed appreciative) was to remove all cars from the campus – move the guest’s cars to a non-visible space and expand the staff parking lot so there was plenty of room for all staff to park away from the campus.

Now I realize this won’t be a welcome suggestion all around. It would inconvenience some people. I know. I was once on the other side of this issue when I worked at the Golden Door in California. The parking lot was quite a distance from the buildings and every time I came to work or left work, I had a very long walk to my car. Sometimes I was carrying heavy things and other times I was running a bit late (OK, maybe more than a few times)…and it was tempting to at times grab one of those few parking spaces reserved for emergencies right at the entrance to the Golden Door (and yes, it was gold…although not real gold).

But then I remember seeing Deborah Szekely, the founder of the Golden Door who is now in her 80′s, make that long walk herself. Alas, the guest experience is what is most important.

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Global Spa Summit 2008: Ian Schrager Addresses Spa Design (or Rather, The Lack Of…)

Global Spa Summit 2008: Ian Schrager Addresses Spa Design (or Rather, The Lack Of…)

by Susie Ellis

011606 article calderone 759575 Global Spa Summit 2008: Ian Schrager Addresses Spa Design (or Rather, The Lack Of...)
At the 2008 Global Spa Summit, Ian Schrager, who was the keynote speaker for Day One , gave a very inspirational talk. Looking somewhat “hip” himself (although in my opinion a tad older than the age (61) I had read about in a recent article), he began his remarks in a husky voice. I almost got up to get him a glass of water until I realized – that is his regular voice. Maybe that’s a result of a lot of inhaled smoke from his first brainchild – Studio 54 back in the 80′s. (And yes, since I actually was allowed past the velvet ropes into Studio 54 once back then, I can vouch for the fact that there was plenty of smoke – and all kinds of smoking if you know what I mean.)

Anyway…back to the essense of his remarks which were so inspiring. Here are the five things he said which I remember most clearly:

1. The spa industry needs a lot more creativity…we have started recyclying the same old ideas over and over and we are not coming up with anything new.

2. Looking at other spas for inspiration for new spa design is a bad idea. Rather look outside of the spa industry. See what is happening in fashion for example, or maybe in yacht design, or hip restaurants, etc.
Global Spa Summit 2008: Ian Schrager Addresses Spa Design (or Rather, The Lack Of...)
3. Don’t rely on focus groups or asking others for ideas when it comes to innovation…people cannot articulate something they haven’t seen. Rather, rely on your gut – something you want to see that is brand new.

4. Creativity in decor has nothing to do with the color of the carpet. It has everything to do with a new idea that sparks enthusiasm and catches on.

5. Much of his “secret” was how he tapped into people’s natural (and strong) desire to relate to each other. Social, social, social…..that’s where some “nuggets” of creativity will likely lie for spas of the future.

He showed slides of his various creations – all mesmerizing in their creativity and “thinking outside the box.” (It is worth looking at the slides viewable on the Internet.) What really impressed me about Ian’s talk is that every single person I spoke with thought it was terrific. And every slide he showed was of an unusual concept that was universally popular. That is genius.

Post Summit…one of the spa-tours we recommended was having a drink at the Gramercy Park Hotel (right around the corner from SpaFinder). A great finish to a remarkable experience with Ian Schrager himself.

Oh…I should mention…his latest collaboration is a venture with Marriott where a new brand will incorporate Ian Schrager designs in the rooms of about 100 boutique hotels. Although there were questions about how this could possibly work, after seeing what he has done in the past – I have no doubt it will work beautifully!

“I am still passionate about continuing to rethink things and shake things up.
Coming up with breakthrough concepts and going off into unchartered territory.”
Ian Schrager

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Reiki at a Spa. Real Energy Medicine or Bunk?

Reiki at a Spa. Real Energy Medicine or Bunk?
by Susie Ellis

Reiki. I have always found it mysterious. What is it exactly? Every explanation I have heard seems to be different. I have tried it a few times, however when faced with a choice between a wonderfully relaxing deep-tissue massage or a Reiki session, I have always opted for the massage. In Reiki there isn’t a lot of actual touch – and no massaging of muscles. In fact I have been suspicious of the possibility that a therapist likes to do Reiki because it isn’t as much work – a way for them to “rest” during a treatment.

images 766535 Reiki at a Spa. Real Energy Medicine or Bunk?Well, I stand corrected. I couldn’t have been more wrong about Reiki (or perhaps I should say about Reiki with a Reiki Master.) During my visit to the Trisara Resort & Spa they had arranged for me to have a session with this famous Reiki healer in Phuket.

Here is what I remember: The Reiki practitioner had a gentle and positive spirit. He explained ahead of time that we would begin with me on the massage table face up, and then later face down. I wouldn’t necessarily feel anything, however many people have found that they feel an energy release afterward. For some it is more immediate, for others within the next day or two. Some people get emotional, others just have a greater sense of the body/mind/spirit being in balance.

So we began. After washing his hands and some mental preparation, he cupped his hands and began “hovering” over various parts of my body. I could feel an intense heat from his hands which he kept close to – but not directly on – my body. He seemed to be channeling energy from his body to mine. This kind of energy transmission happened continually as he went from one part of the body to another. Always, there was heat from his hands. The entire session was about 75 minutes and the longer it went on, the more pleasurable the feeling of energy transfer was.

That was it. The only “ah ha” moment during this time was a very bright flashlight-like strobe which I saw while my eyes were closed which startled me. I really don’t know if I had fallen asleep and was dreaming or if some other phenomenon had occured.

Anyway, the practitioner bid me farewell after which I went right from the massage table to change and then head to the Phuket airport for my trip back to New York. As I began what would end up being a 24 hour journey home, I was aware of feeling a bit more relaxed than usual, a bit less anxious – in fact not anxious at all. And then it happened. A flood of tears during my layover at the Bangkok airport. The weeping lasted about two hours. Now I suppose it might have had something to do with the fact that my flight out of Phuket was delayed five hours and I missed my connection to New York and had to rearrange everything through Tokyo, etc. However, I am a seasoned traveler and have faced these sort of travel irritations many times and never have they resulted in an uncontrollable flood of tears. Something had truly shifted.

It seems time for me to learn more about Reiki and energy medicine. Please share with me whatever experience you may have had. You have my attention.

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Cooper Life. “There is nothing quite like it”. Aerobics, Massages, and Wellness Living á la Cooper City!

cooper.life 753215 Cooper Life. There is nothing quite like it. Aerobics, Massages, and Wellness Living á la Cooper City!Cooper Life. “There is nothing quite like it“. Spa and Wellness Living á la Cooper City!
By Susie Ellis

This article in the NY Times yesterday introduced more information about the spa lifestyle community concept that I am so fond of. Although they quoted me as saying “there is nothing like it” that wasn’t exactly what I said, because indeed there are other great wellness living concepts (like Canyon Ranch Living, Miraval Living, Cliffs Wellness Communitites etc.) and I gave them the link to our spa lifestyle real estate section.

But it is true that there is nothing exactly like Cooper Life, with Dr.Ken Cooper at the helm and such a strong emphasis on fitness and aerobics in particular. I was also amazed to learn that a hospital is part of Cooper Life as well as an athletic training center. I do think it is a great stride forward (yes I noticed the pun!) in terms of giving people the chance to truly live a healthy lifestyle. This article will probably help people understand that better. There is a big trend toward Spa Lifestyle Living (which we had predicted in 2004), and this is another great model. Yippy!