Tag Archives: New York Times

A New Spa Brand is Born: Nectar at Sheraton

A New Spa Brand is Born: Nectar at Sheraton
Susie Ellis, SpaFinder Insider
One of our spa trend predictions for 2009 was “Brands, brands, brands.” The recent announcement that Sheraton is adding a spa brand called Nectar (created by Spatality) is a perfect example of this trend. And I must say it seems timely – a mid-priced hotel brand adding a cool spa. How do I know that Nectar will be cool? Because Richard Dusseau and his team at Spatality designed it! spatality 784684 A New Spa Brand is Born: Nectar at Sheraton
Richard (pictured on the left with his partners Elaine Fenard and Ingo Schweder) showed me some of the early drawings of the Nectar brand a few years ago. It was immediately obvious to me that this was going to be a winner. It had great design and yet was created to be efficient for the consumer and the operator which would keep costs down. He cleverly designed the sauna and steam together in a unique way and the colors he used to bring the brand to life – well, I thought I was seeing the spa of the future. Guess I was.
One of the recent press announcements about the new Nectar spa brand at Sheraton described it as “high design/low ego.” Who would have known all those years ago that this would be exactly what would resonate in today’s world?
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Spa Trend Bingo

ultramind 722813 Spa Trend BingoSpa Trend Bingo

Susie Ellis, SpaFinder Insider

Just received an email this morning announcing the brand new book by Mark Hyman, M.D. It is called The UltraMind Solution. You may know Dr. Hyman from his time at Canyon Ranch in Lenox or perhaps you know his other books, UltraPrevention and UltraLongevity.

It put a smile on my face. Why you ask? Well, because in our recently released top 10 spa trend predictions for 2009, brain health was one of them! (And no, I didn’t know he was writing this book!)

While it is an encouragement to know that we have a pretty good pulse on what is going on out there and I wanted to brag a little (ok, I know it isn’t flattering), I also wanted to encourage you to buy the book so you can really be ahead of the trend curve.

Dr. Hyman describes the UltraMind Solution as “The Simple Plan to Sharpen Your Mind; Boost Your Mood; Increase Your Memory; and Even Reverse Autism, ADD, Depression, Alzheimer’s and More…”

I think this is the beginning of a conversation which will be going on for quite some time in the spa industry. How exciting!

P.S. If you missed our top ten spa trends for 2009 that I posted in a previous blog, I’ve added a quick summary for you below and you can read the full report here.

SpaFinder’s Top 10 Spa Trends for 2009
Energy Medicine – People are more open to alternative medicine, and there is more scientific evidence lending credibiity to the field.
Casinos & Spas – The combination of gaming and relaxation is quite complementary, and casino hotels have the money and creativity to build unique and exciting spas.
The Medical and Spa Tourism Shuffle – Traveling for health is happening for many different reasons and in many different ways, all over the globe.
Eco-Embedded Spas: A Deeper Shade of Green – It’s the most relaxing way for spa-goers to enjoy and feel good about their spa experiences.
Trains, Boats & Planes: In-Transit Spa-Going – The presence of de-stressing outlets during travel helps to make trips much more enjoyable.
Brain Health and ‘Mind’ Gyms – As people age they recognize that their minds need to be healthy also. Exercise your body, exercise your mind.
Stress – the 2009 Buzzword – As the entire global population is seeing unprecedented stress levels, and the number-one reason people go to spas is to reduce stress.
Mindful Spending – Discounts, bargains, and added values are expected in almost every transaction, and spas will be no exception.
Move Over Baby Boomers: Gen X & Y Are Spa-ing Their Own Way – The younger generation has unique spa-going habits, such as starting at a younger age, spa-ing with friends, and using technology 24/7.
Brands, Brands, Brands – There are so many spas to chose from, and brands help consumers distinguish one from another.
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How Resilient is the Spa Industry?

LasVegasSign 772791 How Resilient is the Spa Industry?How Resilient is the Spa Industry?
Susie Ellis, SpaFinder Insider

It’s been a few weeks since I attended the ISPA (International Spa Association) conference in Las Vegas. I have had some time to reflect on the days I spent there, visiting the expo exhibits, attending sessions, and catching up with many industry colleagues (which is the best part). I always learn things at ISPA and this year was no exception. But as I reflect on the various insights garnered, the most important conclusion is that our industry is really quite resilient.

There is no doubt that economic turbulence was on everyone’s mind. ISPA did a good job in trying to address some of these concerns through their keynote speakers and general sessions. What impressed me the most, however, was how robust the conference was in terms of the number of exhibitors and attendees. It is true that they didn’t report any all-time records, however, they got pretty darn close – and that to me is the real story.

When so many other industries are declining by 20 percent, 30 percent, and even 40 percent, workers are being laid off around the country, and we hear of large businesses shutting down altogether, it is pretty encouraging to see how buoyant the spa industry has been. The recent surveys that we have done at SpaFinder support the same conclusion – there have been shifts, however many spas are still doing good business.

I remember back to 9/11 when the country was “stunned” and travel and spa-ing were affected along with everything else. A few months later we published an issue of Luxury SpaFinder magazine with the cover line, “Spas for Challenging Times.” It was one of our best selling issues ever! Although 9/11 did affect revenues for many businesses, looking back, spas recovered quite quickly.

As I reflect on why our industry has such resiliency, I can’t helpStress ZebraStripes 773731 How Resilient is the Spa Industry? but think about one fundamental change that has taken place. Spas have as much to do with “wellness” as they do with “pampering.” Since we know that the number one reason people go to spas is “to relax and de-stress” (stress is at the root of almost 70 percent of doctor visits), it should come as no surprise that in these stressful times we are truly the very thing people need – and seek.

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Whimsical Spa Experiences Trumped by Whimsical Accommodations

Whimsical Spa Experiences Trumped by Whimsical Accommodations
by Susie Ellis, SpaFinder Insider


I loved the ad Virtuoso (high-end travel network) ran with us a while ago which showed two fashionable ladies in a cartoon format talking to each other with one saying to the other, “The only thing better than a traditional Balinese massage in an open-air, thatched hut overlooking the Indian Ocean is the look on people’s faces when you tell them about it.”

It really struck a chord. I call it “cocktail conversation spa treatments” and lots of people enjoy sharing some whimsical or unusual spa experience with others. I’m not sure why that is, except it’s probably better than talking about the weather at a cocktail party.

spa 779839 Whimsical Spa Experiences Trumped by Whimsical AccommodationsWell, this weekend Peter and I had one of those experiences. It wasn’t the spa treatment however; it was our cottage and stay at the Winvian Connecticut which I would describe in two words – whimsical and expensive. The estate, and its 18 cottages, is described in a gift-wrapped-and bound-brochure given to each guest as one of the ever-unfolding surprises in each cottage. It is 34 pages of stately staged photos of the grounds, cuisine and setting and has goofy touches including a pair of 3D glasses used to view the page about the Helicopter cottage, a set of matches to go with the Camping cottage description, and a pop- up map of the property attached at the end. My guess is the brochure alone probably costs over $100.

Winvian is a high-end getaway located in the affluent, manicured area of Litchfield County about 100 miles from New York City and 150 miles from Boston. It’s clearly for people who want something different – for whatever reason. The least expensive room is $1450 per night and the top-end is $1950. Gulp (Luckily we got a break.) I talked Peter into it as a “honey-do” payback for the times I agreed to join him on the back of his motorcycle this past year – and as an early 23rd anniversary celebration. He scored major points for going along with the plan and being a good sport, especially when I insisted on a lengthy five-course lunch on the home’s patio (all of the food and wine was included, so I felt obliged to try everything).

winvian 739660 Whimsical Spa Experiences Trumped by Whimsical AccommodationsI can’t do this fanciful experience justice in a blog…you just have to go to the Winvian website and see for yourself. They had 15 different architects create the unique cottages – each almost the size of a home and no two remotely alike. Every cottage has its own theme and name… Artists, Camping, Golf, Greenhouse, Helicopter (photo on the left and yes there is a cockpit and you are living in a helicopter), Library, Log Cabin, Maritime, Music, Secret Society, and treehouse 764780 Whimsical Spa Experiences Trumped by Whimsical AccommodationsTree house (35 feet in the air – photo on the right) to name a few. The one we were in was called Woodland. It had its own indoor stone waterfall, sunken bathtub overlooking the trees, sinks carved out of tree trunks and large tree trunks holding up the two story design. And oh yes, the stone stacked steam shower has a ceiling window which gives you a view of yet more wood and trees.
Service, food, gym and spa treatments were ok. The yoga room was a standout. The story here is definitely the accommodations.
I guess time will tell whether describing our experience at cocktail parties will have made it worth the entry fee. At least I know my husband is a trooper.
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A Father’s Day Surprise: Dads & Spas

Fathers Day 751336 A Fathers Day Surprise: Dads & SpasA Father’s Day Surprise: Dads & Spas
by Susie Ellis

Quite a Father’s Day surprise. Yesterday I received an email from Steve Kane, who is a senior vice president at SpaFinder, with some extremely interesting data. Apparently Father’s Day gift card and gift certificate sales this year have increased quite dramatically. That means that most day spas out there, if they did a Father’s Day promotion, would have also seen large increases. Some may have even doubled their business from last year!

This is the kind of tidbit which I think deserves a ‘blue light.’ Do you remember years ago (well maybe decades ago) when K-Mart would move a flashing blue light next to some merchandise that was a really hot item? Then they would announce over the intercom ‘Blue Light Special,’ ‘Blue Light Special!’ Well, I think the fact that so many people purchased spa gift certificates for Father’s Day this year is a ‘Blue Light Special’ for the spa industry.

Here is why. It signals to me that the we have hit a tipping point. Malcolm Gladwell describes it this way in his book, The Tipping Point, ‘a tipping point is a sociological term which describes the moment of critical mass, the threshold, the boiling point.’ Another description, which I like even better, is from Bryan Walsh who wrote in Time magazine, ‘tipping points are levels at which the momentum for change becomes unstoppable’.

Think about it. People are buying spa gift certificates for dads. This would have been unheard of even a decade ago. It means that men going to spas has now become a norm rather than an exception. Spas which have attempted for years to attract men to their facilities for therapeutic massage services or grooming experiences, have gotten their message across.
Taking into account the economically turbulent times makes this increase even more significant. It may also indicate that current stressful times have caused people to think about the value of something nurturing and positive for the men in their lives. Rather than buying dads another tie or tool for the garage, people valued giving dad a break.
Here is how I would sum it up:
1. Men going to spas is now mainstream
2. People recognize that in stressful times, men need help de-stressing
3. Experiences are trumping ‘things’ as gifts for men
4. A new generation is thinking Fathers & Spa go together
5. The spa business is somewhat recession-proof (like alcohol and lipsticks)
It may be a funny thing to get excited about….but I consider this an ‘ah ha!’ moment for our industry and just wanted to share it with you.

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