Tag Archives: Sleep

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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Wii Shoulder Treatment on Spa Menus to join Blackberry Thumb Massage at Spas?

wii 762347 Wii Shoulder Treatment on Spa Menus to join Blackberry Thumb Massage at Spas?Wii Shoulder Treatment on Spa Menus to join Blackberry Thumb Massage at Spas?

by Susie Ellis

I felt really ‘out of it.’ Sitting at lunch with my niece Christa (17), my brother Rolf (49), his girlfriend Stacey (40), my step-daughter Courtney (30), and her girlfriend, Tana (28ish). They are all talking about the Wii and in particular the Wii Fit and how much they love, love, love it! It’s fun, they get a great workout, use it all the time, etc.

Well, this is something new. All of these people – guys, gals, at various ages all LIKING exercise? And the same program? I decided that I needed to find out more – and get ‘with it’.

wii fit 754755 Wii Shoulder Treatment on Spa Menus to join Blackberry Thumb Massage at Spas?I have been hearing about the Wii for a while but have never experienced it and didn’t even know there was a Wii Fit. So I asked my brother (who is visiting from Austin) to buy me a Wii while he was out sightseeing and shopping in New York. I learned long ago that if you are going to be in the Internet business, you really do have to keep up with what is going on. Thus, earlier in the year I bought the Kindle (a wireless reading device), Peter got the I-Phone (phone, I-pod, Internet), and I realize we are a bit late to the Wii.

Apparently Wii’s are hard to get – sold out at most places. But they were able to find one at Toys R Us – although there were no Wii Fits anywhere.

My 17-year-old niece installed it on my living room TV at my apartment (in about three minutes) and we got started. Basically there was a six-inch long sensor that she put on top of my TV which is connected to the Wii and another cord which is plugged into the TV. We started with tennis. The person or persons playing, each hold a remote in their hands which simulates a tennis racket. Play begins. Very realistic…and I found out I was as bad at tennis with the Wii as I am on the courts. And my usual problem of hitting the ball too late seems to have transferred. Later we tried bowling, then golf.

Seems like a cross between a video game and sports. And I have to agree, it was amazing. It was fun (social) and I could imagine how you would improve your game and that a fitness version could engage you in exercise. Bottom line is that I am not sure everyone needs to own one…but learning about and experiencing the technology does open your eyes to new possibilities.

Finally, I learned that my niece has ‘Wii Shoulder’ which apparently is a stress injury from playing the game too much.

And so I wonder…will ‘Wii Shoulder Treatment’ start appearing on spa menus like ‘Blackberry Thumb Massage’?

Alas…I suppose so.

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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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A Spa Moment of Balance with Hubby

pic pete%5B1%5D 730034 A Spa Moment of Balance with HubbyA Spa Moment of Balance with Hubby…
by Susie Ellis

My husband is a gem. Sometimes I mention him in my blogs – especially when I can poke a bit of fun – but today I feel like telling you why it is so great to live with him and what makes him the best husband I could possibly have. I guess I am inspired by the three-day weekend we just spent together. We both felt it was kind of a magical time. Everything sort of came together. We didn’t talk about work (much), we ‘flowed’ – just sort of went with what was happening and what we felt like doing.

It reminded me of when we fell in love 25 years ago. It was just the two of us this weekend. He took care of making all of the arrangements like flights, hotels, car rental, etc. I had a lot to do with suggesting the plans. Neither of us put any pressure on the other. He watched some of the U.S. Open. I read the newspaper. He got up early and found a Starbucks. I went to work out. We traveled light – carry-ons only. We went to bed early and slept in.

Of course, it didn’t hurt that we had some pretty fabulous plans. Massages at the Mandara Spa in the Bahamas, a drink at the One & Only Resort’s beautiful beach bar, an overnight at the Brazilian Court in Palm Beach, dinner at their restaurant – Daniel Boulud (fantastic), a couple of hours on a pretty cool boat. We drove around the Palm Beach area reminiscing about what life was like back 13 years ago when I worked at the Mar-a-Lago spa and lived in West Palm for two years. We couldn’t even afford massages back then.

Lots has happened since that time – neither of us would have predicted we would be living in New York, working together running a company called SpaFinder. Life sure has a way of surprising us.

As Peter has often said…he is the best ‘wife’ anyone can have. After all these years together we have figured out that arranging our lives so each of us does what we enjoy the most and are best at doing is the way to go. In our relationship Peter does all the cooking, all the shopping (for food and clothes) and basically takes care of everything in our home. He also does all the decorating.
I know, its hard to believe but he absolutely loves all this domestic stuff. And he is really very good at cooking, shopping and decorating. And I am not good at those things. (Photos of a home I decorated years ago are a good reminder of that.) What do I do? Well, I get to work at a job I love. I have time to read, write, study, think. I have time to do the detail kind of work I do like planning the Global Spa Summit, digging into spa research, tracking trends, etc. I get to handle our philanthropy and maintain most of our family relationships. It’s an arrangement that works well for us.

What does all this have to do with the spa lifestyle? Well, we talk so often about balance of body, mind, and spirit and I guess Peter and I had one of those balance experiences this weekend. We know it won’t last all that long since daily challenges (and emails) intrude quickly. But it is nice to have a moment of gratitude and joy about a relationship that has gotten sweeter over the years.
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