Tag Archives: technology

A Toast to the Caudalie Vinotherapie Spa at the Plaza in New York

A Toast to the Caudalie Vinotherapie Spa at the Plaza in New York
by Susie Ellis

A woman soaking in a wine barrel looking out at what you imagine to be a view of a beautiful vineyard – that’s a photo I remember seeing when I first read about the Caudalie Vinotherapie Spa opening in France. It was 1999, and the first time I heard the term Vinotherapie.

caudalie woman 721978 A Toast to the Caudalie Vinotherapie Spa at the Plaza in New YorkIt sounded intriguing to use various parts of grapes for facial and body treatments and like many other people, I found the story captivating. That new Caudalie Vinotherapie spa in France made a big splash on the spa scene with one major magazine after another showcasing its philosophy and setting.

After a few years, however, I didn’t read as much about the spa although I began seeing more about vinotherapie in general and learned that there really was science behind it. Apparently the grapes have polyphenls rich in antioxidants and vinotherapy is said to stimulate collagen synthesis and is anti inflammatory. The results? More youthful skin.
Then about three years ago, Mathilde and Bertraud Thomas who are the founders of Caudalie, and proprietors of the Château Smith Haut Lafitte which is thCaudalie vinegards 746558 A Toast to the Caudalie Vinotherapie Spa at the Plaza in New Yorke family property in the Bordeaux region of France, came to New York and visited us at SpaFinder. Lovely people. Attractive. Young. Authentic. They were brimming with enthusiasm about their product and looking forward to bringing it to more people around the world.

Apparently they learned a lot in the years since opening their first spa. They now have a registered trademark for the term Vinotherapie, as well as a spa in Italy, one in Spain, and have opened in the U.S. Their products are sold in more than 25 countries and distributed in the US at Sephora, select Nordstroms, Henri Bendel, Blue Mercury, flagship Bath & Body Works, and independent specialty cosmetic boutiques.
Tonight, I had the chance to experience their new Caudalie Vinotherapie Spa here at the Plaza in New York, which opened last October. While I think they could have done a slightly better job of space utilization (in their locker rooms in particular) and could tighten up a bit on staff training, I found the spa to be refreshingly unique.
What I liked most about the spa is that it has a point of differentiation. While many spas these days have the predictable contemporary aesthetic, similar treatment rooms, unsurprising spa menus, tea upon arrival, foot rituals, humdrum relaxation rooms, similar equipment in the fitness room lined up in the same way overlooking the same type of view, etc., Caudalie has managed to carve out a unique experience – the highlight being their “French Paradox Wine Lounge.” french pardox wine lounge plaza 760316 A Toast to the Caudalie Vinotherapie Spa at the Plaza in New York
The wine lounge – with its color palette of burgundy and a soft yet vibrant green (think red and green grapes) is spot-on. (The photo on the left doesn’t do it justice.) It is the first social/relaxation/meeting space in a spa I have seen that really works. There are a variety of sitting areas – some with couches, some with chairs, some with a table and four chairs. The focal point is always the beautifully lit glass-encased collection of wine displayed from floor to ceiling. The furniture and decor show high style with a French sensibility and artistic flair.

What really makes this work, however, is that the room is hosted by a wine sommelier who does the pouring and provides fare to sample and in general creates a sophisticated yet casual social setting that works even though everyone is in robes. Enjoying a glass of fine wine after a refreshing facial was yummy.
The term Caudalie is a French term that quantifies the duration of a wine’s flavor in your mouth. One second of time equals one caudalie. The longer the flavor lingers the better and the more caudalies.
The spa gets lots of caudalies from me.
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Mandara Spa at Atlantis – A True Sanctuary

atlantis.skyview 747029 Mandara Spa at Atlantis A True SanctuaryMandara Spa at Atlantis – A True Sanctuary
by Susie Ellis

Peter and I did something this weekend which we were never able to do while living on the West Coast – hop on a short flight to spend the weekend in the Bahamas. It sounds so “East Coast” doesn’t it? Actually Peter is on a mission to convince me that getting into boating would be a good idea. I fear he has an uphill battle here, however I didn’t mind spending a weekend with him checking things out. Besides, this jaunt would give me a chance to visit two spas: Mandara at Atlantis and the One & Only Spa at the Ocean Club, Bahamas.

So we boarded a 2 1/2 hour flight yesterday morning and flew directly into Nassau. Peter decided we should stay at Atlantis since it is on the water. While ordinarily a resort with 3,800 rooms and lots of kids would not be my first choice for a weekend trip, we were just staying one night so I thought, why not? Besides, here on the East Coast I see so many Atlantis ads, it seemed like a good idea to see what all the fuss was about.

Well…Yes, it is large. Yes, it has lots of kids (although there is one tower which is for adults only – not the one we stayed in.) Yes, the decor is a bit Disneyland-20-years-ago. And it seemed expensive. My bagel and cream cheese this morning was almost $5.00 and Internet usage here in the business center is about $1.00 a minute. The room too was pricey. I must say, however, those families who were here all had broad smiles on their faces and seem to be having quite a bit of fun with their kids. It looks to be a good family adventure.

mandara.spa.atlantis 745770 Mandara Spa at Atlantis A True SanctuaryOn to the spa. Happily Jeff Matthews, who is a good friend and the head of Mandara for Asia, had let them know ahead of time that we were coming. Vicky, the very impressive Spa Director, greeted us and was expecting us. That was nice. I learned that this is their NEW Mandara Spa – opened just a year ago since they had outgrown the old one. This one has 35 treatment rooms and the men’s and women’s locker rooms have saunas, steam, hot whirlpool and cool plunge (note, not cold, but cool plunge….probably a good idea since I rarely see anyone going into a cold plunge). And surprisingly, the spa rates seemed cheap!

Nice decor in the spa – more sophisticated than the rest of the resort that’s for sure. The suite where we had our couple’s massage was quite nice – shower, restroom, tastefully decorated, etc. Both therapists were excellent (and they washed their hands before starting the treatment – hurray!). I would give my therapist an eight on a 10 point scale, Peter would give his therapist a seven. Since we are rather picky, those are not bad scores.

I worked out in the fitness center the next day (this morning) which I learned was also managed by Mandara. I find it interesting that more spas are managing fitness facilities these days. It used to be that fitness and spa were very separate from each other in hotels and resorts. But I like this coming together because it broadens the public’s view of spa to include not only the pampering and stress-reducing therapies which help people take a step toward wellness, but the exercise gym and studio which does as well.

The gym had quite a large display of Elemis products – in fact more obvious than the product display in the spa itself. Knowing that Steiner (who owns Mandara and Elemis) is known for high retail sales in their spas, I was surprised to see the rather subtle product presentation in the spa. It would be interesting to know if the product sales in this spa are as brisk as in other Mandara/Elemis/Steiner managed properties.

Well…I will save my One & Only Spa report till later since the clock is ticking here in the business center.

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Power Plate Fitness Equipment in Spas and Fitness Clubs. Hype or Hot?

Power Plate Fitness Equipment in Spas and Fitness Clubs. Hype or Hot?Power Plate Fitness Equipment in Spas and Clubs. Hype or Hot?
By Susie Ellis

During my vacation I got to spend a bit more time at the gym and decided to try out a new piece of equipment they just added – the Power Plate!

I have seen the Power Plate at many trade shows recently and in several gyms in Europe. I have also read that celebrities like Madonna, Sting, and several professional sports teams were using it with great enthusiasm. I have to admit I was a bit dubious when I first started seeing and reading about the Power Plate and its vibration technology. It reminded me of another piece of vibrating equipment I had witnessed many years ago when I first started my career in the spa industry. It was the mid-70’s at the Golden Door in California and, yes, there were vibrating belts in the gym. They were popular with the female guests – including the Gabor sisters who would spend what seemed like hours with the belt around their hips and thighs jiggling away while chatting or even reading a book. When vibrator belts went out of style due to unsubstantiated weight loss claims, it was certainly fine with me.

But positive talk about vibration surfaced again when mini-trampolines emerged onto the scene (often used in fitness classes) in the 1980’s and today we are hearing about the vibration technology of the Power Plate – or similar products with different names. Their story seems pretty compelling. Apparently this technology was developed by a Russian scientist for cosmonauts as whole-vibration training and was used to prevent muscles and bones from wasting away while in space. Later it was used by Russian ballet dances and their elite Olympic athletes with very positive results. Research showed that regular use can improve bone density.

Power Plate Fitness Equipment in Spas and Fitness Clubs. Hype or Hot?For those who aren’t familiar with the Power Plate, there is a photo to the right. The device has a large plate that vibrates in a specific motion 30 to 50 times per second. The idea is that the vibration forces muscle contractions – kind of like dynamic tension exercise. Your body feels the instability and strives to stabilize by tensing the muscles. It takes very little concentration on your part and is in actuality a fairly pleasant sensation. You are supposed to spend between 10 and 30 minutes on the equipment, alternating between various exercise positions and resting in between.

So I decided to ask for a session with Stephanie, a personal trainer and the gym’s director, who had fortunately just taken a very thorough training program. She was able to demonstrate a myriad of exercises, explain some of the science, and help me do a short workout.

I have to say that I was impressed. Not only did I learn about the vast amount of muscle groups that can be worked through the exercises, but I have to admit that I was actually tired at the end of the few minutes of my vibration workout. During one exercise – push-ups with my feet on the floor and arms on the plate to work the arms and chest – I was positively convinced that this was doing much more than my regular push-ups do for me.

We will of course all learn more as time goes on….but if I had to predict whether this Power Plate equipment is here to stay, I would have to say yes. Not as a substitute, but as an addition to a well rounded exercise program that includes strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular endurance. I think that the aging baby boomer concerned about bone density will want to add this to their exercise routine.

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A Conversation Comparing Spa Hospitality Management Programs

HMI026 Emanuel Berger small 747082 A Conversation Comparing Spa Hospitality Management ProgramsHad an interesting conversation this evening with Emanuel Berger, managing director for the Victoria-Jungfrau Collection. Several of his properties – all in Switzerland – have outstanding spas. I asked Mr. Berger which hospitality school in the world he would rate number one. He said that he still feels Lausanne Hotel School is best – and confessed to being a bit prejudiced because he is on the school’s advisory board.

I did think it interesting to hear him compare Lausanne with Cornell (the school he considers number two). He feels that the emphasis at Cornell is on numbers – marketing, profitability, revenue management, etc. – and that the Swiss school stresses the art of service and management. He did also say that a spa management course is very much needed. At the moment there isn’t anything spa-related at the Lausanne Hotel School. I know that Cornell has had a spa course taught by Dr. Mary Tabacchi for quite some time. Both schools, in my opinion, could use more spa management training programs. We need that expertise in our industry.