Tag Archives: The Spa Experience

Spa Lifestyle Real Estate Experiences a Hiccup: Spa Lifestyle Living Still Resonates

Spa Lifestyle Real Estate Experiences a Hiccup: Spa Lifestyle Living Still Resonates
by Susie Ellis

Sad news. Canyon Ranch Living Chicago, which was in the design and pre-sale phase, has been cancelled. This article, “End of the Trail”, gives some of the details. From the few mentions I could find on the web, it appears that there were insufficient sales of condos and that it fell victim to the current market crunch. Too bad. The design seemed really inspired and I love the idea of “wellness condos.”

But timing is a big factor in these kinds of things. What would have worked several years ago – and may very well work several years from now – is struggling today amidst the bad economic news. Who knows, it may have been the size of the project, the price point, the location, or maybe the marketing plan that didn’t work. And I can’t help but wonder if the condo project was kept alive longer than it might have been because of its unique spa aspect.

One thing I am convinced about, however, is that the idea of spa lifestyle real estate is here to stay and it will find its ideal expression as time goes on. Canyon Ranch Living in Miami looks to be a successful project – as does Miraval Living in New York. Red Mountain keeps building more residences because of the demand and our spa real estate section on Spafinder.com keeps growing.

This situation reminds me a bit of the time when the internet bubble burst. Remember? The bubble grew from approximately 1995 – 2001 and then it “burst” and share prices fell dramatically. The pendulum swung from being gung-ho regarding the Internet to doom and gloom. I remember noticing only one person during the “down” time who kept saying, “don’t worry about it. The future of the Internet is still so amazing that even with this “correction” there will be huge upsides and the Internet world will continue to grow exponentially.” That person was my husband. In time, he was proven correct.

Alas…I feel the same way about setbacks in the evolution of spa lifestyle real estate. To me it is a two steps forward and one step back kind of thing. The fundamentals are just too compelling: aging baby boomers who are reaching retirement age, who value their health and well-being above almost anything else and who have money (much of it inherited) to spend. We also have a younger generation embracing the LOHAS (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability) lifestyle and wanting to raise their families in a healthy environment.

Real estate with spa components is here to stay.

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An Affordable Spa with the Biggest Loser Appeal

An Affordable Spa with the Biggest Loser Appeal
by Susie Ellis

Before leaving Utah, I wanted to take a quick look at Fitness Ridge which was the spa featured in the USA Today article in which we were also quoted (In particular they listed our top 10 Readers’ Choice winners for Most Affordable Spas.”) The story was titled “Fit & Frugal – Affordable spa resorts promise to lighten the load, not the wallet” and was in the September 21 issue.

I knew that Fitness Ridge used to be called the Body Shop Spa but recently they moved and also changed their name. Both seem to have been good decisions.

I have to say I really liked the place…and the idea that people can go and have a true fitness and spa experience for as low as $1,295 per week, including all of the activities, food, and accommodations. It is sort of a Biggest Loser setting with the trainers being a tad nicer. They also have the one-week required program I am so fond of. You arrive on Sunday and leave the next Sunday. Temptation is removed and they do call if you miss a hike or class.

It reminded me of the program at the Golden Door when I began there in 1975. Low calorie, lots of exercise, and real bonding between the guests. A couple of novel elements…..all guests are in all of the same hikes and classes together and they accommodate the various levels. And some evenings they show movies in the gym and everyone walks on a treadmill for the entire time.

I emailed my “recognizance” to our Spa Finder office before arriving back in New York. Two members of our staff are ready to sign up. I think Biggest Loser fever is catching on.

Spa Lifestyle Living is Becoming a Reality

It’s been a busy Easter week and I have not been blogging as much as usual. My apologies – I am planning to get back on track! Before leaving for a few days of family gatherings in Palm Desert, Peter and I had a chance to revisit Miraval Living in New York to see the progress.

It was heartening to see the additional new model designed by Clodagh and it was a pleasure to meet Neil Furman, who has just been hired to be the facility’s program director. The fitness and spa area, the large pool, and the spa cafe are all under construction so it will be interesting to watch how they all develop.

Another spa living community, Canyon Ranch Living, will be opening this summer in Miami and so the idea of Spa Lifestyle Living is truly coming alive. This should be a big year of buzz for this concept.

Best Spa Savings for Fall

It’s the day after the long Labor Day weekend, and I’m back in my office. Since it feels like a new season, I thought I would review one of the most popular parts of Spafinder.com – “Best Buys” – to see what the best best buys are for fall. (I’m always hoping for spas to give ever greater discounts to our Spa Finder spa enthusiast network.) So kudos to these spas, which are offering generous savings. There are almost 90 spas offering discounts on our website, but here are what I see as the most impressive bargains.

Playa Escondida Resort in Mexico – save 50% – For as little as $1,200, you get five-night accommodations, breakfast and dinner each day, four massages, a facial, a manicure, and a pedicure. It is for two, but who wouldn’t want to share this with a friend?

Rancho La Puerta just south of San Diego in Mexico – I still love the $1,000 savings for two (one returning guest and one new guest).

Silverado in Napa, CA – The Spa Girls special has been a winner for years. For $279, you get breakfast and a spa treatment and can enjoy the entire resort.

Grail Springs - Canada – A friend can come along for 50% off. Everything is in Canadian dollars, which is a good value to begin with.

Little Palm Island, FL – Saving $1,150 on a three-night package is a good bargain (my husband and I were there years ago, before the spa was added). Very romantic.

Arc House – in France – they pay your airfare (up to $750) if you fly in from the U.S. and up to 175 Euros if you fly in from Europe.

With kids back in school, it’s a great time for a getaway. Happy fall!

Hurricane Katrina and Spas Helping Spas

Today’s anniversary of Hurricane Katrina seems like an appropriate time to mention the unexpected development that came from our outreach a year ago. A few days after Hurricane Katrina, we received a desperate call from Kevin and Andre, who managed one of our partner spas (Miss Celia’s) in New Orleans. Both Kevin and Andre had lost everything and were asking for help.

We decided that one of the ways we could help was passing along Kevin and Andre’s request to our large network of spa professionals. That very afternoon we created the bulletin board called “Spas Helping Spas“. To our delight, there were many responses and offers of help. We kept the bulletin board going and saw others who needed help find those who could provide help. We saw employers post job openings and employees post a job search. Some people asked for advice, and others offered advice. The board really became a community of spa professionals supporting each other.

And then one day about six months after the hurricane, we received an email from Kevin and Andre. They had joined the Preston Wynne Consulting staff and were traveling around the country helping others open spas. They even told me that they were happier now than before the tragedy – that it had all turned into a blessing for them.

Needless to say, we have kept the bulletin board open and will continue to do so – thanks to the generosity of spirit that we have witnessed.