Tag Archives: Turkey

2) SpaFinder Spa Trend 2010: Year of the Hammam – Revisited

trump hammamimage003 300x274 2) SpaFinder Spa Trend 2010: Year of the Hammam RevisitedContinuing on with my review of SpaFinder’s 2010 Top 10 Spa Trends (and then evaluating how the trend actually developed), we predicted an increasing popularity of hammams.

Admittedly this trend took many people by surprise, in fact, I don’t think anyone really saw this one coming!  (I love it when that happens!)  Our research, however, put this one on our radar.  Having the chance to speak with many companies who create hydro and thermal experiences for spas, I knew that there were more hammams on the drawing board than in years past.  The spas at the Mandarin Oriental in Las Vegas and Trump Soho in New York were under construction and both would have hammams.  I knew that would be big news.  What I didn’t know was whether or not these spas would host authentic hammams, or if they would simply put the name hammam on a steam room (which is one of my pet peeves).  I was happy to learn that both committed to the traditional experience, even using authentic terms such as kese, pestemal, and belly stone for example.  The New York Times even made it a point to compliment the effort toward authenticity.

Here is what we wrote about the trend a year ago:

Spa Trend #2:  The Year of the Hammam

With spa-goers increasingly seeking authenticity, tradition, and that magical spa experience that also offers true results, the Eastern European/Middle Eastern/North African hammam (hamam in Turkey) represents one of the hottest trends for 2010, albeit with a distinctly modern expression. This is the year in which people who’ve never heard the term hammam will learn its meaning, and those already familiar with it will discover new places to experience it.

Anyone who has sampled this age-old ritual of cleansing and purification will not be surprised by its rising popularity. The combination of a vigorous full-body scrub and bubbly soaping, now often capped by a full-body massage, makes for an extraordinary experience, with results that last weeks. A traditional hammam, from an Arabic word meaning “heat,” consists of a hot room (the sıcaklık, or hararet), a warm, intermediate room, and the cool room (or soğukluk). And these are not ordinary rooms but typically architectural marvels.

Spa-goers love hammams because one can extend this Eastern European/Middle Eastern/North African multicircuit bathing experience for hours. Spa owners love them because of their photogenic “wow” design and the opportunity to make money, since the treatment requires a therapist and allows for top dollar/Euro pricing. And although traditionally they’ve been a same-sex experience, new modern twists have broadened the experience to couples.

Travel to venerable hammams like the 16th-century Çemberlita in Istanbul will increase, while brand-new spas will unveil distinctly modern incarnations. Introduced to the modern spa scene by lavish Middle Eastern resort spas (such as Dubai’s One and Only Royal Mirage or Morocco’s La Mamounia), next-generation versions are already gaining popularity in Europe, where top spa builders and product manufacturers report a serious increase in requests for a hammam component in new spa design. The trend is hitting North America: Ten Spa in Winnipeg, Canada opened a few years ago with a hamam and offers a variety of experiences including their “Hamam Fully Loaded” treatment. This year both the Drift Spa at Palms Place and Mandarin Oriental in Las Vegas recently rolled out hammams, as did the new InterContinental Montelucia in Arizona. Trump Soho in Manhattan (slated for early 2010) will boast separate luxury hammams for men and women. And expect Turkish hammams in both the Traymore and Epic Hotels in Miami. You can also expect more floating versions on cruise ships soon.

And delegates attending the 2010 Global Spa Summit (fittingly taking place in Istanbul next May) will sample both ancient and modern local interpretations. In the future, look for sauna or steam rooms around the world inappropriately labeled “hammams” to be taken to task as the industry commits to higher standards of authenticity.

So how did we do?  I think this one was a mixed bag; clearly there was buzz about hammams as expected, however, there were several on the drawing board that were nixed due to the recession.  I was somewhat disappointed to find out that some hammams in the U.S. (Drift Spa, Traymore and Epic) are still used as steam rooms without the great scrubbing, soaping, and detoxing ritual that makes it such a great treatment.

On the other hand, I was really impressed with some of the exciting new products that gave nods to the hammam including:  The Red Flower Hammam Range, Davines Hammam Soap Ritual,  and the wonderfully fragrant line of hammam blend oils from [comfort zone].

Finally, I am proud of the fact that our alliance with NewBeauty Magazine, which now includes a SpaFinder supplement with each issue, showcased hammams in their inaugural issue!  Furthermore, because the Global Spa Summit was held in Istanbul, and most of the 250 delegates experienced a traditional hammam ritual, I am very optomistic that we will continue to see more true hammams develop around the world.

So, my grade for this trend would be an A -.  I am giving myself some extra credit for having taken the risk to predict something totally out of the blue!

More information on Hammam.

My twitter address: @susieellis

Spa Trend #2: Year of the Hammam

hammamdesign 700878 Spa Trend #2: Year of the HammamBy Susie Ellis, SpaFinder Insider. Continuing down the list of the top 10 spa trends for 2010 we published a few weeks ago, the second one is what we are calling “the year of the hammam.” This one turned out to be a surprise for many however the reaction has been enthusiastically positive! Here is the description and then some post-publishing notes: YEAR OF THE HAMMAM TREND With spa-goers increasingly seeking authenticity, tradition, and that magical spa experience that also offers true results, the Eastern European/Middle Eastern/North African hammam (hamam in Turkey) represents one of the hottest trends for 2010, albeit with a distinctly modern expression. This is the year in which people who’ve never heard the term hammam will learn its meaning, and those already familiar with it will discover new places to experience it. Anyone who has sampled this age-old ritual of cleansing and purification will not be surprised by its rising popularity. The combination of a vigorous full-body scrub and bubbly soaping, now often capped by a full-body massage, makes for an extraordinary experience, with results that last weeks. A traditional hammam, from an Arabic word meaning “heat,” consists of a hot room (the sıcaklık, or hararet), a warm, intermediate room, and the cool room (or soğukluk). And these are not ordinary rooms but typically architectural marvels. Spa-goers love hammams because one can extend this Eastern European/Middle Eastern/North African multicircuit bathing experience for hours. Spa owners love them because of their photogenic “wow” design and the opportunity to make money, since the treatment requires a therapist and allows for top dollar/Euro pricing. And although traditionally they’ve been a same-sex experience, new modern twists have broadened the experience to couples. hammam03 773567 Spa Trend #2: Year of the Hammam Travel to venerable hammams like the 16th-century Çemberlita in Istanbul will increase, while brand-new spas will unveil distinctly modern incarnations. Introduced to the modern spa scene by lavish Middle Eastern resort spas (such as Dubai’s One and Only Royal Mirage or Morocco’s La Mamounia), next-generation versions are already gaining popularity in Europe, where top spa builders and product manufacturers report a serious increase in requests for a hammam component in new spa design. The trend is hitting North America: Ten Spa in Winnipeg, Canada opened a few years ago with a hamam and offers a variety of experiences including their “Hamam Fully Loaded” treatment. This year both the Drift Spa at Palms Place (pictured) and Mandarin Oriental in Las Vegas recently rolled out hammams, as did the new InterContinental Montelucia in Arizona. Trump Soho in Manhattan (slated for early 2010) will boast separate luxury hammams for men and women. And look for Turkish hammams to show up in the Miami area as there are some on the drawing boards. You can also expect more floating versions on cruise ship spas soon. And delegates attending the 2010 Global Spa Summit (fittingly taking place in Istanbul next May) will sample both ancient and modern local interpretations. In the future, look for sauna or steam rooms around the world inappropriately labeled “hammams” to be taken to task as the industry commits to higher standards of authenticity. hammammandarin 798671 Spa Trend #2: Year of the Hammam POST-PUBLISHING NOTES I heard from quite a few people after our trend list was published. Some shared their own hammam experiences, others told me of a hammam they are building (there is one that will be opening in New York this year!) and I heard from Frank Flynn who actually has a company called Hammam Consultants! Frank was particularly helpful as he has studied hammams for many years and has traveled extensively and is totally committed to authenticity for the spa experience. He went on to answer some of my questions: The difference between the Moroccan hammam experience is in sequence and in what is used (black soap then exfoliate then mud then rinse) versus the Turkish hamam experience (exfoliate, then soap massage, then rinse). He also explained that the Rasul (pictured here from the Mandarin Oriental in Hong Kong) is somewhat similar to a hammam but was an adaptation to a smaller space. Therefore instead of people lying on a belly-stone and having an attendant, they are sitting and doing more of a self administered soap, exfoliation and mud treatment. What can I say….hammams are hot and getting hotter! (But note, that doesn’t refer to the temperature because authentic hammams are much less hot and humid than steam rooms.)

More information on Hammam.

My twitter address: @susieellis

A Day of Good News for Spas

A Day of Good News for Spas
by Susie Ellis, SpaFinder Insider

Peter (my husband and CEO of our company for those who are new to the blog) was in Florida this weekend and stopped by to say hi and congratulations to Paul Lehr, President of Pritikin Longevity Center and Spa. We had recently heard the exciting news that next month Pritikin is moving from their current location at the Turnberry Isle Yacht Club in Aventura, Florida, to the lovely Doral Golf Resort and Spa in Miami. (More details here.)

I think it will be a great move for Pritikin and the Doral. Pritikin has one of the highest success rates of any health and weight-loss program in the world, however their facilities weren’t the greatest. Now they will have the whole package. (I also noticed that they have a fresh new website and a hip new logo.)

Although it was fun to hear details about their upcoming move, the most exciting news to me was Peter reporting Pritikin was 100 percent full this week! Wow – that is great news.

But there was more good news to come. Yesterday morning, here in New York, I was having breakfast with Deborah Szekely (founder of Rancho La Puerta). I asked her how everything was going at the Ranch. Her answer? “Things are going very well, we’ve been 100 percent full.” Wow – more music to my ears!

I mention this because while it’s one thing to read news like Deloitte’s recent survey reporting that Consumers are More Optimistic, it’s another thing to hear the real numbers out there. While the spa industry has been more resilient during the recession than hospitality in general, it certainly was affected and it’s nice to see that people are once again investing in their health.

The only negative – I was just beginning to enjoy being able to call a spa last-minute and get in right away for a massage. Oh well.
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Report re European Spa Summit at Beyond Beauty Expo in Paris

Report re European Spa Summit at Beyond Beauty Expo in Paris
by Susie Ellis, SpaFinder Insider

It’s always a treat to be able to attend a spa conference outside of the U.S. There are fresh viewpoints, new spas to discover, and emerging trends to observe. There’s just nothing like being present to witness actual dialogue and the exchange of ideas – sometimes quite different than my own. beyondbeauty 785349 Report re European Spa Summit at Beyond Beauty Expo in Paris

One example is the French woman who dominated the microphone during question and answer periods and minced no words in voicing her opinion that the French have led the spa industry for centuries and don’t need to be taught anything from foreigners. Another example is the gentleman from Austria who was embarassed by, and felt strongly that the number one problem for the European spa industry is the lack of gracious hospitality. Interesting perspectives.
There were approximately 20 presentations and 30 speakers. Here are a few tidbits, which resonated with me:
1. Marion Schneider, from Toskana World in Germany, spoke about the importance of teaching your staff English – or at least enough English so that they are comfortable conversing with guests. As she so clearly said….”if you don’t teach your staff English, they will hide.” I had never really thought of it that way, however I think she makes a good point. The language barrier isn’t just an issue when it comes to not being able to understand the guest’s needs, but it is a further impediment because the therapist feels intimidated and therefore is shy about interacting with guests at all.
2. Kevin Turnbull, from SpaFinder EMEA in the UK, used Bill Clinton’s successful campaign slogan as a reference point – he suggested that instead of the line, “It’s the economy stupid,” our industry adopt the line “It’s the customer stupid.” We do have a tendency to spend a lot of time discussing industry issues, when in fact we should be paying more attention to the consumer and their likes and dislikes. Kevin also made a good point that when it comes to the European spa industry, “we are going from wellness to wellness.” The roots are wellness, and we are back there again.
3. Raoul Sudre, from Aspen Spa Management in Florida, gave several talks. My favorite one was his presentaiton on spa trends (of course). Raoul has been in the spa industry 50 years and I respect his perspective on trends as a result!
It isn’t just about the amount of time he has been in the spa arena (half a century!)…after all there are many others who have been in the spa industry that long: Deborah Szekely (Rancho La Puerta and Golden Door), Enid and Mel Zuckerman (Canyon Ranch), Sheila Cluff (The Oaks), and Dorthy Purdue (Champneys) come to mind. However, Raoul has a broader global view because unlike the others mentioned here, he did not focus primarily on one or two properties during his career. Rather, Raoul traveled all over the world for decades and has consulted and developed spas in more countries than probably anyone else.
A few trends he predicts:
  • Greater customization
  • No more locker rooms
  • Adjusting spa design as people become more claustrophobic.
  • Change in terminology….i.e. the word spa will always have something else attached to it. Examples: Yoga Spa, Sexual Health Spa, Boot Camp Spa, Medical Wellness Spa, etc.
  • Energy medicine
  • Spa and fitness separating (I disagree with him on this one)
  • Spa packages are coming back “in” – but now they are packages including hydro and thermal treatments rather than facials and massage and such. georgeV 761474 Report re European Spa Summit at Beyond Beauty Expo in Paris

4. Christopher Norton, GM of Four Seasons George V in Paris, and his spa manager Verena Fox, gave a memorable presentation about their spa’s continued increase in revenue despite the challenging economic climate. They were very transparent with their numbers – which everyone appreciated. (Even the French woman who had been dominating the Q & A had something positive to say about their presentation!) Here is a recap of their yearly revenue in Euros:

2007-1.9 service, 258,000 retail, 5.6% profit
2008 2.2 service, 414,000 retail, 18% profit
2009 (year-to-date): on track to beat both service and retail and currently showing 19% profit!
Then the very astute Verena shared some secrets of how she made this magic happen: more sales training, more up-sell training, more day guests, inviting journalists for free treatments, offering free makeup sessions for clientele, encouraging men as guests (because they spend more money than women) and…..(this was a new one for me) training on how to wrap packages!
Oui, oui, ou la la!
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Grand Hotel Europe’s Planet Fitness Spa

I check in. Grand Hotel Europe is an Orient-Express Hotel and one of the grand dames in the field. I feel instantly at home. A quick call to reception lets me know that, yes, there’s a spa. I call and book a manicure/pedicure and massage. Naturally I want to see what these will be like in Russia.spa 704555 Grand Hotel Europes Planet Fitness Spa

The facility is just okay. You have to go through the pool area to get to the fitness area and through the fitness area to get to the solarium, and through the salon to get to the locker room, etc. Looks like a result of adding on rooms haphazardly. But the skill of the therapists made up for all of this. My pedicure was more of a medical pedicure and was simply outstanding. My massage was performed by a gentleman who likely had medical training as they all do here.

A few nuances: The nail therapist scooped everything out of jars using a sea shell; I was offered a choice of neck pillows with different aromatherapy scents (which she would later heat); and the spa used several product lines: Kerstin Florian, a line from Bali, and a line from Austria, which I thought was quite interesting. The rooms had candles. The menu was quite extensive. One staff member spoke English and served as interpreter for any non-Russian-speaking guests. I believe there were only two other spa guests while I was there.