Privacy Plus Pampering
- Details
- Category: Hotels & Resorts
- Published on 10 January 2012
- Written by Administrator
- Hits: 139
Spa hotels are going to the next level with private spa suites for all guests’ needs.
Spa business brings in big money, some $12.8 billion with 150 million spa visits in 2010, according to the International Spa Association 2011 U.S. Spa Industry Study. Remarkably, in an economy where people are watching their dimes and nickels, these numbers are up by 4.3 and 4.7 percent respectively. But for hotels and resorts, the question is how can they stand out among the close to 20,000 day and resort/hotel spas in the U.S.? Some are differentiating themselves by taking pampering to another level with private spa suites.
When Mandarin Oriental’s Elbow Beach, Bermuda decided to add a spa to its five-star offerings in 2004, its space limitations actually led it to create something truly special. Instead of having a communal locker room and shower area, Elbow Beach’s 3,200 square foot spa boasts six spa suites, each complete with personal rain shower, vanity area, granite bath. a balcony with day bed overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and treatment area, including massage table. The two Couples Suites also feature a steam shower and a large granite bath for two. Spa-goers need never leave their private sanctuary.
“Having a full service spa is an expected and essential part of any luxury resort today,” says Frank Stocek, General Manager of Elbow Beach. “The Spa suites were created to be unique and to set our spa apart from other more traditional Spas. We wanted a way for people to differentiate our spa. Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group stands for personalized luxury, and the concept of a totally private spa journey where the guest can escape to their own personal sanctuary was the ideal way to accomplish that.”
The investment for the hotel was $3 million to design, build and outfit the spa.
“The Spa is a profitable operation in its own right and the extra rooms business generated because the resort has such a beautiful facility is the second major upside,” adds Stocek.
ARIA Resort & Casino Las Vegas is a new-build property that designed spa suites as part of its elaborate 80,000 square-foot, two-level The Spa & Salon at ARIA when it opened in December 2009.
In addition to 62 individual spa treatment rooms, the spa has three spa suites, 800 square feet each. The amenities available to guests of the spa suites include use of personal vanity and lockers, full body and face amenities, spa sandals and robes, steam shower, light refreshments, three-person hydrotherapy tub, relaxation lounge area, flat-screen television, overhead sound system and a spa host attending to any requests. Each experience can be customized to include gourmet dining, flower arrangements, gift baskets and more.
“The spa suites at The Spa & Salon at ARIA complement the numerous experiences offered throughout the resort,” says Susan Radzwillowicz, manager of The Spa & Salon at ARIA. “The spa suites were designed to create a personal ‘spa within a spa’ experience where guests are able to customize their spa journey from a selection of first-class treatments.”
The spa suites can be designed to accommodate couple’s treatments, bachelorette parties or a truly unique setting for small group meetings and lunches. They accommodate up to eight people, and spa packages range from a three-hour series of treatments to the 12-hour VIP experience.
“The ideal guests for the spa suites are those who want a luxurious and tailored experience while being pampered in privacy,” says Radzwillowicz. “The spa suites are also a perfect setting for guests celebrating a special occasion.”
Trump SoHo New York, also a new build that opened in April 2010, tweaked the idea of spa suites to offer actual accommodations that are private, steps from their impressive 11,000-square-foot two-floor Spa at Trump. Guests of the spa suites are able to get their treatments done in private within their guest room, but also be close enough to take advantage of all the spa has to offer.
“The philosophy behind the spa suites was to give the hotel a spa resort feel, while being located in Manhattan,” says Sean Lynch, Director of Sales and Marketing for Trump SoHo. “The design has a distinctive feel compared to the rest of the hotel that is very natural and soothing using lighter tones.”
The spa suite collection includes three suites, which range from 741 to 825 square feet, and have private access to The Spa at Trump. En-suite extra amenities include 32-inch deep Jacuzzi tubs, hydrotherapy jets in oversized showers and a stocked mini bar customized by the spa with healthy snack beverage options. The suites also feature a Technogym Wellness Rack with custom-sized dumbbells and an in-room yoga kit, as well as an exclusive Spa at Trump Bath Menu. Two of the suites have a connecting private treatment room with a sauna, a chromotherapy tub, and a rainfall steam shower. A stay in a spa suite includes a $200 spa credit, so guests are getting a value add as well.
“The spa suites help improve business for Trump SoHo New York by increasing the options we can offer our discerning travelers,” says Lynch. “The spa suites are fantastic for bridal parties before the wedding, and are also an asset for our guests who wish to maintain complete privacy yet still use our spa services.”
