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Embracing Nature in Spa Design

September 26, 2024

Designing spaces that evoke a connection to nature can greatly enhance the therapeutic experience for spa guests. Combining wood, stone, live plants, water features and earthy materials with natural light presents a harmonious and balanced environment that fosters a sense of well-being. The aesthetic appeal of these materials, coupled with their intrinsic health benefits, creates spaces that nurture, heal and rejuvenate.

 

Erica Dhawan: Connectional Intelligence

September 14, 2023

“WE ARE ALL IMMIGRANTS TO THE NEW WORLD OF DIGITAL BODY LANGUAGE.” Erica Dhawan believes we’re all experiencing the same challenges as more of our interactions—with colleagues, with resource partners, even with clients—move away from in-person to online. So, how do we connect intelligently?

Erica suggested to the ISPA Conference audience that “the question shouldn’t be how to adapt to ‘the new normal,’ but instead how to create a better normal” in digital communications. Whether communicating in a video conference or by email or text message, Erica offers five key principles to ensure your message is received the way you intend:

Fighting For The Forgotten With Justin Wren

June 13, 2024

Justin Wren began his address to ISPA members by honoring Alex Szekely’s dedication to making a difference. He then recounted some of his life experiences that instilled a passion for “fighting for the forgotten.”

Wren shared that he was bullied as a child and felt alone until he became interested in wrestling. When he was in high school, his parents sent him away from home to train with Olympic wrestling coaches, and he continued training after high-level success in high school.

Harmony in Heritage: From Rebuild to Renewal

April 11, 2024

The Mokara Salon and Spa underwent more than just a renovation in 2022. The facility at Omni’s flagship property, the Omni Tucson National Resort, received a down-to-the-studs rebuild.

At one point, they considered moving the spa to a different area of the property. The rebuild was part of a multi-million-dollar reimagination of the resort. Everything from guestrooms to the haciendas to the casino to the lobby to the fitness center was given a new look.

And while Michael Maruca, general manager for the hotel, stresses the spa is a resort spa and not a healing one, Mokara has become a “respite for renewal.”

Harmony In Heritage: One renovation lays the groundwork for the next at Chateau Elan

April 11, 2024

Renovations are technically never finished at the Spa at the Chateau Elan. While the resort itself completed a $25 million renovation in 2020 and a major renovation of the spa followed a few years later, Director of Wellness Terra Orndorff said those renovations merely lay the groundwork for everything the spa is becoming and for continual changes and upgrades.

The recent major renovation eliminated Vichy showers and added more massage treatment rooms. They now have 26 treatment rooms, of which four are for couples. They also have 14 spa suites that are overnight guestrooms. They refreshed all their public spaces, upgrading them with natural wood, linen upholstery, tailored furniture and mod[1]ern lighting so they could achieve a look both classic and contemporary that matched the renovations of the resort.

Harmony in Heritage: Overcoming COVID-19 Challenges

April 11, 2024

Deep in the COVID pandemic, The Umstead Spa closed its doors for seven months to undergo a major renovation that gave the facility a facelift, freshened the soft goods, redesigned the wet areas with tile-heated chaises and added outdoor relaxation lounges and a relaxation space in the ladies’ wet area that includes a Himalayan salt wall.

The pandemic both informed and hampered their efforts. Carolyn Doe, the spa director who has been with the spa since 2009, has carefully gauged the needs of their guests and has witnessed the effects of the pandemic.

Harmony In Heritage: Renovation veterans provide insight into overhauling historic spas

April 11, 2024

It is not just in the services menu where spa professionals must create equilibrium between the old and the new, walking a line between honoring the past and its traditions while embracing modern amenities and advancements. It is a balancing act that shows up in the physical walls of the spa and in every decision made during renovations, particularly for spas that exist in historic lodging properties, hotels and resorts with deep-rooted traditions and distinct characters.

Renovating a spa at a historic property requires a respect for the past and a commitment to the future. It is an undertaking that demands a skill for storytelling, thoughtfulness about staffing issues and knowledge of guest desires.

Harnessing AI For Spa Marketing

October 3, 2024

The introduction of publicly-available artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, such as ChatGPT in November 2022, has profoundly impacted various industries, including spa and wellness. With nearly 15 years of experience in consulting, I’ve witnessed firsthand the marketing challenges spas face, particularly those with limited budgets. AI has emerged as a transformative tool, serving as an efficient and cost-effective solution for digital marketing in the spa sector.

 

Help Your Company Shine in a Competitive Talent Market

September 14, 2023

If you want your company to shine in this competitive marketplace, some trends need immediate attention this year.

  • Consider how you can build flexibility into your schedule. Some leaders fear flexibility as they assume it means working from home. That’s not always an option or what they want. Make the time to engage in a conversation with your employees about how you can build in some flexibility while still providing services. Sometimes, a simple change in schedule will do the trick!
  • Especially for Gen Zs and Millennials, purpose matters. Get involved with your community and support local causes. Be clear about what is important to you and share your passion on your website and through social media. If you are involved in feeding the homeless, collecting supplies for children or donating hours to a local charity, share your commitment to the community.
  • Assess and improve your overall applicant experience. Every step of the process is an opportunity to create a WOW experience. Applicants are checking you out just as much as you are checking them out. Demonstrate your amazing culture at every step and use a short cycle time to hire. It doesn’t stop at the interview. It’s frustrating to hire employees only to have them not show up on day one. Have you stayed in touch with them since the job offer? Keeping them engaged is paramount! Consider sending a nice note signed by your team upon their accepting a position. Stay engaged by creating a memorable experience.
  • New employee celebration (orientation) should be an experience that not only focuses on the necessary paperwork, but also includes time well spent on culture, history and how exceptional it is to work in the industry. They should feel so honored and excited to join the team! Thirty days after they are hired, ask them about their experience and what you do that’s better/worse than where they used to work!
  • Clarify, promote and protect your brand. Review your website and social media. Applicants don’t always look at your home page. Your job page needs to tell the story about how amazing it is to work in your industry, not just a job listing. Feature stories should include S-P-A: a Story, Point and Action! Action could be as simple as saying, “What about you? Are you ready to contact us and become a part of an amazing team?”

How Energy Impacts Your Employees (Elevate Your Leadership Pt. I)

December 18, 2019

Here’s an interesting question to ask yourself about the way people view you in the workplace: Are people happier to see you come, or are they happier to see you go?

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