Smart Meetings

Spa & Meetings

Author: Julie Keller
April 2009

Features

A superb stress-busting solution for troubled times

Sponsored by Hyatt Hotels  

 Spas, havens of relaxation and tranquility that promote wellness and relief through services and amenities that relax the body and soothe the soul, provide the ultimate escape for on-the-go individuals. In fact, according to the International Spa Association, the No. 1 reason people go to a spa is to relax and to relieve or reduce stress. And in today’s troubling economic times, it’s likely your meetings are full of stressed-out attendees in need of serenity.

As a planner, you’re probably also feeling the pinch when organizing a cost-efficient event, but when it comes to spa, you’re in luck. Spa operators are facing a financial crunch as well, and are willing to work with you to bring an affordable yet much-needed spa element into your next event. You’ll quickly find that it is worth every penny. “With this difficult economy, many people are facing more anxiety than ever, so providing a chance to pause and alleviate stress is critical and beneficial during a long business meeting,” says ISPA President Lynne McNees.

There are some interesting trends emerging in the spa marketplace that can serve as the soothing yin to the stressful yang of an economic depression. So for your next meeting, consider some of the following trends. Are they applicable to your attendees? If so, think about how you can make them part of your next event to provide them with the ultimate in “ohm.”



Stress-Relieving Services
The most obvious way a spa can help frazzled attendees is by providing services that soothe their business-related ails. These might range from jet-lag and aches and pains from cramped travel, to speedy treatments that can help relieve the sore necks, backs and hands of frequent users of laptops, BlackBerrys and other gadgets. The Spa at Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North (Ariz.) recently introduced the Tension Tamer treatment, which is ideal for meeting-goers. It includes a soothing lavender shea butter wrap and a scalp massage using a tension-dissolving oil containing lavender, sweet marjoram, lemongrass and chamomile. Guests also receive a take-home gift of Lavender Arnica Muscle Relief Bath Soak to continue the relief at home or in their hotel rooms. Meanwhile, I-Spa at the InterContinental San Francisco offers a Traveler’s Tonic Massage, which combines Swedish, deep tissue and aromatherapy massage techniques to help weary travelers fight fatigue.

“Studies show that people who receive a massage complete their work in half the time and with half the errors,” says Hina Mufti, I-Spa spa director. “Recipients are more relaxed, less fatigued and more clear-headed. For these reasons, planners should offer spa therapy not only as a perk, but also to increase their employee productivity and morale. In general, clients will produce more, feel less stressed and more valued, and above all, leave with greater satisfaction from their meeting experience.”

At Raindance Spa at the Lodge at Sonoma (Calif.), 25-minute Executive Treatments, which are designed to quickly and affordably accommodate the needs of business travelers, are available Monday through Thursday. Options include a Mini Facial; a Head, Neck & Back Massage; and Sole to Soul, a foot scrub and massage. “The most common comment has been, ‘Wow, that seemed longer than 25 minutes,’” says Patty Field, director of the spa. “Healing energy and touch are so important during difficult and challenging times. If you can affect a group all at once with a few quick treatments, it invites engagement and cohesiveness and sets the tone for the rest of their conference.”



The Spa at Island Hotel, a Five-Diamond resort in Newport Beach, Calif., offers two treatments targeted especially to travelers: the Island “Boreh” Remedy, which uses spices to increase circulation, relieve aches and tension (popular with athletes as well as those suffering from jet-lag symptoms); and the Travel Recovery Massage, a one-and-a-half-hour massage with a sequence of essential oils that helps spa-goers unwind, relax and gain mental clarity and balance.

Also in Newport Beach, The Spa at The Resort at Pelican Hill (a brand-new luxurious coastal resort) features a complement of menu services that can be custom designed for each of your attendees. It also has expanded the traditional definition of a “spa” by having a professional naturalist on staff who conducts nature hikes and other activities designed to relax and rejuvenate.

Spa Credits and Discounts
Now, more than ever, spas are willing to negotiate when it comes to groups, from spa credits and packages to free use of common areas like spa pools, steam rooms, saunas and more. “Spa credits are becoming popular at resorts and hotels across the country,” McNees says. “Meeting planners should inquire about spa credits when planning their next meeting, as it’s a great way to cut costs.”



The Kahala Hotel and Resort (Oahu, Hawaii), for example, works with planners to offer spa discounts. According to Elaine Macy, director of group sales, the resort offers a 10-percent spa discount for a booking of 20 rooms or more plus one complimentary treatment for every 25 treatments booked, which is a nice perk for you as the planner. “Our spa therapists can also give massages during meeting breaks or for guests during a satellite check-in in a private room,” she says. “Our spa amenities have also been used for room amenities or as arrival and welcome gifts. We will also provide a discount based on quantity desired. Many events will include a credit to the room of each attendee for their personal spa service selection. The credit can be delivered with a spa package of lotions.”

In fact, most spas will offer discounts and value-add options for groups. The Claremont Resort & Spa (Berkeley, Calif.), for example, generally grants groups between 10 and 15 percent off of spa treatments, and there are several packages available for groups. Those packages include a preferred rate on selected spa treatments, gratuities, complimentary parking, a lunch voucher good at one of the property’s three restaurants, all-day access to the fitness club area, unlimited use of spa facilities and special spa amenity gifts for group attendees. The discounts and benefits increase Monday to Thursday when the spa is generally less busy.

The marketing and sales team at Ojai Valley Inn and Spa (Calif.) also suggests trying to book mid-week, as planners have more negotiating power when it comes to spa, room pricing, room upgrades and rental of meeting space.



Viva Spa Vegas
Las Vegas has always been a mecca for meetings and conventions, and construction in recent years has resulted in a flood of superb new spas. But tough economic times have severely impacted the city, and many of these spas are under-booked. This has created a perfect storm of deals in some of the hottest and once high-priced properties with headline-making spas.

Canyon Ranch SpaClub at the Palazzo and The Venetian recently underwent an expansion, growing from 69,000 sq. ft. to 134,000 sq. ft., making it one of the largest hotel spas in North America. Among the new amenities, which can be enjoyed for free with the purchase of a spa treatment, are a co-ed space that features a relaxation area, a multisensory Wave Room where guests experience a simulation of breaking waves under a domed canopy, and a Salt Grotto where sea air washes over heated benches set in intimate niches. Also included is a Crystal Steam Room, Experiential Rains showers, a Finnish sauna, an Herbal Laconium, an Igloo with various Arctic mist experiences and a Snow Cave where fresh powder falls from the ceiling. Rounding up the spa offerings are a large retail area; numerous fitness, health and wellness classes; and Canyon Ranch Grill, a healthy fine-dining restaurant.

Palms Place Hotel & Spa, a new luxury tower at Palms Casino Resort, recently debuted Drift Spa. The spa features the city’s first hammam, a co-ed sanctuary that involves guests relaxing atop heated stone slabs while inhaling aromatic steam. Ideal for group interaction, the hammam also features heated thrones and offers all-inclusive access to Drift’s hot pool with underwater-jetted beds, as well as the cool dip pool and outdoor garden rinse. Other new spas include the 51-treatment-room Spa at Encore Las Vegas, the sister property to Wynn Las Vegas, and the elegant Spa at Trump at The Trump Hotel Las Vegas, which is ideal for wellness-minded travelers, due to the fact that the hotel is smoke-free and lacks a casino. “Spa-goers have a tranquil oasis amid Las Vegas’ sea of noise and lights at The Spa at Trump,” says Spa Director Colleen Stiritz “For many, going to the spa means taking time for themselves to heal their minds, bodies and spirits. Walking through a smoke-filled casino can distract from that healing experience.”



Another great option, if you want to schedule an off-The-Strip visit to a decadent day spa is Eleven, which is located within the Town Square shopping and lifestyle center. The 20,000-square-foot, 28-treatment-room day spa, which opened in February, features co-ed relaxation areas where tuxedo-clad butlers serve champagne and caviar, custom-designed crystal chandeliers that hang 14 feet from the ceiling and cascade into illuminated water pods, haircare services from celebrity stylist Ken Paves, a signature brow bar designed by Damone Roberts, an in-house boutique and more.

Also, don’t forget some of the other venerable Las Vegas spa properties with spas that have been opened for some time. Deals, discounts and credits are becoming the norm rather than the exception at hotels and spas up and down The Strip.

Spas Go Green
Another trend that continues to thrive is that of green spa-ing. Even in the midst of a recession, or perhaps even because of it, those who decide to spend money on spa-going are even more apt to seek out a spa that complements their personal philosophies. More and more people are focusing on eco initiatives, so it behooves planners to keep this trend in mind. “Since environmentally sound companies are ones people want to be associated with, I would think that attendees would feel consciously in-line with their company philosophy and values knowing that a resort and spa were chosen not only for beauty and functionality, but also for providing sustainability for the future,” says Suzy Bordeaux-Johlfs, general manager of Spa Anjali at The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa (Avon, Colo.). There, guest robes and spa uniforms are made with bamboo-based materials, environmentally friendly products are used to perform treatments, and environmentally conscious construction methods and recycled materials were used during the building process. Also, guests who come to the spa wearing their hotel guest-room robes receive a $10 discount for not requiring extra laundering of spa robes.



The Crossings, a destination hotel and spa in Austin, Texas, also makes green a priority and appeals to guests with a penchant for preserving the planet. The property was built to blend in with the surrounding Hill Country landscape in a manner that was least impactful on the 210-acre preserve where it is located. “The decision to build such an environmentally friendly resort was inspired by our awe of the untouched beauty surrounding the project site,” says Co-founder Ken Beck. “We wanted The Crossings to express a respect and admiration for nature’s purity.” As such, the property was constructed using recycled materials, renewable resources and energy-efficient utility systems. And to allow meeting-goers to appreciate the beauty of nature, which is the ultimate eco-friendly activity, planners can help their attendees take a break from meetings with The Crossings’s signature Power Breaks, which are opportunities for outdoor reflection, relaxation and physical activity.

“People care tremendously about taking care of their bodies and the earth, even in the midst of a recession,” adds Kyra Johnson, spa director of Blue Marble at the Hyatt Regency Mission Bay Spa and Marina (San Diego, Calif.), an eco-friendly spa in both construction and spa treatments. “Spa-goers are becoming increasingly more concerned about ingredients and want to know what they are putting on their skin, she says. “There is no question that people are spending their money carefully, making sure that what they pay for is in line with their own personal ideals.”

Spiritual Spa-Going
Another interesting option to help soothe the souls of frazzled attendees are more spiritual spa services intended to heal the minds, bodies and spirits of spa-goers. “Guests are in need of blocking the negativity that is thriving during this economic slowdown,” says Chris Bird, general manager of Mii amo, a destination spa at Enchantment Resort (Sedona, Ariz.). “They seek inner peace and are much more mindful of their decisions and actions on a daily basis. They are seeking the guidance and skills to help them maintain their positive outlook, in a time where negativity has become abundant.”



Mii amo offers a number of more spiritual services, including Inner Quest, a sweat lodge ceremony where guests honor Native American traditions with a ritual that invites them to connect with their inner selves, and Soul Seeker, during which a master therapist incorporates guided imagery, energy work, reflexology, soul journeying, somatic emotional release and breath-work to help spa-goers gain awareness and new perspective.

Mii amo has long been known for such unique options, but several spas around the country are beginning to present more spiritual services, as well. Lake Austin Spa Resort (Texas) offers Energy Balance with Healing Sound, a session that is intended to energize chakras, or energy centers of the body, and is set to the sounds of Tibetan singing bowls; Wilderness Adventure Spa at Spring Creek Ranch (Jackson, Wyo.) offers Soul Reading with a local clairvoyant; The Spa at Loretto at the Inn and Spa at Loretto (Santa Fe, N.M.) offers astrology, chakra balancing and life coaching; and Las Ventanas al Paraiso (Los Cabos, Mexico) features a Holistic Twilight Ceremony that includes a sage-burning cleansing ritual, feather wands, the playing of crystal bowls and meditation along with a 90-minute personalized spa journey.

“Meeting planners should view these spa offerings as an important aspect of their program and consider all of the benefits that will prevail if they invest in their attendees,” Bird says. “Relaxation is proven to assist in the creative process, so beginning an event with therapies that help unwind the mind often allows for much more productive brainstorming sessions and workshops. Spiritual spa offerings are best for this, as they typically promote openness to thinking, encouraging a release of negativity and a willingness to be open to philosophies and beliefs previously not pursued.”

Times are tough, and it is tempting to eliminate extras, such as spa, from your next event. But think twice before you skip out on making some sort of stress-relieving spa element part of your meeting—the cost might be greater than you think. “Many of us struggle to stay healthy during rough times, and in the midst of our nation’s current dismal economy, [many] of us are feeling increased pressure and stress,” Mufti says. “Not only does stress cause us to be more vulnerable to body tension, headaches, gastrointestinal problems, high blood pressure, anxiety and depression, but stress is also the No. 1 cause of disability, costing employers billions of dollars a year in lost productivity and healthcare costs.”

According to ISPA’s McNees, “Trying to find balance between work, staying healthy and a personal life is not easy, especially when traveling. Giving your clients a scheduled time to unwind and de-clutter their minds means that they’ll be focused and task-oriented during a meeting.”

The Claremont Resort & Spa

The Crossings

Eleven

Enchantment Resort

Encore Las Vegas

Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North

Hyatt Regency Mission Bay Spa and Marina

Inn and Spa at Loretto

InterContinental San Francisco

The Island Hotel

The Kahala Hotel and Resort

Lake Austin Spa Resort

Las Ventanas al Paraiso

Lodge at Sonoma

Ojai Valley Inn and Spa

The Palazzo Las Vegas

Palms Place Hotel & Spa

The Resort at Pelican Hill

Spring Creek Ranch

Trump Hotel Las Vegas

The Venetian Las Vegas

The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa