OPINION
KATIE BARNES » MANAGING EDITOR » SPA BUSINESS
OVERBUILDING ASK AN EXPERT...
In the early decades of the spa industry, large, opulent facilities – oſt en cost- ing millions – were built and launched with much fanfare and pride. Owners, architects and design-
ers competed to be the best and got swept up in the buzz. T e bigger the spa the better, with operators vying to showcase more facilities, equipment, experiences and space than before. However, in some cases, more atten-
tion was paid to design than budget and overbuilt spas struggled to break even on operating costs, let alone paying back cap- ital or then going to make a true profi t. When the credit crunch struck, many
struggled, and as spas are costed on a per square metre (sq m) or square foot (sq ſt ) basis, the bigger a spa, the more revenue it has to generate to hit target.
Can the spa industry continue to justify building large and expensive facilities? Or has the time come to downsize?
With operators facing increasing pres-
sure to make fi gures stack up, many are starting to ask whether the building of such big facilities is justifi able or wise. Pivotal to the question is the size and
number of treatment rooms – the main revenue generating areas of spas. Large treatment rooms will limit the number which can be accommodated. And big echoing spaces don’t necessarily create the best experience – they can leave guests feeling intimidated and uncomfortable.
26 Read Spa Business online
spabusiness.com / digital
Mandarin Oriental gives a very detailed spec on spa size and facilities to make the most of space
On the other hand, can operators
charge more for treatments delivered in larger rooms? Does the size contrib- ute to a superior experience and justify higher rates? Spa suites for more than one person with showers, heat expe- riences and whirlpools – which are suitable for use when delivering pack-
ages and longer, signature treatments – are example of this category of room. What’s the optimum size for a treatment
room? What’s too big and what’s the small- est space operators can get away with? Is it possible to build a future-proof
spa – one with a fl exible design, where the size and number of treatment rooms can be easily reconfi gured to accommo- date demand? And is there a quick-fi x solution for existing facilities that were built too big? We ask the experts.
SPA BUSINESS 2 2012 ©Cybertrek 2012
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