TRENDS However, some mothers are not just una-
ble – but unwilling – to leave their newborn. Paula Gallardo, founder of Mamaheaven yoga retreats, with fi ve locations in the UK, says: “We found that although they were oſt en encouraged to do so by family and society, they didn’t want to leave their babies for long periods of time.” Proving the tan- gible benefi t of a treatment is one way of persuading a mother to do so. T e alterna- tive is to provide high-quality childcare or involving the baby in the experience.
WELCOMING MUM – AND BABY Babies are certainly welcome at some of the new niche day spas opening in response to this demand such as Itsy Bitsy Baby Spa, North Carolina and Belly Up Spa, Colorado. Independent mindbodysoul even offers mums a travel cot in the treatment room. Spas catering to broader markets and nerv- ous about impacting on other clients might consider creating designated mother and baby areas within the spa such the Mother/
A SURVEY FOUND MOTHERS NEED AT LEAST FOUR TIMES MORE ‘ME TIME’ THAN THEY CURRENTLY GET TO FEEL HAPPIER AND MORE FULFILLED
Baby Institute at T ermes de Spa, Belgium; or making clever use of off -peak periods like Le Petit Spa, Vancouver which has created Mom and Baby Wednesdays. Some providers, especially in Europe,
do not see a contradiction. Lefay Resort & Spa welcomes babies and children to use its spa pools and even provides spa robes for kids. French spas in particular – including T ermes Marins de Saint-Malo, Relais T a- lasso Ile de Ré and Royal-T alasso Barrière – off er mother and baby programmes with tailored hydrotherapy treatments, swim- ming lessons and massage sessions for the youngest possible clients. T ese aren’t trivial extras. Mums are happier in the knowledge that both she and the baby are getting some- thing from the experience. “Baby massage
releases oxytosin, helping the baby to relax, sleep and feed better and it can also help a mum struggling with post-natal depres- sion,” explains Gayle Berry of the Blossom and Berry baby-massage training company in the UK. Indeed, involving a baby not only benefi ts both mum and baby, it can also ben- efi t a spa. It can be used to redefi ne your business, open your door to a generation of new customers, and reinvigorate your brand with life, vibrancy and optimism. Every mum, baby and spa is diff erent and
latching on to this market off ers unique challenges: there is a need for intimacy and sensitivity, a bespoke approach, attention to detail and fl exibility. But it also provides an opportunity to nurture the future and grow a new generation of customers. ●
Lefay Resort & Spa CASE STUDY 1
estled high on a mountainside overlooking Lake Garda in Italy, the tranquil Lefay Resort & Spa
seems an unlikely place to fi nd a stressed- out mum and her baby. T e fi ve-star resort, rub by the Leali family, off ers top-quality facilities to a market of high-earning pro- fessional couples seeking relaxation. Despite the serenity, families – seen as a
key market – are also embraced. T ere are two spacious family suites, a baby-sitting service and a children’s mini-club. In the sophisticated spa, families mingle comfort- ably with others. “We’ve made a conscious decision to include families,” says spa man- ager, Fabrizio Castellani. “We get some complaints, of course, but not many.” Lefay’s 3000sq m (32,292sq ſt ) spa is at
the heart of the complex, and business. Off season (November to March), guests come specifi cally to use the facilities – the indoor and outdoor salt-water pools, fi ve saunas; grotto; relaxation and wellness zones; fi tness trails etc – or to experience its signature Lefay Spa Method programme combining Chinese medicine and western scientifi c research. More traditional pre and post-natal pro-
grammes launched in 2011 in response to demand. T ese have since been merged into
Families mix comfortably with leisure guests at Lefay – even in the spa
one New Mother programme involving an olive oil massage, facial cleansing, a light legs massage and targeted personal train- ing. Alternatively, the Lefay Spa Method also tackles signs of post-natal depression.
First-person experience: Mari Stevens After spending a few days with a six-month-old baby at Lefay, my
impression is that the complex has an unstuff y and relaxed atmosphere, and family needs are seamlessly incorporated in the res- taurants, rooms and spa, without too much impact on other guests.
44 Read Spa Business online
spabusiness.com / digital I certainly felt revitalised by my stay and
would even say that it could have a life-chang- ing impact a on a new mother enabling her to experience bespoke physical and psycho- logical care, eat healthy food, sleep well and spend quality time alone and with her baby. This type of experience shouldn’t be
underestimated and its long-term bene- fi t for spas shouldn’t be either. As a busy, high-earning mum the chance to return to familiar surroundings, revisit a wonder- ful experience – and take advantage of that crèche – will be very tempting for me in three years’ time.
SPA BUSINESS 3 2012 ©Cybertrek 2012
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