This page contains a Flash digital edition of a book.
The hotel’s design is stunning but it lacks a defi nable spa journey


CASE STUDY: The Vine


■ 79 bedrooms and suites


■ Five treatment rooms including one for nail services


■ A wet area with a steamroom, sauna, whirlpool (too cold unfortunately), experience showers and a relaxation area


he décor of T e Vine Spa, as with the hotel, is one of seductive luxury. It’s sharply minimal-


ist, although there were some attention to detail touches that let it down – dusty can- dles, water served in plastic bottles and no defi nable ‘journey’ from arrival. It’s a relatively quiet spa, usually six to


eight treatments a day during high season (April to September) reducing to three in off -season. Eighty per cent of customers are hotel guests. T e remaining percentage com- prises local people and tourists. The spa concept is anchored to vino- therapy – a unique selling point. If a guest


The concept [of vinotherapy] is an


excellent one in a beautiful venue. Yet operational fl air is needed


is having a full massage treatment they’re given a measure of fi ve-year-old Madeira wine aſt erwards; in addition, vinotherapy bath rituals include a glass of red wine (my kind of spa!). The theory is that antioxi- dants in the exquisitely-tasting wine work in unison with the grapeseed in the products – supplied by T eravine from South Africa – for both an internal and external glow. My treatment was a 30-minute grapeseed


The décor


throughout is one of seductive luxury


76 Read Spa Business online spabusiness.com / digital


oil massage (sadly without the Madeira shot) costing €50 (us$61, £40). T e actual massage was very pleasant and well delivered tech- nically but the treatment introduction was lacking an explanation and engagement on a personal level and the option to tailor the massage wasn’t in place. T e concept is an excellent one in a beau-


tiful venue. Yet operational fl air and service delivery are needed to properly showcase the spa as a unique and desirable experience.


SPA BUSINESS 3 2012 ©Cybertrek 2012


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