SPA TOURISM: MADEIRA
CASE STUDY: Galo Resort Sport Hotel
■ 121 bedrooms
■ Five treatment rooms over 400sq m (4,306sq ft) plus a spa garden and 80sq m (861sq ft) yoga room
■ There are 12 spa team members, including eight trained in ayurveda
he Ayurveda Cure Center, a brand new addition to the Madeiran spa and wellness off ering, is part of
the Galo Resort Sport Hotel that opened in November 2011. Its off ering is, without doubt, unrelentingly wellness focused. T e experi- ence is still indulgent, but the techniques and observations scream health, prevention and enlightenment. Despite opening only a few weeks previ-
ously, the centre had already taken care of six guests taking part in a two-week cure
The centre is strongly focused on health
programme. Priced at €1,900 (us$2,300, £1,500) per head (excluding accommoda- tion), T e Cure includes diagnostic testing; an ayurvedic therapy plan featuring Ger- man product line Ayurveda Kalari and local herbs; acupuncture, physiotherapy and life- style coaching; advice and lectures on diet/ cooking, ayurveda, yoga and meditation.
The hotel and ayurveda centre opened in late 2011
Birgit Moukom, a very experienced
ayurvedic practitioner and utterly delight- ful German lady, is running the centre. She’s been practising alternative medicine and psychology since 1998 and believes in deliv- ering highly personalised treatments. I look forward with great anticipation to see how the concept fl ourishes under her guidance.
CASE STUDY: Reid’s Palace
■ 163 bedrooms ■ Five spa treatment rooms
■ No dedicated wet area but the changing room space included a sauna and steamroom
y experience at Reid’s Palace, part of the Orient Express group, was the epitome of how to get it right.
T e entire guest journey is one of eff ortless superiority and grace and the spa, with its focus on indulgence, relaxation and cater- ing to every need, is no exception. My experience was pure perfection. From
the reception greeting to the treatment itself, it was classy and seamless without losing any sense of warmth. T e treatment – a spe- cially tailored massage using fresh aloe vera and grapeseed oil – was delivered fl awlessly. Nothing was leſt to chance with any of the basics such as room temperature, pressure or music volume. T e therapist extended my treatment as she felt my shoulders needed more work: a nice touch. T e treatment menu, featuring La Prairie, Aromatherapy Associates and Ytsara products, was focused on top-drawer indulgence.
SPA BUSINESS 3 2012 ©Cybertrek 2012 The treatment experience at Reid’s Palace was ‘pure perfection’ By tradition, and anecdotally, Madeira has
a relatively aged tourism demographic which presents a market that, as yet, is untapped as far as the spa trade goes. T e general manager of Reid’s Palace, Ulisses Marrei- ros, admitted diffi culty in attracting hotel patrons to the spa, despite the exceptionally good service and treatment delivery. On average, treatments generate €90
(us$110, £71) and revenue per occupied treat- ment room is €13 (us$16, £10). Accounting for 18 per cent of total spa income, the retail sales are impressive. T e team have slick and
well-executed product sales systems and stand out commercially against other spas I visited. Although therapist utilisation is reasonably good at 72 per cent, room utili- sation at 25 per cent is disappointing. Wellness orientated treatments, consulta-
tions and assessment could be the solution to using up vacant room space and increas- ing revenues. With an older, more savvy and aged demographic, packages that focus on anti-ageing, longevity and lifestyle advice in such a fabulous environment may be the tipping point they’re striving for.
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