HOTEL SPA
We’re control freaks when it comes to the detailing of spas... they’re really tricky environments to maintain if you don’t detail properly
“What we’re saying is, when you join this
club, we’ll guarantee you one on one atten- tion. All you have to do is book the trainer and you’ll get your own area,” he says, explaining that a fi tness studio is reserved for personal training sessions, while the gym can be used by hotel guests. “People normally leave gyms because they’re not being motivated; this way we’re committing to a personalised service and hopefully giving people a reason not to leave.”
MAINTAINING QUALITY From a business point of view, there were a number of reasons for introducing a spa says Douglas. One of the main aims was to strengthen the hotel’s position as a leisure destination, another was to help with midweek business. Bringing in new guests was also on the agenda. “It was a leisure hotel anyway and [the
owners] wanted to improve on that,” says Douglas. “We’re already seeing a new clientele – people are coming for the spa and staying on in the hotel.” According
SPARCSTUDIO
Interior design and architec- tural practice Sparcstudio was established in 2009 by directors Beverley Bayes, Neil Fairplay and Tom Howell. The designers focus on creating four and fi ve star spas, plus wellness and hotel facilities, with UK clients including Calcot Manor Spa, So SPA at Sofi tel London St James, Pennyhill Park Spa and Center Parcs Woburn (exclusive spa accommoda- tion and Aqua Sana spa). “It’s not just about aesthet-
ics, although of course we always look to create
Therapists have been given extra massage training so they can tailor treatments
to her, the facility is attracting a very spa savvy clientele. “We’re seeing a lot of London-based people who are very into spas and who really want to experience a new one,” she says. It’s still early days, but she estimates that so far members make up around 30 per cent of customers at the spa, with hotel guests making up the rest. In the coming year, the focuses for
House Spa will be on growing the mem- bership and maintaining the quality of the environment. “I’m a perfectionist and I want to ensure that this place looks the same as it does now in a year’s time,” says Douglas. “If things stay as busy as they are
at the moment, we’ll probably hire more therapists and we’d like to focus on the nail bar and get it really busy and buzzy.” Most of all, she wants to ensure that the
spa retains its welcoming feel. “The idea of this spa is that it’s like a home away from home. As soon as you walk into the place, everyone should be warm and friendly. It’s almost like having a big hug.” ●
Magali Robathan is the managing editor of Leisure Management, a sister publication to Spa Business Email: magali@
leisuremedia.com Phone: +44 177 9723101
draining away properly. Spas are really tricky environments to maintain if you don’t detail properly. Paying really close attention to detail is what we’re about and is essential to delivering a great spa experience for guests.” Bayes, Fairplay and
Corridors have been designed to give glimpses of areas to explore
something beautiful and unique; it’s all about ensuring it actually works in practice,” says Bayes. “We are control freaks when it comes to the detailing of spas. We’ve all
58 Read Spa Business online
spabusiness.com / digital
seen spas that look fantastic in the brochures, but you go to visit just a few months afterwards and they already look tatty – the damp is creeping in, the water isn’t
Howell formed the specialist spa and wellness team at Corporate Edge before being acquired by the Irish design studio Douglas Wallace. They launched Sparcstudio after the company went into receivership. “We should have done it sooner,” says Bayes. “It was the best thing that ever happened to us.”
Spa Business 2 2014 ©Cybertrek 2014
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100