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PRODUCT FOCUS CELEBRITY SPA


With its many outdoor spaces, the spa makes the most of the beautiful surrounding landscapes


Johnson was acutely aware that despite the abundance of


wealth in the Washington DC area, there were no great spa destinations within a reasonable driving distance of the city


is exactly that, for Johnson it was the spa that was a driving force. A devoted spa-goer herself, she was acutely aware that despite the abundance of wealth in the Washington DC area, there were no great spa destinations within a reasonable driving distance of the city. Bringing together a team of designers


that included acclaimed interior designer Thomas Pheasant, WATG and Blu Spas, Johnson’s vision was not simply to create a resort with a beautiful spa, but to integrate spa and wellness – a new concept at that time – into the fabric of the resort, with a strong emphasis on indoor- outdoor spaces, the natural setting and a programme of activities and events to pull it all together. “We all felt at the time that this was one of those rare projects,” says Cary Collier, principal of Blu Spas. “It had the location, people and the resources behind it to do something extraordinary.”


While Johnson’s commitment to spa


and wellness didn’t change, the scale of the project did. It evolved from a much small inn-style development into a 168-bedroom resort. Inevitably, locals were worried about its impact on the community and the environment. Then, in 2005, Johnson set up Salamander


Hotels & Resorts – both to manage the Middleburg project and to seek out others – and recruited hospitality veteran Prem Devadas as president. Previously managing director of a hotel collection that included the world-renowned Sanctuary Hotel on Kiawah Island, Devadas brought to the table not only his expert knowledge of luxury resorts but also his diplomatic skills. Together, he and Johnson were able to convince community leaders that the development would be an asset to the town and wider area. Since then, 200 of the property’s 340 acres have been placed in a


76 Read Spa Business online spabusiness.com / digital


conservation easement and the building has been registered for LEED certifi cation. The next major obstacle was the global


recession, which delayed construction for at least 20 months. Prior to the slowdown, however, the company had already acquired and redeveloped Innisbrook Resort in Tampa Bay, Florida. Two years ago, it then took on management contracts for two more properties: Reunion Resort and Hammock Beach Resort, also in Florida. Finally, the long-awaited Virginian fl agship – reported to represent upwards of US$130m (€93m, £78m) of investment, although the company won’t confi rm – opened its doors in mid 2013.


AMERICAN CLASSIC From a commercial perspective, Salamander Resort & Spa couldn’t be better positioned. In addition to being the country’s unoffi cial equestrian capital,


Spa Business 2 2014 ©Cybertrek 2014


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