Rebranding the facility as
Kempinski The Spa – the hotel group’s offi cial spa concept – helped to motivate therapists
She joined the Gozo team in 2012, a year
after Resense took over and introduced Kempinski The Spa – the official in-house concept. While half of the 2,400sq m (25,833sq ft) facility and its 27 treatment rooms runs as an ayurvedic centre outsourced to Softouch (see opposite), the other half had been managed in-house for 10 years and it was time for a refresh. Resense was an obvious choice, as it manages 26 other Kempinski spas and also developed its in-house spa concept which launched five years ago. Kempinski The Spa, inspired by the
European seasons, has spring treatments focused on detox; summer therapies based on rebalancing; autumnal offerings for relaxation; and winter ones for energising. Customers can choose any treatment at any time based on how they want to feel. “Other spas use Balinese or Thai concepts, or elements such as earth, wind and fire, but I’ve never seen a seasonal approach,” says Daoud. “It’s unique, very effective and guests find it easy to understand.”
Recruitment and training Having a fresh concept helped build team momentum says Daoud, who oversees 10 staff in total including five full-time therapists. But it’s just one of several elements that she feels led to the award.
Ayurveda at Kempinski
The Ayurveda Centre opened at Kempinski San Lawrenz in 2002 with a view to giving the hotel a point of difference in the Maltese market. It’s managed by Softouch, a company originating from Kerala – the Indian hub for ayurveda – which operates 17 centres including 13 in the UAE, Africa and Europe. It shares the premises with the Resense-managed Kempinski The Spa.
(US$650-3,790 or £418-£2,440). Ayurvedic spa
Dr Sreejith Kammath While Kempinski
The Spa caters more to locals and those seeking à la carte treatments, the Ayurveda Centre specialises in retreats which range from three to 28 days in length and cost €600-€3,500
“It’s about having the right team
in place,” she says, explaining that recruitment is handled by the hotel’s HR department which posts jobs locally and on the Kempinski global website. Resense assists with sourcing staff too. “I look for people who are down to earth and who can adapt to change – they need to be flexible in this industry,” says Daoud. “And it’s
manager Dr Sreejith Kammath says the retreats are all- inclusive and cover accommodation, prescribed food from an ayurvedic chef onsite, and two hours of yoga and treatment programmes a day. The retreats cover an
array of ailments from stress and pain relief to spine care and weight loss, but most people choose the relaxation and rejuvenation package.
about being passionate about the job and having a sense of pride in what they do.” Staff aren’t all local – while one therapist
is Maltese, two are from Poland, one from France and one from Lithuania. Although it does help to have women from the island manning reception she says: “they’re angles, they know how to book a [treatment] sheet and make it perfect”.
©CYBERTREK 2015
spabusiness.com issue 3 2015 81
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