pa seller DESTINATIONS SPA BREAKS | HOTELS, RESORTS & SPAS t travelweekly.co.uk


Wondering what a spa break might look like in the ‘new normal’? Laura French speaks to the experts to find out


he ‘new normal’ has transformed our lives in many ways – but how it translates into holidays is the question


on everyone’s lips right now. Much of the hotel experience is fairly easy to imagine, from social distancing at check-in to less-frequent housekeeping in rooms, but spas, with their emphasis on touch and physical proximity, are a little harder to picture. Many are reopening, albeit with modifications – reduced treatment menus, mandatory pre-booking and screening on arrival are among the features to expect, with an emphasis on social distancing and PPE for therapists.


So how will these play out in reality, and how will it affect the spa experience?


DIGITAL BOOKINGS AND SCREENINGS Spas are putting caps on numbers and encouraging pre-booking, with technology playing a key role. The Peninsula Hotels has launched a private messaging service that allows clients to book treatments from anywhere, while Nizuc Resort & Spa in


Mexico asks guests to fill out a digital consultation form a week before their appointment. Those digital pre-consultations are likely to become a common theme, according to Jacinta Stevens, head of wellbeing at Mason Rose. “Whether done by phone or email, spa and wellness teams will want to equip themselves with as much prior knowledge as possible,” she says. Many are also screening guests for symptoms when they arrive; Sandals, Windjammer Landing in Saint Lucia and The Peninsula Hotels all say they’ll be doing temperature checks, while Algarve- based Longevity Wellness Worldwide says guests at its properties will be screened when they check in to the hotel. Villa Eden in Italy and SHA Wellness Clinic in Spain are taking things a step further by asking guests to take a test before arriving to confirm they’re Covid-free. The latter also gives guests an antibody test and medical examination on arrival – which might well be a selling point for clients wanting an added level of reassurance about standards across the resort.²


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