Raison d’Etre, the creators, owners and managers of some of the most luxurious spas for prestigious hotel clients around the world, are has revealed research which claims that while wellness becomes an emerging trend in high-end hotels, spas have taken an important role in contributing to the overall profitability of hotels.
Few consultancies match the experience of Raison d’Etre over their 14 years in business.
Having worked with over 100 spas in more than 60 countries – including Aman, Jiva Spas (Taj), Auriga (Capella Hotels), and Resense (Kempinski) – the driving force of Raison d’Etre, Swedish-born owner Anna Bjurstam, insists the trend in the hotel industry is moving away from ‘experience’ and towards ‘wellness’.
“There has been a considerable shift in the hotel industry, specifically within high end hotels of four and five star calibre, where wellness has taken priority. By taking care of their guests by encouraging wellness, through the use of an exceptional spa, hotels ensure their guests remain loyal, and come back again and again,” says Anna Bjurstam.
While wellness is becoming integrated into all aspects of hotels – from healthy meals to sleep menus and massages for business travellers – most people do not realise that hotel spas, an obvious outlet for wellness, can also contribute to the profitability of a hotel.
Several in-house studies conducted within various five star hotel chains have shown that hotel guests that use the spa, tend to also be the guests that book the most expensive rooms, spend more than average on food and beverage, and stay for longer durations. A hotel that can offer these guests an exceptional spa, is more likely to book this type of high-net worth guest.
Bjurstam, who has seen many underperforming spas turned-around with soft refurbishment and training, insists that hotel spas meet a few integral ‘hardware’ and ‘software’ requirements.
The ‘hardware’ focuses on the design concept of a spa; the guest journey should always be kept in mind during this process, while providing an ambience that captures the essence of the concept.
Staff training and investment in management and training make up the ‘software requirements’, which prove most important in spas where the staff are literally the product.
Most importantly however, hotels should recognise the significant role spas have in providing wellness to its guests, while retaining and increasing the number of high-net worth guests a hotel receives.
Investing in expert consultants such as Raison d’Etre can ensure that hotels do not overlook this integral aspect of the hospitality industry.
