One spa does not fit all

The number of resorts featuring spas was limited and the treatments available were unimaginative and generally of a poor standard.

“People would go on holiday and treat themselves to a massage, facial or manicure if there was a spa at their hotel,†says Lynette Zurcas, spa manager at Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa.

“But these days travellers expect their hotel to have a spa.

They are more health conscious and are much more aware of alternative therapies and the wide range of treatments available.

They are asking [spa consultants] about the health benefits of treatments on offer.â€

Zurcas emphasises that having spa treatments used to be low priority for the luxury leisure traveller.

“But now people are going on dedicated spa holidays and this sector is growing.

I think over the next few years, dedicated detox and relaxation holidays will become increasingly popular,†she says.

John Harper, vice president, international sales offices for The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company L.L.C, concurs.

“The luxury customer is changing.

Years ago golf was the most required amenity, but now spas are a high priority,†he says.

“Today it’s all about the experience that you offer.

Customers want to relax in an environment where they are comfortable and want to walk away with a memory. The spa product is what customers have been asking for.â€

In the past six years, The Ritz-Carlton Company has almost doubled its property count from 35 to 60 and every new hotel has “a very significant spa†says Harper.

Leading Hotels of the World (LHW) has also witnessed a surge in spa resort interest, and to make the selection process easier for both customers and travel agents has developed a Leading Spas directory, featuring 87 of the world’s top spas.

To qualify for the directory, properties already on the LHW list must pass a mystery shopper test and meet a long list of criteria.

“It’s not just judged on the treatments and facilities available, but also on the booking process and details such as the atmosphere in the treatment rooms,†explains Michael Lutze, director of sales, Middle East, Leading Hotels of the World.

“We need to be strict because every hotel that has a plunge pool and a treatment room is calling itself a spa hotel these days.

But our clients are looking for top luxury and we want to ensure that their expectations are met.â€

The five Middle East-based hotels that are currently featured in the Leading Spas directory are The Oberoi and La Residence Des Cascades, both in Egypt and Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa, Jebel Ali Golf Resort & Spa and Residence & Spa at the One & Only Royal Mirage, in Dubai.

Lutze says day spas, which are also proving immensely popular, particularly in the Middle East, may be included in the Leading Spas directory next year.

Leading Hotels currently offers a concierge service to agents and their customers, allowing them to book spa treatments and other activities such as golf tee times and excursions in advance.

However, to further streamline the process for all parties, the company will launch a dedicated online booking service for spa treatments later this year.

Found at www.leadingspasoftheworld.com the site will feature Leading Spas packages such as ‘Leading Spa Weekend’, ‘Leading Ladies Spa Getaway’ and ‘Leading Swing and Spa’, combining golf and spa treatments, which Lutze says will simplify the booking process for agents whose

knowledge of spa resorts is limited.

He also advises them to book treatments for their clients as soon as they confirm their trip because many spas will be fully booked if they delay treatment reservations until they arrive.

The Leading Spas directory, which will be distributed to the region’s top 450 agents, but can also be requested by calling or e-mailing Leading Hotels, also features a glossary of spa terminology to help agents understand the treatments and spas that are most relevant to their client.

Manicured men & Park Hyatt pampering

Lutze notes that although spa treatments have traditionally attracted a largely female

following, men are now embracing the concept and are more than willing to indulge in pampering sessions when travelling for business and leisure.

“The number of male clients has tripled year on year; one-third of all treatments we book are for men,†he says.

“Before they just wanted a shave, but now they want massages, facials and all sorts.

Business travellers are increasingly interested in their wellbeing.

Instead of going for a snooze to get over their jetlag, they are opting for an aromatherapy massage and a gym session.â€

Jason Sloan, spa director at the Park Hyatt Dubai, which opened its doors just 12 months ago, says male guests and locals are flocking to sample the rituals that the property’s Amara spa offers, as well as the male-specific packages billed as the ‘yachtsman’, ‘sportsman’, clubhouse’ and ‘executive’.

“Men are enjoying a scrub, massage and a facial.

They want to be clean and the Arab nationals in particular are used to being massaged and pampered; it’s part of their culture,†he says.

“They also enjoy bathing and traditional hamam treatments.

But the uber-metrosexual male will have everything done.â€

Rituals involving bathing are amongst the most popular with both men and women at Amara, so much so that Sloan is planning to install baths in each of the eight treatment rooms.

Each room already features two showers – one indoor and an outdoor rain shower – but Sloan will shortly introduce colour therapy showers.

Hair washing is also being added to the menu.

“We have to constantly evolve to ensure we have a point of difference,†says Sloan, who also reveals that Amara has commissioned its own range of signature products to be introduced by early next year.

An additional key selling point is the treatment room layout; each features a small walled outdoor garden area offering privacy and, like the hotel itself, natural light, all of which encourages clients to stay in the room post-treatment to relax.

“We always allow the client 15 minutes in the room after the treatment, but I want to introduce a concept whereby clients buy time in a room and can mix-and-match treatments.

They can have many treatments, or just a few.

They can invite friends in there, eat, drink and relax and enjoy privacy,†he explains.

“This would be perfect for a hen day or mother-and-daughter pampering session.â€

Taking this concept one step further, the Park Hyatt Dubai already offers a service that most spa resorts or properties are yet to adopt; the residential spa room.

The Park Hyatt has 225 guestrooms of which eight are residential spa rooms.

Each features a steam room/hydrotherapy shower, a treatment/massage bed, manicure and pedicure chair and provides spa product samples.

Any treatment can be conducted in the residential spa room, offering customers privacy and the luxury of falling into a deep sleep post-massage without having to wake up and stagger back to their room.

One of the most popular in-room treatments is the hamamm scrub, shower and massage ritual.

The residential spa rooms have proved popular with UAE residents taking a weekend break says Sloan.

Back to nature

With so many spas and experiences from which to choose, agents cannot be blamed for being confused.

Fortunately, the clued-up spa managers are constantly evolving their menu options and adding new products and concepts to cater to specific clients.

The Jamilah Spa at Dubai’s Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa for example, last month introduced a host of new spa treatments as well as an organic menu.

In response to requests by regular guests at the conservation-focused resort, body firming, hydration and detox treatments have been added to the spa menu, as well as mud baths and men’s facials.

“Many of our guests have asked for hydration therapy because when they stay in the desert they find their skin and their hair becomes dry,†explains Zurcas.

“We have also found that because many couples stay here, they are having treatments together and as a result, the men are becoming more open to what the spa has to offer.

We therefore decided it was time to introduce a men’s facial.â€

Zurcas says luxury travellers are becoming more spa-savvy and are showing increasing interest in alternative and holistic therapies.

To cater to their needs, she has worked in partnership with the Al Maha chef to create an organic food menu comprising breakfast, all-day and dessert options.

“We are also introducing an organic herbal tea menu made from loose leaf tea and blended with various properties to achieve different effects,†says Zurcas.

The Jamilah spa uses its own Timeless range of products developed by German company Babor, and will continue to offer its established treatments, which include customer favourites such as the 90-minute Timeless Traditions involving a body scrub, deep tissue massage and face and foot pack.

Fresh dates and frankincense are blended with the products for a true Arabian experience.

These indigenous products are a key selling point, as is the resort itself, which offers an Arabia-meets-South Africa back-to-nature experience.

Guests can enjoy a 4WD tour around the 225km² desert reserve taking in the native wildlife, jump aboard a camel for a sunset trip in the dunes, champagne sundowner included, and finish off with a spa treatment before retiring to their luxury Bedouin-style luxury tent, complete with private pool.

Dreaming of Doha

The UAE, arguably the Middle East’s fastest growing tourist destination, largely due to the popularity of Dubai, is renowned for housing hotels with luxurious spa resorts, such as Al Maha, but agents would do well to look at emerging leisure markets in the GCC where spas are a key focus and where privacy and relaxation is more easily achieved due to the relatively sedate environment.

Qatar’s capital, Doha is a hidden gem in this respect, home to The Ritz-Carlton, Doha, and The Four Seasons, Doha, both of which house impressive spa facilities.

At The Ritz-Carlton Doha Spa, around 70% of clients are locals; a mixture of Qatari men and women and ex-pats, and many of the treatments on offer have been designed to cater to this market.

For example, last November, the spa introduced the Natura Bissé range from Barcelona.

“We needed something new to keep pace with our competitors especially since the Four Seasons opened last year.

We are the only spa in the Middle East to offer Natura Bissé, which is a very upmarket product, and one that was recommended by our regulars,†says Kathryn Green, director of spa and recreation, The Ritz-Carlton, Doha.

“As a result, we have doubled our number of spa users and therefore, doubled our revenue.â€

True to The Ritz-Carlton’s reputation for providing a personalised service, the hotel’s spa treatments are tailored-made and are dominated by a wide range of exclusive facial treatments, one of the most popular being a 90-minute Diamond facial, designed to combat signs of ageing.

“We also have many Arabic-inspired treatments involving scalp, foot and eye massages and we use local natural ingredients such as dates, milk and honey,†Green adds.

The majority of hotel guests are business travellers, many of whom are male, and therefore the 90-minute Gentlemen’s Package, involving a facial, body peel and massage is proving immensely popular.

However, all the hotels in Doha are preparing for an influx of leisure travellers as the profile of the city is raised through events such as the Asian Games later this year, and in September, the city’s first leisure-focussed resort will open its doors; the Sharq Village & Spa.

The hotel component of this Qatari-style village will feature 174 rooms and suites and be managed by The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, while the spa, which is set to be the biggest in the region according to Green, will be operated by Six Senses.

Designed in the style of a Qatari souq or bazaar, the 8500m² spa will feature 23 treatment rooms resembling typical village houses.

Facilities will include saunas, steam rooms, jacuzzis, plunge pools, dedicated areas for yoga, meditation and tai chi, as well as relaxation and prayer rooms.

Traditional treatments such as Swedish, Thai, Balinese and aroma massages, plus pampering rituals, will be offered, as well as more specialised treatments such as crystal therapy, mud baths and body scrubs.

This Six Senses spa is bound to give the Spa and Wellness Centre, a key attraction at the Four Seasons Doha, a run for its money.

Opened in August last year, all aspects of this extensively kitted-out three-storey facility, including its contemporary design, treatments and fitness components, are based on the five elements and are designed to balance the body, mind and spirit.

Key highlights include a hydrotherapy lounge, Kneipp footbath with stone pebbles, a Roman-style laconium bed and dry sauna, colour therapy room and a lamina flow swimming pool.

There are 11 treatment rooms where Sodashi products made from ingredients that are 100% natural, are applied.

At the Après Spa Café, guests can relax and indulge in some healthy spa cuisine.

“This spa is incredibly unique because of the wide range of facilities on offer,†says Michael Clarke, director of spa and recreation, Four Seasons Hotel, Doha.

“It is proving popular with a wide range of guests; the local Qataris and ex-pats, the European MICE market, and increasingly leisure travellers.

We are getting big groups come for the weekend.â€

According to spa manager Madeleine Olsson, more than 40% of clients are male.

“They often opt for deep tissue massage.

Once they feel the benefits they wonder why they didn’t try it earlier,†she says.

“The luxury traveller and the spa client have changed.

They are coming here for the experience and for their wellbeing.

They realise that prevention is better than cure.â€

Both Olsson and Clarke acknowledge that it is difficult for agents and operators to sell a spa break without having experienced the product and so they plan to organise fam trips to solve this problem.

The hotel has also put together some sample spa packages.

“Once Doha becomes better known as a leisure destination, we expect our spa business to grow,†says Clarke.

“We intend to keep adding to our facilities and products and will introduce new activities to ensure we remain unique and competitive.â€

Bahrain and beyond

Another emerging leisure market is Qatar’s next-door-neighbour, Bahrain, which will soon welcome its own spa resort; the Banyan Tree Desert & Spa, Al Areen, Bahrain.

It will house the largest Banyan Tree spa in the world, covering 10,738m².

Key features will include an indoor hydrotherapy circuit comprising warm and cold rain mist corridors, a grotto sauna, ice igloo, sanarium, herbal steam room, and brine light room; an outdoor vitality pool including nine workout stations and a lower body rapids workout; the largest hammam facilities outside Istanbul; eight treatment pavilions, four royal spa treatment pavilions and two male-only spa suites.

“More than 60% of our guests will be from the GCC and the rest from Europe.

They will be a mix of business and leisure,†says Arno Nicolussi Moretto, general manager at the Al Areen, which is set to open in November.

“We believe we will attract a lot of FIT and MICE guests because of the outstanding facilities we offer.

Each villa will have its own private pool in a walled garden; this type of product is unique in the region.â€

The privacy and safety offered at the spa, particularly in the pavilions, which have their own mini spa, a fountain and a majilis area, will attract Arab nationals in particular, he adds.

“We expect people to come for weekend spa breaks, but it will also serve as a corporate retreat,†Moretto explains.

Agents will be able to book spa treatments in advance if they use the Banyan Tree online booking system.

Other spa resorts in the pipeline located in destinations that are popular with Middle East travellers, include: the Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa in Penang, which is due to open in October and marks the debut of the Shangri-La Group’s CHI spa brand in Malaysia.

It will feature a CHI spa village covering 46,500ft² comprising 11 treatment villas and a yoga studio.

Nearby in Indonesia, agents should recommend The Legian and The Oberoi – Bali, both in Bali and The Oberoi in Lombok.

Oberoi properties are renowned for their high-end spa facilities, particularly in India where the company boasts several properties, six of which are featured in the Leading Spas brochure.

Clients seeking value-for-money spa breaks should be directed to Thailand, one of the top-selling destinations out of the UAE this summer, where spa resorts are abundant.

Those of note include Banyan Tree Bangkok, Banyan Tree Phuket, The Dusit Thani, Dusit Resort Hua Hin, Sila Evason Hideaway & Spa at Samui and Evason Hideaway & Six Senses Spa at Hua Hin.

In addition, the Evason Hideaway & Six Senses Spa at Yao Noi is currently being built on Koh Yao Noi, a small island in Phang Nga Bay, Thailand.

But for the ultimate in tropical beachsidehealth retreats, recommend Chiva-Som at Hua Hin, which takes an holistic approach.

On arrival, each guest receives a private health consultation to assess their mental, physical and spiritual needs and are given treatment suggestions from a list of 137.

These range from massages, facials and beauty treatments in the spa, to reflexology, live blood analysis, acupuncture and reiki healing.

Guests who choose to follow a cleansing diet during their stay often opt for colonic irrigation and those seeking inner peace can take part in life enhancement, meditation and Emotional Freedom Technique sessions.

Around 10% of Chiva-Som guest are from the Middle East, particularly the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Lebanon, according to general manager, Paul Linder.

“Most came for weight loss and fitness programmes, sometimes for 28 nights.

The ex-pats tend to com for detox diets, relaxation and treatments for stress.

They usually stay between seven and 10 days,†he says.

Activities on offer at Chiva-Som range from Tai Chi, yoga and pilates to circuit training and step aerobics.

Personal training services are available in the gym and an indoor bathing pavilion featuers a unisex Kneipp reflexology path, plunge pool, swimming pool, jacuzzi and steam room.

“We are culturally sensitive and during the quiet season in particular, we can make pools available for women only,†explains Linder.

The property’s Niranlada Medi-Spa, which opened in 2005, offers the latest laser skin rejuvenation and skin tightening technology, and all guests staying at Chiva-Som are entitled to three spa meals a day at either of the two on-site restaurants, as well as a daily massage.

With so many established luxury spa resorts such as Chiva-Som on the market and many more to follow in their footsteps, agents have no lack of options when clients demand a top-end spa break.

Most of these properties offer 10% commission and if agents remember to book spa treatments in advance of the trip, clients will be so impressed that they may even be willing to pay a service fee for this efficient and thorough service.