“We have a 'Peach
& Quiet Policy' that
speaks to our mission to
be a sanctuary from
stress. We tell this story
through social media
and in all our marketing
and PR materials.”
— CHRIS SCHEEL, General Manager at Sundara Inn & Spa
Sundara's Conversation-Free Tranquility Garden allows guests to reconnect
with their own thoughts.
forced into something. Her tactics also rely heavily on staff
engagement. “I try to train the staff to communicate to our
guests that this is a gift, not a punishment.”
Allowing one area to remain openly cell phone friendly, can
make it obvious to guests that they’re not allowed elsewhere in
the spa. At Fusions Spa & Wellness in Sylva, North Carolina,
co-owner Jeanine Sowers has found that setting up charging
stations in the locker rooms along with signage saying phones
aren’t allowed elsewhere in the spa allows the spa to remain
sensitive to guests’ technology needs, while still enforcing a
silent spa experience.
Mandarin Oriental’s digital detox initiative encourages
guests to surrender their phones upon entering the spa. To
combat the urge to seek out their phones, Mandarin’s spas
provide a full range of mindfulness activities such as journaling,
note card writing, coloring, and meditation to help guests
unwind and forget about their devices.
Idle hands and minds will be the first to reach for their
phones, so this tactic of keeping guests busy has become
popular. Says Shingle, “Most guests have cell phone reception
on property, so we provide as many opportunities to see what
it feels like to not be digitally connected, even if just for a few
hours a day. We remind guests that not that long ago, life
existed without constant digital connection. We encourage our
guests to take baby steps by going one day at a time without
digitally connecting to their devices. At The Ranch each day is
packed with activities; from hikes to fitness classes to spa treat-
ments. Many guests find that there is so much to do—whether
socializing with new friends, curling up with a good book in a
hammock, or learning a new pose in a yoga class—that with
each passing day it gets easier to remain unplugged.”
Marketing Your Digital Detox
As more and more spa-goers get used to the idea of unwinding
from their digital lives at the spa, it’s important to market your
silent offerings and show guests the positive experience they’ll
gain from opting out of technology for a day—or longer—at
the spa.
“We have a ‘Peace & Quiet Policy’ that speaks to our
mission to be a ‘sanctuary from stress,’” says Scheel. “We tell
this story through social media and in all our marketing and PR
materials.” Sundara Inn & Spa has also recently added
“unplug” pouches for storing electronics and “unplug” tee
shirts for purchase in the boutique to promote their mission as
well as spread the message even further.
Fusions Spa & Wellness chooses to inform guests of their
silent policies before they even book an appointment. “Our
website and brochure mention that we are an unplugged
facility,” says Sowers. “It is in all caps and bold font in our
membership agreement, and we have recently required an “I am
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