How resort spas are creating higher-value guest experiences
GUEST EXPERIENCE CHANGES Every spa provides a distinct guest experience, and staying current with hospitality trends is key. Even programs already offering an outstanding guest experience can be refined through small adjustments to increase average spending per guest. Designing a world-class experience— from before guests discover your resort to the moment they become regulars— is an ongoing process.
“ Our greatest success has come from adding value through rich experiences that help curious consumers understand what wellness truly means not just in lifespan, but in quality of life,” Spencer said.
Many resorts discover their most successful strategies are rooted in staff training, service upgrades and elevated surroundings.
“ Over the past several years, Eau Spa has elevated average spending per guest by introducing experienceenhancing upgrades that add genuine value rather than perceived upsell,” Eau Resort and Spa ' s Benjamin Donat said.“ Our most successful initiatives have been the launch of wellness enhancements, strategically engineered to pair naturally with our signature treatments. These additions not only enrich the guest journey but have also become one of our highest-converting revenue drivers.”
Allowing spa teams to experience upgrades and products firsthand enables them to provide accurate, first-hand experience for guiding guests.
“ Our most successful strategy has been offering therapist-led upgrades at the start of each massage,” Edgewood Spa ' s Ashley Salberg said.“ The team genuinely loves the products we use, and that enthusiasm comes through in their recommendations. Because the therapists feel the benefits themselves, their suggestions never feel like an upsell. Instead, guests receive a sincere, experiencebased recommendation, which has driven strong upgrade performance.”
How resort spas are creating higher-value guest experiences
“ Our most successful guest experience improvements have focused on enhancing value during the visit. Add-ons, strong customer service training and curated retail, especially when paired with bundle discounts, have all helped increase average spend.”
— NATALIE GRAHAM, White Oaks Resort and Spa
“ We layered enhanced treatment tables with inclusive add-on services that incorporate earthing, negative ions, infrared heat, vibration, signature acoustics, aromatherapy and hot stones to support increased service fees. We also enhanced day pass amenities, raising the entry price through elevated equipment experiences, high end locker amenities and sustainable practices.”
— DANIEL SPENCER, Agua Caliente Casinos’ Sunstone Spa and The Spa at Séc-he
“ Refreshing the retail area, improving product storytelling and training the team to focus on solution-based recommendations have resulted in stronger per-guest spend. Pre-arrival emails that highlight recommended upgrades or popular signature experiences have increased pre-booked enhancements.”
— CHRISTINA CABRERA, La Quinta Resort & Club
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