things we’ll do differently. There will be no changes in the
nail salon of any protocols except that every guest and
employee will be wearing a mask.”
New Challenges, Creative Solutions
The story of Well & Being Spa at the Fairmont Princess is
similar to the stories of countless hotel spas over the past
few months: mandatory spa closure, an open but virtually
empty hotel, and incredible resourcefulness in the face of
this tremendous challenge.
Much like Trudy Smith, Carrie Kennedy was caught offguard
by the speed with which the situation evolved. As
the hotel’s Director of Wellness & Being, Kennedy was
proactively briefed along with other managers on the potential
outcomes of the growing pandemic. Still, says Kennedy,
the spread of COVID-19 felt distant until it “very
quickly became a reality to hospitality and spa. It was a
‘whoa’ moment.” Groups began to cancel, but the spa and
hotel remained busy right until closure. “We had four virtually
sold-out days before we got to a situation where we
had to shut down,” Kennedy says. During that time, Well
& Being Spa quickly changed its protocols and instituted
more stringent sanitization procedures: double-sheeting
blankets, adjusting treatment schedules, creating hand
sanitizer stations and more. Then, on March 20, the spa
closed.
Kennedy’s thoughts immediately went to the spa’s
more than 200 members and how to continue adding
value to their lives. Since the spa closed, Well & Being has
held two virtual fitness classes a day featuring its most
popular instructors. They’ve offered Saturday workshops
on a variety of topics; weekly Wednesday sound therapy; a
“Every protocol for the spa has been updated, from
how you pick up your guest to how you greet them,
how you begin your service. Everything.”
– CARRIE KENNEDY, Director of Wellness & Being, Well & Being Spa at The Fairmont Princess
Well & Being Spa at The Fairmont Princess has now mostly reopened, but the process of fully reopening will be carefully measured.
JULY 2020 ■ PULSE 31