the guest room . We ’ ll bring those luxury spa brands to you if you ’ re not ready to come to the spa .”
Even when pandemic-related concerns largely receded , however , Roth found that many guests still opted to use the in-room beauty kits , which led to considering other inroom wellness options and enhancements that guests might be interested in , as their habits and preferences seemed to have shifted during the height of the pandemic . What once had been done out of necessity was now more widely expected by guests . Now , the hotel offers a range of both fitness- and wellness-related in-room options for guests , including exercise bikes , a case filled with Technogym equipment and access to their virtual training library , TheraGun massage tools and a CBD kit filled with a bath soak and anti-inflammatory recovery oils .“ This menu is hear to stay — the pandemic has created new habits ,” Roth says .
At The Spa at Kilaga Springs , which is located inside a retirement community , Spa Manager KarriLynn Keith says that her guests are just as — if not more — focused on wellness as other demographics .“ Across the board , we ’ re seeing that the wellness category is really important , especially with an older clientele ,” she says .“ We ’ re kind of set up as a resort or destination type experience , so it is more of a wellness experience … than it is just true relaxation . Sometimes it ’ s just part of being able to move and be active .”
Keith explains that this different set of needs is partly to do with the physical limitations that naturally come with aging .“ We ’ re combining ,‘ I want to look better and feel better and younger ’ with ‘ I need to get to the spa because I need to be able to have that wellness aspect ,’ as a part of it [ they ] cannot manage it [ themselves ] any longer .” In addition to tools and treatments intended to improve mobility and range of motion for active guests , the spa has also brought in a new line of CBD products specifically to address the common concerns of its primarily Baby Boomer-aged guests , which she says have been well-received .“ We have different product options available for them to choose from , so we ’ re able to ask ,‘ What are your needs ? Are you looking for sleep ? Okay , well , this works for sleep . Are you looking for pain management ? We have a topical product and we have a tincture , so we can combine them or we can use them one at a time .’ We take the time to properly educate them and find out what their needs are .”
Many of her guests tend to be very results-driven , Keith notes . Often , they arrive having done their own research into treatments or products that they feel might meet a particular need .“ They ’ re very research-savvy . They ’ re really looking at what can this product do for me because there are so many things that are advertised ,” Keith says . “ Working in partnership with them , we can break that down a little bit more into helping clarify what these items do and help them find what works best for them .”
What Comes Next ? How can spas continue to evolve alongside the expectations of their guests and ensure that they play a significant role in achieving their guests ’ wellness goals going forward ? As with any initiative , knowing your guests , utilizing your team and relying upon what makes your spa unique will all be likely to play a role .
Going forward at her spa , Rita Rroku-Berishaj sees the wider incorporation of wellness services and amenities as an opportunity for service providers to expand their skillsets and knowledge , making them not only more valuable as employees but also elevating the level of their professionalism and helping to create a new definition for what a spa can do and be for guests .“ We always speak about how we can educate our guests , but also our team members as well . Everyone wants to learn more , and [ our team ] have been such sponges .” When spas in New York City were closed , Rroku-Berishaj says many of her spa ’ s therapists took it upon themselves to grow their skills . “ Some of them really took the chance to go out there and educate themselves on how they can give more to their guests . [ During the pandemic ] some people did leave the field , but the team members who stayed in the field are becoming so much more professional ; their skills are becoming more diverse . I think they ’ ve really taken it to the next level .” She adds that the virtual trainings that first became popular at the height of the pandemic have made it easier than ever for spas to incorporate new trainings for
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