Dual-use works when guests don’ t feel like they’ re being placed in a repurposed leftover. The best transformations are sensory, operational and emotional— not just logistical.
was a leadership and operations choice.“ We black out the mirrors, warm the lighting to amber, diffuse grounding aromas, adjust acoustics, introduce elements like candles and crystals …. You need to transform the space.”
For operators, this is an important distinction: Dual-use works when guests don’ t feel like they’ re being placed in a repurposed leftover. The best transformations are sensory, operational and emotional— not just logistical.
Salons and nails: Growth engine, gateway or prime real estate? The panel spent meaningful time on salons and nail areas— both as revenue centers and as strategic real estate near the spa’ s front door.
Mary Bemis noted broad industry trend:“ Salons are quietly disappearing— salons and nail [ services ].” Her examples weren’ t anti-salon; they were pro-intention. Some properties repurposed salon space into cultural or experiential zones; others expanded arrival sequences into quieter, more restorative pre-spa environments.
Her caution to the industry was direct:“ I personally … don’ t want to see a lot of hotel and resort spas jumping on this bandwagon … figure out first, why isn’ t your salon working?”
Sturgis reinforced that mindset with two repeated words:“ intention” and“ zoning.” He warned against trend-chasing without a clear trade-off analysis:“ You could jump on the trend. But before you do that, just take a moment and think, What am I exchanging for what?”
Ryan raised a practical concern many operators share: If you remove salons, do you lose guests who only feel comfortable there? He shared his own renovation experience— removing hair but strengthening nails— and framed salons as an entry point for certain clients.
Sturgis agreed, calling salons a gateway for guests not yet ready for deeper spa immersion.
Bemis offered an alternate model: Don’ t delete; elevate. At Mohonk Mountain House, the salon / pedicure experience was redesigned around the property’ s views:“ They elevated them into stadium-style seating so every guest getting a pedicure is looking out at this beautiful view …. But look at what you have before you start ripping things apart.”
For spa professionals, the practical lesson is to stop treating salons as a binary yes / no. They can be revenue drivers, brand touchpoints, onboarding tools or flexible zones—
Dual-use works when guests don’ t feel like they’ re being placed in a repurposed leftover. The best transformations are sensory, operational and emotional— not just logistical.
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