MEMBER PERSPECTIVES
Remède Spa at the St. Regis Aspen Resort:
Maintaining Stability in a Tiny Resort Town
n the picturesque resort town of
Aspen, luxury is never compro-
mised. Everyone from celebrities
and heiresses to industry tycoons
and athletes, have been known to flock to
this little resort town in Colorado’s Rocky
Mountains for outdoor adventure and a
little R&R. The Remède Spa at the St.
Regis Aspen Resort has been consistently
voted among the top spas in the world,
and is known for its well-appointed
personal service and signature touches.
But for a spa that must operate year-
round, a resort town can present its
disadvantages.
I
Management and Operations
Challenges
Irisha Steele, spa director at Remède Spa
“We face challenges like
housing shortages, high cost
of living, and two slow seasons
that may deter therapists to apply.”
— IRISHA STEELE, Spa Director
Remède Spa at the St. Regis Aspen Resort, Aspen, Colorado
at the St. Regis Aspen Resort, has grown
accustomed to working around the resort
towns’ woes. She notes, “Our biggest
challenge is hiring qualified employees in
a remote ski town. We face challenges like
housing shortages, high cost of living,
and two slow seasons that may deter
therapists to apply.”
To combat these issues, the resort
The Confluence Room at St. Regis Aspen combines the beauty of rushing waterfalls with the calming
nature of a flowing river.
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PULSE
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May 2017
provides housing to many of its
employees. “This is a huge benefit for our
employees which takes away the stress of
the housing shortage in Aspen.” Steele
also notes that they make sure to offer
competitive wages to entice therapists to
work in Aspen.
Because the town is seasonal, Steele
pares down the spa’s services during the
slow seasons of spring and fall. This can
be a deterrent for many applicants, but
Steele combats this by finding therapists
who are nomadic in nature. “We find
therapists who are passionate about
traveling,” says Steele. “Ninety percent of
my team travels [during slow seasons],
but when they come back, they’re
refreshed and renewed.” Turning a
challenge into an advantage or benefit is a
great way to attract the right people to the
spa.
When hiring, Steele looks for
emotional intelligence and a passion for
the industry. To meet the high demand of
the clientele at the St. Regis Aspen Resort,
her team must possess an advanced
skillset and the innate desire to provide
five-star service.
To keep her employees engaged, Steele