HOME IS WHERE THE SPA IS : The Rise of Residental Spas in Luxury Living CONTINUED FROM PAGE 24
individualized , much more bespoke than a hotel guest who is just visiting and doesn ’ t necessarily know what they want . They want to browse the menu . They want to meet with the people . It ’ s a much more social and exploratory experience .”
So , what services are these discerning dwellers digging into ? Like any spa , massage is far and away the most-requested , most-offered service .“ Massage is popular with all ages , from as young as 16 to people in their 70s ,” says Warren .“ LIVunLtd has tripled our massage business in the past four months ,” says Bosalavage .“ Our clients understand all the positive benefits of massage and it is their ‘ go-to ’ treatment on a regular basis .”
Massage is the ideal antidote to big city living . According to hundreds of studies by the Touch Research Institute , massage results in a chain of positive physiological changes , including decreased heart rate and blood pressure , which cause an overarching commonality of benefits , such as reducing stress , increasing immune function , relieving pain and improving sleep .
Beauty services like hair and makeup are also popular , as Residents love their “ glam squad .” “ Our salons have done very well . Residents like to get their hair blown out in the privacy of their own home before they go out ,” says Warren . Both Arch Amenities and LIVunLtd are adding unstaffed salon spaces for personal stylists and guest celebrity hairdressers .
The salon at Auberge Beach Spa rents space to celebrity stylist Eric Allen Davis .“ He sets his own pricing and has his own clientele ,” says Higgs .“ Now these clients are buying retail , having their nails done here and getting facials and massages . So it was the best thing ever .”
Jeremy McCarthy stresses that each project is unique and must bring experiences that are location specific . “ People live in a particular area because there ’ s a certain lifestyle associated with that area . You can ’ t just think about residences in terms of the residents themselves or the accommodations , it ’ s more about how does living in that building help people create the kind of lifestyle they want . They want convenient access to fitness facilities and wellbeing experiences that help them live their best life whether they are living in that city year-round or visiting a second or third home .”
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26 PULSE n NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2022