because we don’t want them to come here for just an
hour and half.” although guests aren’t committing a
week (or more) of their time to spa and wellness like they
would at a destination spa, conte’s goal is to have them
spend “two to four hours” on the property. in addition to
a full fitness center—which was recently renovated—
meadowood boasts a large outdoor area with hiking
trails and a meditation labyrinth.
conte acknowledges that guests don’t visit napa
Valley to eat spartan food and drink spring water;
therefore, the area’s wine-and-food centric tourism has
informed how meadowood approaches the nutritional
needs of its guests. the spa’s resident health coach—a
cross-trained massage therapist, personal trainer and
nutritionist—offers a “Wine and Wellness” program that
counsels hotel guests and spa-goers on how to keep fit
and healthy while enjoying the region’s culinary delights.
meadowood partners with biodynamic wine growers for
tastings and encourages guests to ride bikes from
vineyard to vineyard. Says conte, “We want to do a full-
circle, 360-degree option.”
each hotel guest, member and spa-goer is encouraged
to look at meadowood’s fitness schedule and take a class
before or after they receive their treatment. the health
coach will often take small groups outside for yoga,
cardio and strength training that is “customized based on
The Spa at Meadowood's Napa Valley location inspires its approach to
wellness.
the clientele,” according to conte, who adds that a large
portion of the spa’s clientele makes use of the fitness
facilities.
not all spas have the luxury of a full fitness center,
expansive outdoor areas and gourmet onsite restaurants,
of course. When it comes to integrating fitness and
nutrition into a smaller day spa setting, conte says that
the first step is to realistically look at what the spa can
handle. then, work within those guidelines by asking,
“what are my guests really looking for?” for nutrition, he
suggests partnering with a local farm-to-table restaurant
to provide “bento-box-style” lunches for spa guests. “You
can fill gaps by getting involved with your community,”
says conte.
for conte, the dovetailing trends of nutrition, spa and
fitness convalesce into one word: “longevity.” With
lifespans lengthening and the number of senior citizens
rising, more and more spa-goers are interested in
building a healthy lifestyle that will persist throughout
their lives. By highlighting a unified concept of wellness,
conte hopes that meadowood can cater to that growing
demand.
Tailor-Made Fitness
at both the SPa – Williams island and the meadowood
Spa, the keys to successfully integrating fitness and
nutrition into spa are to rely on the expertise and
interests of one’s staff, focus on quality over quantity,
and inform the spa-goer as frequently as possible about
the programs offered by one’s spa. With the right mix of
increased awareness, fresh fitness ideas and one-on-one
time with staff, fitness can be a revenue-driver for spas
big and small. n
F E AT U R E D S O U R C E S
KARRIE GRIFFITHS MICHAEL CONTE
Director of Spa, Fitness and
Wellness Director of Spa and
Wellness
THE SPA – WILLIAMS ISLAND THE MEADOWOOD SPA
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PULSE 2019
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