From longer hours to ever-more-unique treatments, Coyle-referred professional mystery shoppers report that spas are responding to guests’ changing needs in 2011. With a bit of careful forethought, they’re gaining clients in the process.
Tapa-Sized Treatments: More spas are embracing shorter treatments – from 15-minute quick fixes to 30-minute therapies designed to fit into a lunch hour – in order to serve harried consumers. The spas that do it best have learned to provide the same kind of guest experience in a shorter window of time. For instance, Coral Gables’ Elemis Spa offers a “Spa at Lunch” program with a series of 30-minute treatments, from facials to microdermabrasion and salt glows. As long as the guest experience remains the same as when spa-goers come in for full treatments or full-day experiences, Coyle-referred professional spa secret shoppers have found that these quicker therapies can work well for spas, exposing guests to the spa’s facilities and services with less of a time and financial commitment.
No Clock-Watching: Staying open until 9PM or later is no longer uncommon for day spas, especially in urban centers. Oasis Day Spa in NYC keeps its doors open until 10PM throughout the week; Glendale, Wisconsin’s Neroli Spa is open until 9PM Monday-Thursday; and Chicago’s Kiva Day Spa provides treatments until 9PM at least one night per week, among many spas with expanded hours. These spas are responding to the often stressful working lifestyles of those most in need of an end-of-day treatment.
Pass the Salt: Online industry news site SpaFinder reports that halotherapy, a healing tradition that involves basking in a salt cave, may be one of the hottest trends this year. The technique is designed to benefit the skin and cure respiratory illnesses, such as asthma. Halo Salt Spa in NYC, the Williamsburg Salt Spa in Williamsburg, Virginia and the Timeless Spa and Salt Cave in Naperville, Illinois are a few spas focusing on the trend.
Pushing the Envelope: Adding a unique treatment to the mix can be as much about spa marketing as about providing guests with something new and different. From a “hangover facial” at NYC’s Nickel’s Men’s Spa to a Doga yoga session (so guests can meditate with their canine friend) at the Exhale spa in Kimpton’s Epic Hotel in Miami to
