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As spas across the world were forced to close in the coronavirus pandemic,
a number of forward-thinking operators created wellness offerings online. We
take a look at some of the programmes pulled together in lightning-fast time
By Megan Whitby | Published in Spa Business 2020 issue 2
Spa and resort operator Six Senses was one of the first companies to connect with guests online with the launch of its At Home content portal on 24 March.
The service uses videos, tutorials and articles to deliver wellbeing advice adopted from its in-resort wellness experiences based on the pillars of mindfulness, eat, sleep, move, live naturally and connect.
It’s available to everyone, whether or not they’ve previously stayed at a Six Senses property. Tips include everything from how to reduce anxiety and loneliness when practising social distancing, as well as advice on food to support the immune system, working from home and good sleep routines.
Thai destination spa Chiva-Som is combatting widespread anxiety and social isolation during lockdown by offering one-on-one live wellbeing consultations with its naturopaths, physiotherapists and exercise professionals.
An initial 50-minute consultation includes personalised feedback regarding lifestyle and nutrition and advisors can also refer clients to either a private naturopathic consultation, a natural fertility treatment session or an exercise tutorial.
The resort is also offering private yoga and meditation sessions as well as daily wellbeing advice – from self-massage to immune-boosting tips – across its social media channels.
Past and regular guests have unlimited use of consultations and tutorials. The general public can book one consultation and a referral tutorial for free, after that customer sessions start at THB3,500 (US$108, €99, £87).
“Now is a time for support, collaboration and encouragement,” says CEO Krip Rojanastien. “We’re committed to our guests and community, in which we’re striving to distribute our wellness resources to support people’s wellbeing without boundaries. We shall pass this together.”
Energy healing, ayurvedic, spiritual wellness and life coaching sessions are being offered to people in their own homes for free during the lockdown thanks to a programme set up by Healing Hotels of the World.
The Healing@Home series is being delivered by six global practitioners who have previously worked with Healing Hotels. The sessions, arranged by contacting [email protected], are designed to help clients step into new perspectives, find inner balance and transform fear into positivity and strength while coping with the pandemic.
“Although we’re unable to travel at the moment and most of our Healing Hotels are closed due to COVID-19, their hearts are still beating strongly,” says co-founder Anne Biging, “our shared mission to guide you on your healing journey is stronger than ever.”
Marina Efraimolgou owns the spa which is known for its transformation retreats
Greek transformation spa, Euphoria, has unveiled a free five-week immersive virtual retreat inspired by Greek mythology and the five elements.
The retreat will explore and focus on one of the five elements – water, wood, fire, earth and metal – in order to help people reset and focus on their energy balance, as well as understand specific organs and their emotions in relation to each of the elements.
It will be conducted online via a series of healing, grounding, and uplifting wellness practices and activities. Every week participants will be guided through two 45-minute webinars by Euphoria’s founder, Marina Efraimolgou, and spiritual mentor, Mary Vandorou.
Efraimolgou says: “We’ve based our virtual offering on our signature retreat – ‘Emotional and Physical Transformation’ – and participants can join us for just one day, one week or sign up for the full five weeks to discover the power of all the elements.”
Italian destination spa Borgo Egnazia has designed an online wellness platform to bring its unique experience into guest’s homes.
Egnazia is known for its Vair spa that addresses emotional and physical tension with more mindful treatments such as laughter therapy and olfactory tests, and the new Casa Egnazia platform celebrates this offering alongside the local Apulian culture. Content such as tips for happiness and beauty, sports for longevity and food for wellness has been generated by employees who each have their own area of expertise. It’s even recording sessions of village musicians to recreate a local festival and sending guests samples of its signature homemade tomato sauce to keep them front of mind.
“We’re generating all this great content and creating a new part of the business which I think we can still offer once we do reopen,” said spa director Erica D’Angelo on a Professional Beauty webinar. “It’s also a great opportunity to get feedback from our clients.”
Spa and hospitality recruitment firm Hutchinson Consulting has revealed a weekly video web series to help industry colleagues with questions about their career development to navigate the pandemic. The free Coffee with the Coaches sessions take place every Wednesday and are delivered by industry leader Michael Tompkins and other Hutchinson team members. Each session is recorded and shared on the company’s website.
Wellbeing hub The Well, based in New York City, launched a monthly online membership with an introductory price of US$99 (€91, £79) and US$149 (€137, £120) thereafter.
Members receive access to a ‘complete ecosystem’ for wellness online, including twice-weekly support circles, daily mindful movement and meditation classes, programming, and online appointments. Monthly coaching sessions focus on topics such as sleep health and managing anxiety during social distancing.
In late March The Well also teamed up with alternative medicine expert Deepak Chopra to live-stream a global meditation event, called H(om)e, to encourage people to stay at home and have hope during the pandemic.
With so many virtual meetings now taking place wellness PR firm S’well has created a free digital toolkit to facilitate more effective, healthier online gatherings.
The Virtually Well Meeting Recipe Book includes tips to help participants remain engaged with techniques such as intermittent mindfulness practices, using live scribing and movement exercises. In addition, it suggests using colourful mind maps to help keep track of people’s contributions and advises enriching virtual meetings with live music breaks.
S’well co-founders, Kim Marshall and Darlene Fiske, revealed the toolkit on 2 April via a webinar with the ‘methods’ demonstrated by industry figures.
Five Four Seasons resorts in Hawaii has created a series of at-home experiences, including spa treatments, designed to transport guests to the islands.
At Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, for example, spa director Cecila Hercik has unveiled an at-home Niu Bath Treatment recipe made with coconuts which is inspired by local healing traditions and ingredients. Meanwhile, the team at Sensei Lanai, A Four Seasons Resort is offering guidance on using journaling and meditation for self-reflection. The resort is owned by billionaire Larry Ellison and spa leader Andrew Gibson is a senior executive (see SB19/4).
Globally, the Four Seasons group is also releasing digital at-home fitness content called Fit with Four Seasons, led by celebrity trainer Harley Pasternak.
The historic Breakers Hotel in Long Beach, California, is set to reopen in mid-2024 as a
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts property after a significant restoration and redevelopment project.
The Bannatyne Group says it has officially bounced back from the pandemic, with both turnover
and profits restored to pre-2020 levels in 2023, according to its year-end results.
Kerzner International has signed deals to operate two new Siro recovery hotels in Mexico and
Saudi Arabia, following the launch of the inaugural Siro property in Dubai this February.
The US spa industry is continuing its upward trajectory, achieving an unprecedented milestone
with a record-breaking revenue of US$21.3 billion in 2023, surpassing the previous high of
US$20.1 billion in 2022.
Short-term incentives for exercise, such as using daily reminders, rewards or games, can lead
to sustained increases in activity according to new research.
Remedy Place, a US-based social wellness club brand, is poised for steady expansion in the
coming years, with plans to open two new clubs annually moving forward.
Swiss longevity brand Clinique La Prairie (CLP) has inked a deal with Montara Hospitality
Group
to operate a resort at Tri Vananda – a purpose-built wellness community in Phuket,
Thailand.
