The all-new, state-of-the-art Wellness & Bio Bar, now open daily at Four Seasons Toronto, offers a number of advanced treatments, including biohacking.

The Five-Star Spa at Four Seasons Toronto is introducing an innovative new feature designed to improve guests’ health, well-being, and quality of life.

The all-new, state-of-the-art Wellness & Bio Bar, now open daily at Four Seasons Toronto, offers a number of advanced treatments, including biohacking, and “reinforces the brand’s standards of personalized service while redefining what it truly means to live well.”

The Wellness & Bio Bar required six months of extensive training for the Four Seasons team and features a curated menu centered around four pillars: mental, physical, spiritual and sexual wellness.

“At the Spa at Four Seasons Toronto, I want to ensure guests know living well is a lifestyle, not a trend,” said Carlos Calvo Rodriguez, Senior Spa Director at Four Seasons Hotel Toronto, in a statement . “With the introduction of the Wellness & Bio Bar, we’re providing our guests with scientifically proven evidence-based treatments tailor-made to each guest’s wants, needs and desires. We’re excited to provide them with some of the only biohacking services in Toronto that will notably improve their health as they make incremental changes to their bodies and overall lifestyles.”

Results driven services include:

• LPG Endermologie treatments;
• touch therapy for those living with, or who have a history of living with, cancer;
• pre and post-natal treatments;
• jetlag recovery;
• celluma light therapy; and
• hypnosis sessions.

LPG Endermologie is technology that gently stimulates the skin to reactivate dormant cellular activity. It is said to be 100% natural and painless, and to provide visible results instantly with no side effects. Four Seasons is the first luxury hotel spa in Canada to ​​have LPG technology, which was created in France and is based on mechanobiology; a science studying the influence of mechanical forces on tissues and cells.

Also notable is the introduction of touch therapy for guests living with, or who have a history of living with, cancer. These therapies are designed to address specific needs of those who have gone through treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation, and surgeries, and to address related skin conditions while supporting the body’s immune and lymphatic systems, improving the range of motion, encouraging better sleep, and reducing pain and inflammation. 

Sessions by hypnotist Asad Mecci will include a series of imagery exercises while providing positive suggestions specific to desired outcomes, like improving sleep, calming nerves, enhancing performance, and reaching one’s full potential. 

Spa Executive is published by Book4Time, the leader in guest management, revenue and mobile solutions for the most exclusive spas, hotels, and resorts around the globe. Learn more at book4time.com.

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Carlos Calvo Rodriquez, Senior Spa Director at Four Seasons Toronto, the city’s only Forbes-Five star rated spa, talks staff training and habits of successful spa directors.

Carlos Calvo Rodriquez is the Senior Spa Director for Toronto’s only Forbes-Five star rated spa, the Spa at Four Seasons Toronto, located inside the brand’s global flagship, Four Seasons Hotel Toronto. 

An expert in wellness, staff training, and business operations, originally from Costa Rica, Mr. Calvo Rodriguez is a physiotherapist by trade.

Explaining how he ended up in hospitality, he says, “When I did my master’s degree, I worked at the university teaching manual therapy and assessment. Maybe it was because a lot of my students were going to work there, that Four Seasons asked me to work for them. At first, I had no intention to do so because I was happy at the academy, but one day I accompanied my assistant for an interview and I’m the one who got hired (my assistant was hired as well, so it worked out). I started my hospitality career in 2007 with Four Seasons.

He started as a massage therapist, then moved up the ranks to become Assistant Spa Director.

He says, “I then joined an amazing program Four Seasons had to develop spa managers, in which we went to train at company spas in different countries. I went to Washington DC, Doha, Qatar; Maldives;  Langkawi, Malaysia; Hong Kong; Bali; and Paris. After the program I found an opening at Four Seasons Hotel Toronto, the company’s flagship. That was synchronicity because I had applied for my permanent residency a few years earlier and I got it at the same time I applied for the job. They didn’t have a spa yet so I came and helped to open the spa as Manager with Todd Hewitt as Senior Director.”

In 2016, he moved into the corporate world with Shangri La in Hong Kong as Assistant Vice President, Training in Spa & Wellness, “but when COVID happened, we all got laid off from the wellness division. In 2021, I launched Kool for Men with Todd, wellness products for men, and I also became a certified human potential coach. I then came back to Toronto and the Four Seasons in 2022.” 

Some of the Spa at Four Seasons Toronto’s success can probably be attributed to Calvo Rodriguez’s dedication to the cause of proper training in spa and wellness. “Wellness and education are interconnected,” he has said. “Whether it’s staff, students or guests, everybody needs coaching and direction to ensure a better well-being. The Spa has become a lifestyle necessity for the modern individual, and I am lucky to be at the forefront of that realization.”

We spoke with Carlos Calvo Rodriguez about that and about the habits of effective leaders in spa and wellness. 

Tell us about your spa at Four Seasons Toronto 

It’s very special because we opened this place – we literally ripped open the boxes. I was very happy to come back because a good portion of the team is still the same from 10 years ago. There are a lot of people that I hired myself. It’s the biggest city spa in the company at 30,000 square feet. We have 16 treatment rooms, 5 spa suites, a relaxation pool, outdoor terrace, nail and hair bar and 20 massage tables. Three more rooms will be developed into a wellness and biohacking center. It’s a busy place – we’re booked out up to two months in advance. The business is locally driven – ninety-five per cent of our customers are locals with the remaining Hotel guests and Residents. Our target has always been the local community. This has a bigger impact. When we opened, we had a business development manager who was out literally knocking on the doors of the community around us, inviting them to try the spa.

It was a new product for the city. Four Seasons had never had a spa in Toronto before. Expectations were high and we hired the best in the city. I remember I conducted 383 therapist interviews and hired 30 massage therapists. We wanted to be the best and have the best. I think that paid off because within the first year of opening, we went up to $2 million in revenue and we manage a budget of six or seven million a year. On weekdays we have 85 to 90 appointments per day, and on the weekends from 100 to 120.

What did you learn about running a spa while working as an AVP of Training? What did you take away from that?

Training is so important because the more time you spend on training, the better quality your service will be. I find sometimes we overlook that part. Communication is key and so is investing in enough training for everyone so that they feel like they are a part of things.

On the operations side, we need to improve communication with the rest of the team. We need to be specific and give reasons as to why we’re doing things, rather than saying “We’re going to do it this way, and that’s it.” Everyone wants to be part of things and everyone should understand why we do things the way we do. 

What are some training gaps you see in the spa industry?

On the therapy side, I think the biggest gap is the balance between health and scientific knowledge and knowledge of hospitality. These things don’t always go together. Someone who comes from a very health and science-focused background will sometimes have to learn how to deliver the best customer service. We need to make sure our team merges these things. On the front-of-house side, I think it’s dealing with special requests. There’s always a little bit of fear and we should provide the tools to handle unexpected situations.

What are some habits of effective leaders in spa and wellness?

Mental health is very important because we are dealing with a lot of people and situations all at the same time. I think one of my life savers is daily meditation. Every morning I do 20 minutes of meditation, 20 minutes of journaling, and 20 minutes of exercise.

Another habit I really like getting into is getting on the floor and being with my team for a minimum of one hour a day doing what they’re doing; checking in guests, helping people get set up for the showers, cleaning up –  not just being the manager.

And, of course, just communicate, communicate and communicate.

What’s your favorite thing about your job?

The people that I work with. That was easy.

What are you excited about?

I’m very excited about the expanding concept of wellness and about introducing the concept of biohacking into the hospitality industry. It’s important because people want to live longer and healthier. I’m excited about that and about how in spas we can bring not only the relaxation side of wellness but also expand into longevity and the biology of our bodies.

What are you excited about at Four Seasons?

We’re going to have a yacht collection! It was recently announced that the first Four Seasons Yacht will launch in the next couple of years. We already have a private jet that takes you around the world to our different locations and now we’re going to conquer the seas – and there will be a big wellness component. That is exciting.

Spa Executive is published by Book4Time, the leader in guest management, revenue and mobile solutions for the most exclusive spas, hotels, and resorts around the globe. Learn more at book4time.com.

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Directors of 5-Star spas share what sets them apart from the rest. Learn the secrets of 5-Star spa directors.

As we gear up to head into a new year, luxury hotels and spas around the world will be working towards landing a coveted Forbes 5-Star award rating. 

With this in mind we collected insights from the directors of Five-Star rated spas on what sets their spas apart from the rest and what makes a great guest experience and a great leader in spa and wellness. 

What sets your spa apart from the rest?

A concept, an identity and a soul, a 5-Star level of commitment, and making memorable moments. 

VERENA LASVIGNE FOX, Senior Spa Director, Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center 

Detail and consistency. It was important that we distinguish our spa and give it a concept, an identity, and a soul. Our spa is a crystal concept. This theme made sense to me because we are in the Comcast Technology Center, which is one of the tallest buildings in the United States and a technology building, and there is a relationship between technology and crystals.

We have seven treatment rooms named after seven crystals, which are also connected to seven chakras. Each room has a singing bowl infused with the crystals associated with that room, and there are 700 lbs of crystals that you can’t see, walled up inside the walls, providing positive vibes and energies. There are crystals throughout the spa and we work with crystal infused oils. We have a crystal massage, and at the end of the treatment, the guests get a crystal to take home.

AMANDA RAICH, Director of La Prairie Spa Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills

Our mindset is the most important. We had a goal of becoming a Forbes 5-Star spa before we even opened. Everyone that was hired from that point on had to embrace that level of commitment. We have been relentless in our drive and passion to be consistently delivering 5-Star service. In addition to heavily investing in training with Forbes, we hold our staff to our own internal annual recertification. Delivering on this promise to our team and guests is a top priority that is made possible by the hotel and owners. Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills’ La Prairie Spa is Hilton’s first Forbes 5-Star spa in the Americas, which is a huge accomplishment for the brand. From our skincare partnership with La Prairie, to the additional wellness services and spa amenities, we are proud to offer the finest of luxury. Serving as a testament to this, the spa is outfitted with Dyson hair dryers, Audemars Piguet clocks, and other internationally renowned luxury brands.  

DAISY TEPPER, Spa Director at The Post Oak Hotel at Uptown Houston

Visually it’s beautiful, but the biggest thing is the attention to detail. We make sure every little thing is thought of. From the moment we welcome the guest we’re watching for little things we can do.

A guest commented on how much they loved the little peanut butter spheres we offer, so the attendant got a little box, packaged them beautifully with a ribbon, and gave it to the front desk so they had it when they checked out. We had a mother and daughter come in who hadn’t seen each other for a while and came to spend time together. We took a picture of them, put it in a frame with a ribbon, and left it at the desk as a gift. It’s the little things that we do for the guest that they don’t expect and that make people walk away and say ““Wow. This is something I will always remember.”

I make sure to discuss and challenge the team daily. I ask the question “tell me about how you went above and beyond for a guest today?” 

What makes an excellent guest experience?

Empathy, personal connection, and knowing your employees experience reflects your guest experience.

Carlos Calvo Rodríguez, Senior Spa Director, Four Seasons Hotel Toronto

Empathy and the clear communication we have with our guests are a big part of the guest experience. When a guest comes to our spa, we look for a way to connect personally and emotionally, to make their time with us memorable. We make them feel so comfortable that they open up to us so we can anticipate their needs. 

TAFFRYN ELLIS, Senior Spa Director at Four Seasons London Park Lane

A great experience lies in connecting from the heart. Engagement needs to be caring, authentic, and sincere and not some drummed up rhetoric, which impacts all aspects of enjoyment from the experience.

Whilst the physical environment plays a great part in the sensorial experience, the human element is the major player and what drives the end result. Another very important aspect is the power of listening and then delivering that into service.

VERENA LASVIGNE FOX: It’s about the team. I’m honored to work with great professionals that understand what we’re doing here. Going through the greatest school, which was the George V in Paris, allowed me to develop a vision for a level of guest experience that is, by coincidence, at the Forbes 5-Star level. We were not trying for it and I think this is a very important point. We just have a natural belief in what we want to achieve and what we want to provide as a guest experience to our guests, and it’s a validation of that.

Also, at Four Seasons, the employee experience is as important as the guest experience. I say I’m very honored to work for such a team, but I’m tailoring a team that then is able to provide what is needed to be able to obtain such a recognition as Forbes 5 Star.

What does it take to be a great leader in spa and wellness?

Leading by example with passion and authenticity.

Taffryn Ellis: You need to be passionate about spa and wellness on all personal levels and live that out day by day with your team and your guests. If I don’t take care of myself, how can I take care of others? So, I am always practicing and researching healthy lifestyle principles and rolling those out in my workplace to lead my team and my guests, but I also do this in my home and with my family – so what my family receives from me, so do my team and guests

Being authentic and genuinely myself so that others feel comfortable to be themselves too, no matter what they are going through. Ditch the small talk and be honest and caring – less words and more actions, like hugs and smiles and making people laugh. I love to make people laugh.

CARLOS CALVO RODRIGUEZ:  There are two essential things to consider, one being continuing education; as this is an evolving industry and significant changes are to come, we must update our knowledge and expand the reach beyond what we know spa and wellness are currently. 

And secondly, be hands-on, be on the field with the team, understand what they go through daily, do the work and bond with them. See the operations from their eyes so you can guide them to excel and to the next level. 

AMANDA RAICH: Passion, emotional intelligence, versatility, surrounding myself with the right team and a strong financial understanding. I could have been up with a sick child or helping another with a school project they left to the last minute, but I come into work, have a second coffee and prioritize the spa from that point forward. 

I check my appointments, calendar, and to-do list which is organized into different sections:  Finance, Engineering, Orders, Monthly goals etc., so I know what the area of focus will be. I walk the spa every morning and love that alone time before everyone gets in to ground myself and feel a renewed sense of pride. Also not to take myself too seriously at the end of the day; I go home to my children, get kisses, cuddles, hear about their day and we start all over again the next day. 

DAISY TEPPER: Caring for your team and being there. Leading by example is a big thing. Treating them with the utmost respect is very important to me. The way I see it, they’re my internal guests, and if I take care of them, they will take care of the other guests. The bread and butter comes from these people. If you treat people well, they will go above and beyond.

VERENA LASVIGNE-FOX: It’s critical to lead by example. It’s important to listen to your team. We need to communicate effectively. My door is always open if somebody has a problem, and if there are challenges, we fix them and we find solutions. My team knows that I’m very much about celebration and very much about sharing positivity around us. They know that we are better off when we are focused on the positive things in life. I think a great leader is also someone who has a vision and who actively looks for ways to differentiate ourselves from the competition. I feel very honored to be able to serve a team, and I think this is how they feel about me as well, that I’m there for them and that I inspire and motivate them on a daily basis and help them to grow. 

Does technology play a big role at your spa these days?

Absolutely! From online booking to express check in and out, this is part of the experience. 

AMANDA RAICH: Yes and No; we have a six-in-one facial machine that looks like a robot, we have online booking, we have QR codes for press readers in the lounges, and our room lighting, curtains, and music that are all controlled by iPads in the treatment rooms. However, we haven’t gone down the route of extreme high-tech, such as no-touch wellness therapies. We are still very hands-on and consider ourselves a healing spa. Not to say there isn’t a space for those but coming out of the pandemic our guests still want connection and touch.

DAISY TEPPER: Technology does play a part, however I don’t want technology to take over what we truly are about. Spa to me is nurturing, caring, and healing, mainly through touch, which people want even more these days. I don’t believe in touchless therapy nor do I plan on taking that direction in the near future.  

What I do like and know to have improved operations are online booking, which takes the pressure off of the call volume, and text message confirmations. Both of these save on time and labor. Intake forms are a huge plus, saving time and paper, and keeping guest information confidential safely under their profile. And in-room technology, like an iPad set up with music selections, temperature, and bluetooth options are a wonderful enhancement to our rooms.

TAFFRYN ELLIS: Absolutely! From online booking to express check in and out, this is part of the experience. But I do require some digital detox for the guests and also for the team and myself! I try to encourage no cell phones in the spa and for me and the team – when we get home – switch off!

CARLOS CALVO RODRIGUEZ: We have seen an increase in demand for solutions and services that require technology, from digital consultations to touchless check outs and equipment that provides faster results and supports health and wellness. Technology is here to stay, but our industry’s essence is that human connection will remain much needed.

VERENA LASVIGNE-FOX: Yes, in different aspects, technology plays a role – front and back of the house. Online booking has taken a strong push over the last years, especially since the pandemic. Guests love to use technology, and we have reached a 98% completion rate of the guest intake digitally before the guest even gets to the Spa, which makes the guest experience so much more enjoyable when they arrive at the Spa. Another aspect is using technology to inventory and keep accurate track of what is in stock or what needs to be ordered—looking at the treatments where technology through the use of devices can complement the experience and provide enhanced results for our guests. At the same time, I believe that the human touch cannot be replaced.

Spa Executive is published by Book4Time, the leading cloud-based spa management software for the world’s top hotels and resorts, used by more Forbes 5-Star rated spas than any other vendor. Learn more at book4time.com .

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Four Seasons’ Senior Spa Director, Middle East and Africa, Christelle Besnier, talks about her spas and the habits of effective spa directors.

Christelle Besnier is the Senior Spa Director, Middle East and Africa, for Four Seasons Hotels. With a passion for setting the standard across Abu Dhabi and Dubai for wellness, Ms. Besnier’s goal is “to perfect the entire guest experience from end to end.”

Her career started with a specialized tourism agency in Cannes, through which she was introduced to hospitality at the Hotel Metropole where she moved to work in sales and marketing and moved up the ranks through the executive office, working on special projects and guest relations. Ms. Besnier says, “When the project of the spa came along, with ESPA at that time, I wanted to be a part of it. I didn’t even know what spa was and I was very excited about it. So, I worked on the pre-opening of the Metropole Spa, Monte Carlo.”

She then opened the Guerlain spa at Hotel du Palais in Biarritz and worked as an international trainer for Caudalie Cosmetics before returning to the hospitality industry (“I missed hospitality and being a part of a team,” she says), taking on the roles of Assistant Manager, then Spa Manager, and finally Spa Director at the Hotel George V in Paris. She later left to open the spa at the Four Seasons Abu Dhabi, moving her family and twin girls (now 10 years old) with her.

Ms. Besnier is now in Dubai overseeing a collection of three spas in the United Arab Emirates: the Pearl Spa and Wellness Jumeirah, The Pearl Spa and Wellness DIFC, and the Pearl Spa and Wellness Abu Dhabi, while also doing regional duties overlooking all Saudi and Beirut projects.

We connected with Christelle Besnier to talk about Four Seasons spas in the Middle East and what makes a great guest experience and effective spa director.

Can you talk about the three spas you oversee for Four Seasons in the UAE?

They are amazing. With this collection, we are celebrating the identity of each spa. So, Abu Dhabi, which I consider my baby, because I opened it, is a city hotel. It’s a two-floor spa with eight treatment rooms, a beautiful relaxation area, wet facilities, and a big fitness center. That spa is more traditional. You feel the culture of the Middle East.

We have signature oils with special scents that are blended and  sourced locally. In Abu Dhabi, we have za’atar, white fig, and white tea. It’s very warm. You really feel the Middle East when you have your massage. In DIFC  we have myrrh and black tea, so it’s very warming as well, amazing for the muscle tension, and it represents the bustle of Dubai because that spa is nestled inside DIFC, so it’s full of business traffic, and when you come to the spa, you have an amazing feeling of relaxation. That spa is very small, with only five treatment rooms, no steam room, no sauna, but there is access to an outdoor glass pool and jacuzzi that overlook the Dubai skyline. The resort at Jumeirah is bigger, with 10 treatment rooms, including a double couples suite, an indoor pool, relaxation rooms, outdoor area, fitness center, and tennis court. The signature oil there is more resort-y. We are surrounded by beautiful frangipani, so our scent is frangipani, lavender, and neroli, promoting relaxation and disconnection.

The brand’s mantra is centered in wellness that connects, balances and inspires fulfillment and self-love. The spas all offer signature treatments and rituals that are common between them and a range of experiences that are unique to each location. 

What makes a great guest experience? 

The great guest experience for us is to be understood. It starts with the reservation team being on hand to fill the needs of the guest, flowing down through the spa professionals to take note of their needs and requests. We have a lot of regular guests that we know well. We know their preferences and can anticipate their needs, their preferred therapist, treatment, techniques, the setup of the room. Obviously we need to go the extra mile to satisfy the guests. Whenever there is an opportunity for us, to pay extra attention and do something that they are not expecting and that makes sense for their experience, we encourage the team to do so. It can be a farewell gift, a little card in the treatment room, a healthy beverage to celebrate a special occasion. We have many stories like this.

What are some habits of effective spa directors or leaders in spa and wellness? 

An effective leader in spa and wellness should be a listener and multitasker. These would be the two main words I would use. Spa professionals are not in the same culture as F&B or room professionals. You need to have extra attention and extra care and be able to understand people even when they’re not talking. Leaders need to listen to their teams and be role models. I’m a very hands-on spa director. I think it’s important that the team be inspired by your actions

And multitasking, because being a spa director is doing everything. I’m doing finance, I’m hiring, I’m doing marketing, I’m doing guest relations, purchasing, negotiating with suppliers… I have to be creative because I’m looking for new ways to build new products and new treatments. The days are not long enough but I love it.

What’s your favorite thing about your job?

I think you feel the passion when I’m talking about it, and I think my favorite thing is when I see and hear amazing feedback from the team or from a guest. And then I am sharing that with the team. And when I see the pride in their eyes and their smile, I’m happy because it’s teamwork. To see the team super proud of themselves makes me very happy. This is what I missed when I left hospitality, and this is why I am still here so many years after.

What are you excited about?

I’m excited about Four Seasons because we have a new VP of wellness, Michael Newcombe. And also because post Covid, we see that wellness is so recognizable everywhere, like wellness at work. Everyone wants to start their fitness goals again. The development of wellness programs is to me quite important. I hope to see a new reality after Covid that some behaviors will change. I am really looking forward to see how the near future will translate wellness and how we will be the artisans of wellbeing and living well.

Spa Executive is published by Book4Time, the leader in guest management, revenue and mobile solutions for the most exclusive spas, hotels, and resorts around the globe. Learn more at book4time.com.

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Just steps away from the famous sights of London, the Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane is a sophisticated combination of award-winning design, luxury, and comfort.

Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane sits in London’s exclusive Mayfair Neighborhood, surrounded by the UK capital’s greenery and most coveted shopping streets. Just steps away from the famous sights of London, the hotel is a sophisticated combination of award-winning design, luxury, and comfort.

Both the art-deco hotel, which reopened in August, 2020, after an extensive renovation, and the spa at Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane have been awarded Five-Stars by Forbes Travel Guide (FTG). According to FTG, “Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane offers a glamorous setting and some of the city’s most polished service.”

Guest rooms offer sophisticated neutral palettes and updated technology, and many have private balconies overlooking Green Park, while the lobby features glittering chandeliers and a coral red piano. The posh tenth floor arrival lounge offers gorgeous views of Big Ben and the London Eye, showers (for those who arrive before check-in), and refreshments.

The hotel is renowned for excellent service, and the primary goal is to ensure the comfort of guests.

The Park Lane Spa

The rooftop Park Lane Spa is a place to leave the stress of daily life, and the bustle of the big city, behind. Bathed in natural light, with floor-to-ceiling windows, the spa is an escape where guests can renew themselves and leave feeling calm, balanced and refreshed.

The Spa has been using Book4Time software since 2018. It was implemented by Spa Director, Taffryn Ellis, to replace a legacy system that wasn’t meeting the spa’s needs and was slow and difficult to use. She said in a case study interview, “Even if they love being in the center of the action, our guests come here to step out of the fast lane, however briefly. That means we have a constant influx of people who we want to make as comfortable as possible as quickly as possible, so our staff needs to have a fast and easy system to enable that.”

Today, she says, “Book4Time is the foundation for most of what we do at the spa,” and is used for checking in and checking out guests, booking treatments, quickly determining occupancy rates at any given point in time, managing gift cards, verifying inventory, and more. Among the capabilities Ellis praises are Book4Time’s reports, customer support, and performance management capabilities.

She said, “One of the most exciting features is customer notes. It can be difficult to provide personal touches that make a guest feel special in such a fast-paced environment. Any staff member can leave notes in Book4Time, allowing therapists to create a more personalized experience for guests. For example, if someone prefers a particular scent or tea, we can note that preference and immediately offer what they like during their next visit. This attention goes a long way to making people comfortable, and no one has to remember a thing. Personalized attention goes a long way to making people comfortable in a busy environment.”

The Spa at Park Lane features nine treatment rooms, centralized wet areas, vitality pool, rain shower, herbal steam room, a sauna with a window overlooking the city, and a fireplace area.

Led by Ellis, The Spa at Park Lane will curate your wellness experience, taking you through the doors of their Five-Star Spa and continuing your health journey at home with a tailor-made lifestyle plan. Packages include personal virtual consultations and a new range of solution-driven treatments in collaboration with British brand The Organic Pharmacy. Each experience targets one of three key wellness elements: immunity, sleep and detox.

Stand out items on the incredible menu of massages, facial treatments, body treatments, and packages, include:

BLACK PEARL 24K GOLDEN SPLENDOUR

“The ultimate luxury experience for both the face and body. Following a full body exfoliation, you are cocooned in a 24 carat gold wrap, massaged with gold body oil, body butter, and given a pectin face mask. Within this treatment, rejuvenating minerals, hyaluronic acid, vitamins and 24 carat gold are utilized to minimize signs of aging for the face and body.”

SPA AND CHAMPAGNE AFTERNOON TEA

“Enjoy a welcome drink on arrival followed by a one-hour relaxation session as you flow between the vitality pool, salt-wall sauna, steam room and fireplace area, where you will be picked up by your spa therapist for an indulgent two-hour treatment with a personalized combination of facial, massage and exfoliation. Follow with Champagne Tea at Amaranto [the hotel restaurant].”

We’ve released a list of the spa & wellness trends we’ll be watching next year. Click here to download the Handbook: Seven wellness trends for 2022

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Pat Makozak, Spa Director at Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea says unscripted moments make the best guest experiences.

The Four Seasons Resort Wailea Maui is a world-renowned five-star luxury resort in the town of Wailea, known for exceptional service and guest experience – not to mention a gorgeous setting.

At Four Seasons Resort Wailea Maui visitors enjoy customized guest journeys in the most spacious accommodations on the island of Maui.

Since 2004, Pat Makozak, has been Senior Spa Director in a wellness space that is an integral part of that journey. Her expertise lies in creating magical experiences that exceed expectations and guide guests toward relief and comfort.

Interestingly, her career didn’t begin in hospitality but as an actress. During that time she discovered that the physicality of acting has the power to release deeply stored emotions and memories, as well as the revelations that accompany them – and this drove an interest in massage therapy.

We’ll let Ms. Makozak tell the rest. We spoke with her about guest experience, creativity, and what she loves about her job.

Can you talk about your career trajectory and how you came to be doing what you are today?

I studied Theatre at NYU, had some luck after graduating, then moved to LA to pursue film and television. But, by that time I was 30 and getting work was slim. I also began to want some items in my life, like furniture, and so started to look at other career options.

I had been fascinated by seeing the range of emotion that a human being could go through by simply performing the movement and vocalization exercises I experienced as part of my acting training. Witnessing a dearth of emotion trapped in the body that, if released, would result in one being emotionally and physically better off, led me to massage school.

After school I was fortunate to connect with a doctor in Beverly Hills who sent me his celebrity clientele to massage. I was managing residential real-estate as well at the time.

I heard that the spa director was leaving the Peninsula Hotel and I knew the General Manager there. I asked the GM to consider me. He was aware that I had a massage practice but did not realize all that I had to oversee in managing residential real estate.  I wanted to transition from performing wellness experiences to managing them for others, and he gave me a shot.

I didn’t understand how momentous it was for me to be given that kind of an opportunity. It was a five-star hotel, and a huge learning curve, but I absolutely loved it.

From there, I came to the Four Seasons Maui and have been here for 17 years.

What are some of the things your role entails?

As a regional director I oversee five properties in Hawaii and Bora Bora. I assist the spa directors, helping to drive business and make creative decisions.

I enjoy being able to guide other spa directors along their own journey, whether they’re new to the business or new to our company.

What’s an example of a creative decision in a spa?

One property I manage is in a very isolated small community. It’s a challenge to find employees and we were always trying to import people to work at the hotel and spa without a lot of success. So, we connected with a massage school here on Maui, and they very creatively found some space to set up a massage school at the property.

There’s not a lot of opportunity on that island except for the tourist industry and most of the young people were leaving. This gave those getting out of high school an opportunity to stay. It was a good idea but it took the right spa director to really commit to it and she was able to graduate 10 people in her first year of overseeing the program. At least seven of those ended up working as massage therapists in the spa.

Another example is, many years ago, we tried sending a massage therapist out to the pool to see how that would go. The area can get crowded and, once the guest gets the chair they want, they don’t want to move. We thought sending the therapist to the guests in their lounge chairs might have an appeal. And it certainly did. To this day we generally have three to four therapists on the pool deck adding an extra bit of relief and luxury. It’s an $800k a year revenue source for us with absolutely no overhead.

We also created enhancements to allow therapists to showcase the spa’s available products by including them in the treatments. Therapists are not necessarily natural salespeople, so this allowed them to incorporate product sales without having to be overly sales driven.

Can you talk more about guiding therapists who are not natural salespeople?

I think therapists look at this differently from estheticians. Estheticians are more sales oriented and want to sell the products. That’s not really the motivating factor for therapists. Therapists consider themselves healers and they’re not comfortable with sales. It took a lot of trial and error to understand how to best reach them and we are still refining this training.

Our vendors were generous to send us complimentary product and we had the leads do a demo of each one of the enhancements, then had the teams perform them on each other, so they could see how it feels. We coached them to choose the enhancements that they felt would really benefit the guests and introduce it that way.

In the beginning, they were adding about 20% enhancement sales to their treatment sales. Then we added the enhancement sales to our existing seniority point system that allows us to rank our booking order, and that became very important to them. They went from selling 20% to selling 40%. We have found that for the few who are natural sales people, are also the best trainers.  They speak the same language as the team and bring about the best results with their co-workers.  

What makes a great luxury guest experience?

The best experience is intuitive. It takes a certain kind of individual to be aware and present, to listen, and to understand what the guest needs before the guest even need knows they need it.

It’s a memorable surprise when you’re offered something or given the chance to experience something that is there just for you. It’s those unscripted moments when a guest sees that somebody has thoughtfully picked up on something they’ve said and created something just for them.

What are you excited about?

Even though this pandemic has been challenging in so many ways, it has added to the wellness focus in a huge way that I don’t think anybody could have ever anticipated. I’m very pleased about this larger sense of awareness to one’s own health.

We recently partnered with a revolutionary health optimization center called Next|Health to create a program of exclusive, tailor-made offerings for travellers seeking an upgraded spa experience. Guests now have access to amazing, cutting edge options like Next-Level NAD+ IV, customized IV therapy treatments, vitamin shots, and biomarker testing. They can give you all kinds of information about what’s going on with your health. They do stem cell therapy, ozone therapy, cryotherapy. It’s amazing that we found them. What they offer makes it possible for people to take our health back into our own hands.

What’s your favorite thing about your job?

It’s hard for me to narrow it down, but one of the things that brings me a lot of joy is seeing my staff, that may have had very little “wellness” exposure, begin to alter their lifestyles based on their experience of the spa environment.  That is very gratifying.

Is finding and retaining talent a challenge at your spa? Get insights from industry leaders, including Nigel Franklyn, Lynne McNees, Verena Lasvigne-Fox, and Daisy Tepper when you download our report: What will it take to fix the spa industry’s staffing shortage? .

Spa Executive is published by Book4Time, the leader in guest management, revenue and mobile solutions for the most exclusive spas, hotels, and resorts around the globe. Learn more at book4time.com.

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Located on the river banks is an all-new sanctuary of residences and a hotel. Check out the Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River.

Thailand’s Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River is an all-new sanctuary located in the heart of Bangkok’s Creative District, just 40 minutes from Suvarnabhumi International Airport, along the historic Charoenkrung Road. 

The site is a complex of buildings on 200 metres of open riverfront that includes a 299-room hotel and 366 Four Seasons Private Residences. These are connected by a series of indoor and outdoor spaces, eateries, and quiet courtyards, surrounded by lush, tropical greenery and the gentle sounds of water features. The complex also houses event spaces, an urban wellness centre, and a dedicated art space in partnership with MOCA Bangkok, running from the lobby to the river, showcasing contemporary Thai artists in changing exhibitions. Modern rooms and suites feature high ceilings, and floor-to-ceiling windows with garden or river views. 

“The much-anticipated return of Four Seasons to Thailand’s capital is nothing short of spectacular,” says Christian Clerc, Four Seasons President, Global Operations, in a statement. “Guests will be in awe of the exquisite design, the world-class restaurant and bar options, and a state-of-the-art wellness centre. As always, the unparalleled, intuitive service from Four Seasons people will be at the centre of it all.”

General Manager Lubosh Barta, said: “Like the city of Bangkok, our new Four Seasons is full of surprises, whether it’s the breath-taking river views, the rich design details, the perfect cocktail or a striking piece of art.  We look forward to offering personalised experiences in an environment of safety and trust as we embrace Four Seasons enhanced global health and safety program, Lead With Care, with uncompromising Four Seasons service in a truly spectacular setting.”

The Urban Wellness Centre at the Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River

The Urban Wellness Centre at Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok is like no other. Spread over more than 2,500 square metres, the Centre is conceived along three streams of wellness, two floors of innovation and one holistic haven.

“Every aspect of the spa places equal emphasis on the ideas of Mind (spirituality), Body (spa), and Work (fitness),” Senior Director of Spa, Sandie Johannessen, said.  “With the Palm Courtyard at its centre, it’s a true oasis of wellbeing in the heart of one of the world’s busiest cities, where each guest will find peace, relaxation, renewal and even a bit of indulgence with the skilled guidance of our caring therapists and wellness experts.”

Featuring eight treatment rooms and a luxurious spa suite with its own private bath and indoor garden, the spa also includes a large consultation area with relaxation lounges and a retail store.  A state-of-the-art gym, a dedicated mind and body studio with regular open and private classes, and a 30 metre lap pool make up the fitness area. Hair and nail salons and a barber shop offer additional services.

Science meets natural wellness

Treatments include a wide variety of massages that draw from Thai and Western traditions, wraps and scrubs to soften, hydrate and invigorate, and facials in collaboration with Hungarian premium skincare brand Omorovicza. 

The Transcendent Bamboo Massage, for example, employs a combination of deep-tissue work, long flowing strokes, and therapeutic bamboo sticks to create a powerful massage to release tension, soothe the senses, and promote deep relaxation. And the BellaBaci Cupping Massage is a tailor-made experience focused on evening skin tones and reducing cellulite, wrinkles and dimples to give skin a healthy glow.

More features include an Advanced Beauty Room, where science meets natural wellness to offer a range of technologically advanced slimming and anti-ageing treatments for men and women. And a Bath Butler will concoct and pour the perfect, tailored bath, in which guests are invited to  choose from a menu of ingredients designed to create a soothing, relaxing and therapeutic soak.

It’s time to look into our crystal balls and predict the future for the year ahead. Subscribe to our newsletter and download our special report on the trends we’ll be watching: Nine spa and wellness trends for 2021. Download here.

Spa Executive is published by Book4Time, the leader in guest management, revenue and mobile solutions for the most exclusive spas, hotels, and resorts around the globe. Learn more at book4time.com.

The post Featured property: Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River appeared first on Spa Executive.

We spoke with Verena Lasvigne-Fox about how the Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center recently earned 5 Stars from Forbes Travel Guide.

The Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center opened in August of 2019, and both the spa and hotel have already been awarded Five Star Ratings from Forbes Travel Guide.

No small feat, the accomplishment makes the Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center the first hotel to achieve this rating in the City of Brotherly Love. Heading up onsite spa operations is Verena Lasvigne-Fox. Originally from Germany, Ms. Lasvigne is an experienced professional who has worked with Four Seasons in various capacities in different locations. She was named the company’s Senior Spa Director in 2019 and oversees spas in hotels across Europe and Middle East.

To celebrate this achievement, we spoke with Verena Lasvigne-Fox about how her team earned a Five-Star rating, what makes an excellent guest experience, and what trends she’s excited about right now.

Talk to us a little about your career trajectory and how you came to be doing what you are today.

Since childhood, don’t ask me why, I have been fascinated by hotels. When I was 16, I did a 10- day practical training at a hotel in the countryside, where I grew up in Germany. On the first day, the hotel manager sat me down and said, “This week we’re going to change your career dreams. It’s a very tough industry. Enjoy your week, but I’m sure at the end of the week, you won’t want to do this anymore.” And at the end that training I wanted more than ever to start working in hotels when I finished school.

After high school I had an apprenticeship at the Atlantic Kempinksi Hotel in Hamburg, and then I worked as a receptionist at the Four Seasons George V, Paris. I was there for 11 years, eventually becoming the spa manager, though I had very little knowledge about spa at the time, had literally had two massages in my life, and had no clue what I was doing. But I got more excited about it every single day. The different vendors and team members helped me to ease in, and I succeeded. After seven years in the spa at the George V, my journey took me to Marrakesh Bay for two years and then to the Seychelles for two years. I have been in Philadelphia for three years now. The hotel only opened last August, so I had almost 20 months of pre-opening, which is a gift. I think the benefit of having been here so early helped me to invest time and create a concept that I would not have otherwise.

How did you achieve a five-star rating in the first year of opening?

It’s about the team. I’m honored to work with great professionals that understand what we’re doing here. Going through the greatest school, which was the George V in Paris, allowed me to develop a vision for a level of guest experience that is, by coincidence, at the Forbes Five Star level. We were not trying for it and I think this is a very important point. We just have a natural belief in what we want to achieve and what we want to provide as a guest experience to our guests, and it’s a validation of that.

Also, at Four Seasons, the employee experience is as important as the guest experience. I say I’m very honored to work for such a team, but I’m tailoring a team that then is able to provide what is needed to be able to obtain such a recognition as Forbes Five Star.

Another area that I feel played a role was our onsite reservations team. It’s a generic reservations team for hotel, food and beverage, and spa reservations. I was nervous about that because they’re not physically on the floor with us and they don’t see what happens here. So, in the initial training, it was key that this team had the same exposure to what we’re doing here as my team. I consider them part of this journey and the guest experience, so the reservations team have had spa product and treatment training and they get regular feedback and updates about what’s happening in the spa. I’m very proud of how they contributed to this.

What makes an excellent guest experience?

Detail and consistency. For me, it was important that we distinguish our spa and give it a concept, an identity and a soul. This is less common in the US and is something I brought with me from other parts of the world. Our spa is a crystal concept. This theme made sense to me because we are in the Comcast Technology Center, which is one of the tallest buildings in the United States and a technology building, and there is a relationship between technology and crystals. I didn’t want to do something gimmicky, but something sincere and authentic, and this came together and made sense.

We have seven treatment rooms named after seven crystals, which are also connected to seven chakras. Each room has a singing bowl infused with the crystals associated with that room, and there are 700 lbs of crystals that you can’t see, walled up inside the walls, providing positive vibes and energies. There are crystals throughout the spa and we work with crystal infused oils. We don’t have a typical hot stone massage. We have a crystal massage, and at the end of the treatment, the guests get a crystal to take home. These are the little touches. With the pandemic, however, we have had to make changes because crystals are difficult to disinfect, and I don’t take risks.

What does it take to be a successful leader in spa and wellness right now?

It’s critical, especially in the midst of a pandemic, to lead by example. This is important at any moment if you want to be a great leader, but even more so today. It’s important to listen to your team. Times are extremely tough for them right now. Spa therapists usually asked for a lot of attention, but there’s even more of this these days. They need to feel love, and that there is someone who understands them and can listen to them. We need to communicate effectively. My door is always open if somebody has a problem, and if there are challenges, we fix them and we find solutions. My team knows that I’m very much about celebration and very much about sharing positivity around us. They know that we are better off when we are focused on the positive things in life, and I tried to continue doing that during the pandemic, when things were uncertain. I think a great leader is also someone who has a vision and who actively looks for ways to differentiate ourselves from the competition. I feel very honored to be able to serve a team, and I think this is how they feel about me as well, that I’m there for them and that I inspire and motivate them on a daily basis and help them to grow.

Are there any trends or developments you’re excited about right now?

There’s a trend of combining spa with technology. We work with Celluma, which is an LED light therapy. Or we can use a massage gun if someone needs a deeper technique. But, human touch is still what people want to experience when they come to a spa. I have always stayed away from offering fully hands-off or totally machine operated treatments, because I feel that guests are still coming for that human touch, and I’m a big believer that technology will never replace the human touch.

I think spa has a chance, especially in this post pandemic world, to go further into the holistic field, and that the US is moving in that direction. People have just suffered so much emotionally over the last months, and we have this chance to provide moments of serenity and tranquility for guests, when they don’t need to worry for 60 or 90 minutes and focus on themselves again, and to find some inner peace. For me, that’s where my focus is, on being there for the guests.

Spa Executive is published by Book4Time, the leader in guest management, revenue and mobile solutions for the most exclusive spas, hotels, and resorts around the globe. Learn more at book4time.com

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Sandie Johannessen, Senior Director of Spa, Asia Pacific, for Four Seasons Hotels and Residences, talks with Spa Executive about the present and future of spa and wellness.

Sandie Johannessen is the Senior Director of Spa, Asia Pacific, for Four Seasons Hotels and Residences.

A passionate advocate of multi-dimensional wellness, Ms. Johannessen’s 25-year quest for “pure experiences and forward-thinking techniques” has taken her around the world, from the UK and Scandinavia, to India, Maldives, Malaysia and Seychelles, where she served as Four Season’s Senior Director, while also overseeing several spas in the Middle East and Africa. Born in Copenhagen, Denmark, Ms. Johannessen achieved a Bachelor in Yogic Science at Bangalore University, and studied to be a Dietary Analyst and Educator in Middlesex, UK.  She has regional oversight of 15 Four Seasons properties across Asia Pacific, including properties in Hong Kong, Singapore, India, Korea, and mainland China. She is also currently pre-opening the Four Seasons Hotel & Residences Bangkok at Chao Phraya River.

Her role includes the responsibilities of ensuring exceptional guest experiences at all times and being the face of an ultra-modern luxury spa and wellness center. Among other things, she also oversees Four Seasons’ online teaching and supports the company’s Global Spa MIT (Spa Manager in Training) program.

We caught up with Sandie Johannessen to talk about the present and future of spa and wellness, challenges the industry is facing, and the industry trends and developments she is excited about.

What has your experience been like in the past few weeks and months as we are coming out of the COVID-19 lockdown? What has changed and what has stayed the same?

Cleanliness and hygiene are now a non-negotiable core of how we operate. We already have very strict protocols, but visible and documented operating protocols are now highly recommended. It has also become important that we use the correct terminology in our communication with our guests, when it comes to hygiene, so they understand what we are doing. There’s a lot of training from hygiene managers who come in and train the staff, so that we are reassuring the guests that they’re in good hands with us. What has stayed the same is the commitment to the wellness experience to our respective guests.

What challenges are you facing and how are you dealing with them?

Rebuilding business in our spas through our new behaviors and values is critical. Spa and Fitness Center hours of operation are continuously reviewed and modified based on demand. Spa products are being re-engineered, and opportunities for menu alterations are being considered, keeping low-touch treatments in mind.

How are you maintaining the guest experience within the new parameters set for the industry?

Four Seasons has developed Lead With Care, our enhanced global health and safety program focused on providing care, confidence, trust and comfort to all guests, employees and residents within the new COVID-19 environment. Four Seasons’ singular goal is to provide guests, residents and employees with the confidence and assurance that their health and safety is our first priority. We are incredibly proud to work alongside international experts to inform our health and safety decisions as we focus on strengthening our already stringent health and safety measures through our new Lead With Care program.

Do you think technology will play a larger role in the future of spa and wellness now that things are changing, and if so, what do you think that role will be?

We are currently working on an approved list of virtual/low-touch treatments for all of our spas. This will include bio meditation, chakra balancing, reiki, and treatments with the Hyperice Percussion Massage Tool. In addition, we are considering electronic magazine recommendations on a menu in the seating area, which guests will access via their own personal devices.

We may see more use of salt meditation pods, sound and light therapy, no-touch massage chairs, and beds. We’re looking at partnering with virtual group programs delivering educational wellness online. These classes can be supplemented with in-room delivery of things like resistance bands, essential oils, and crystal sets that are sanitized after each use. So, guests don’t physically have to come down into the gym if they’re uncomfortable.

What will you miss in the foreseeable future?

We will miss the spontaneity and the human element of large gatherings, like local and global spa conventions and big conferences. We would invite lecturers and host a big event, and all the directors from each property would fly in. We have nothing like that planned in the near future. We’ll see what happens over the next couple of years.

Four Seasons is an iconic brand. Why do you think that is?

We offer outstanding luxurious experiences, and what we do we do very well. Any person who works for or with Four Seasons, and any guest who visits, would agree that Four Seasons Hotels are beautiful spaces where service standards are of the highest order and where staff provide warm, professional, competent hospitality, while invariably appearing happy in their work. In all Four Seasons properties, our number one asset is our people. We have some of the best body workers and aesthetic technicians giving the most advanced treatments in the most modern and luxurious environment, making us the number one choice for discerning luxury spa guests now and for the foreseeable future.

What makes an excellent and exceptional guest experience?

Most Four Seasons Spas offer a range of innovation for the mind, beauty and fitness.  With this as our focus, we invite guests to embark on a unique journey of self-discovery, personal growth and self-awareness — whether the individual is at a beginner, intermediate or advanced level. This brings positivity and new energy into each client’s life, and introduces them to a new, better way of living.

Are there any trends that you are excited about in spa and wellness?

Education. I enjoy engaging graduates; getting them enthused and committed to their wellness careers as a vocation and lifestyle, not just a job. At present many industry employees are focused on providing money for their families, which, while noble, can be a restrictive mind-set mindset if they don’t go and explore and discover and make it a lifestyle and a passion. If we can enthuse, excite and support our juniors more, then they will become better supervisors, managers and assets, and more loyal to the company, while also progressing their own careers more; a win-win.

Spa Executive is published by Book4Time, the leader in guest management, revenue and mobile solutions for the most exclusive spas, hotels, and resorts around the globe. Learn more at book4time.com

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