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.

The post Carlos Calvo Rodriguez of Four Seasons Toronto on staff training & habits of effective leaders in spa & wellness appeared first on Spa Executive.

The 2020 Forbes Travel Guide winners have been announced and there are 24 new Five-Star spas on the list and 22 new Four-Star spas.

Forbes Travel Guide has released the names of its 2020 Star Award winners. Now in its 62nd year, the Forbes Travel Guide list honors the world’s most luxurious hotels, restaurants and spas for offering exceptional service and guest experience.

The awards celebrate 1,898 Star-Rated properties in 73 countries, and this year a record-breaking 107 new Five-Star honorees appear on the new list. This is the result of an “ambitious expansion,” in which Forbes includes properties in sixteen countries on the list for the first time. The new awards add 70 Five-Star, 120 Four-Star and 81 Recommended hotels to the annual winners list. There are also 13 new Five-Star restaurants, eight new Four-Star and two new Recommended winners. Twenty four new Five-Star and 22 new Four-Star spas make the list. 

Destinations appearing for the first time on the Forbes list

Destinations with first-time Five-Star accolades include Bora Bora (The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort); Cambodia (Amansara and Belmond La Residence d’Angkor); Cape Town (Delaire Graff Lodge and One&Only Cape Town) and Johannesburg, South Africa (Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff, Johannesburg, and Saxon Hotel, Villas and Spa); the Cayman Islands (The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman); Doha (Mandarin Oriental, Doha); Fiji (Dolphin Island); Ireland (Ashford Castle); Mauritius (Four Seasons Resort Mauritius at Anahita, One&Only Le Saint Géran and The Oberoi Beach Resort, Mauritius); Monte Carlo (Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo); Moscow (Four Seasons Hotel Moscow) and St. Petersburg, Russia (Lotte Hotel St. Petersburg); Prague (Four Seasons Hotel Prague); the Seychelles (Fregate Island Private); and Tahiti (The Brando).

Four Seasons adds 11 new Five-Star hotel awards

Four Seasons remains the brand with the most Five-Star hotels and adds 11 new Five-Star hotel awards to its collection. 

According to the Forbes website, hotels are rated on up to 900 standards, including “whether a staff member greets them curbside within 30 seconds of arrival, whether clothing left around a room is folded neatly or draped and placed within immediate view after turndown service, and whether the staff uniforms demonstrate exceptional design.” Ratings are decided by incognito inspectors who check into a hotel for a minimum of two nights, posing as ordinary guests. 

See the full list of hotels here. 

24 new Five-Star spas and 24 new Four-Star spas

What of the spas? This year, 24 spas made the Five-Star list for the first time. 

Macau boasts the most new Five-Star spas, with five, including Morpheus Spa; The Spa at Four Seasons Hotel Macao, Cotai Strip; The Spa at Grand Lisboa; and Tria spas in MGM Cotai and MGM Macau. And Los Cabos has three new Five-Star properties: One&Only Spa at Palmilla, Waldorf Astoria Spa Los Cabos, and Spa Montage Los Cabos.

Arizona has three new Five-Star names, including Phoenix’s Aji Spa, The Spa at The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain, and Scottsdale’s The Phoenician Spa.

Forbes Travel Guide’s new Star Award winners

New Five-Star Spa winners

Aji Spa, Phoenix, AZ, United States 

Akasha Holistic Wellbeing Centre, Paris, France

The Grand Spa at The Grand America Hotel , Salt Lake City, UT, United States

Morpheus Spa , Macau, China

Nüwa Spa Manila, Manila, Philippines

One&Only Spa at Palmilla, Los Cabos, Mexico

The Phoenician Spa, Scottsdale, AZ, United States 

SE Spa at Grand Velas Riviera Maya, Riviera Maya, Mexico

Sense, A Rosewood Spa at Miramar Beach, Santa Barbara, CA, United States 

The Spa at Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club, Miami, FL, United States

The Spa at Four Seasons Hotel Macao, Cotai Strip, Macau, China

The Spa at Four Seasons Hotel Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada 

The Spa at Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown, New York City, NY, United States 

The Spa at Grand Lisboa, Macau, China

The Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

The Spa at The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain, Tucson, AZ, United States

The Spa by Ivanka Trump, Vancouver, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Spa Mont Blanc, Geneva, Switzerland

Spa Montage Kapalua Bay, Maui, HI, United States

Spa Montage Los Cabos, Los Cabos , Mexico

Tria Spa at MGM Cotai, Macau, China

Tria Spa at MGM Macau, Macau, China

The Umstead Spa, Raleigh-Durham, NC, United States

Waldorf Astoria Spa Los Cabos, Los Cabos, Mexico

New Four-Star Spa winners

The St. Regis Athletic Club & Spa, Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

The Spa of Colonial Williamsburg, Williamsburg, VA, United States 

The Spa by Ivanka Trump at Trump International Hotel Washington, D.C., Washington, D.C. United States 

The Spa at Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, Bahrain, Bahrain

The Spa at Edgewood Tahoe, Tahoe and Yosemite, NV, United States 

The Spa at Conrad Fort Lauderdale Beach, Fort Lauderdale, FL, United States 

The Spa at Chatham Bars Inn, Cape Cod, MA, United States

The Spa at Bernardus Lodge, Monterey, Carmel and Big Sur, CA, United States

Six Senses Spa Zil Pasyon, Seychelles, Seychelles

Six Senses Spa at Krabey Island, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Sense, A Rosewood Spa at San Miguel de Allende, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

The Ritz-Carlton Spa, Denver, Denver, CO, United States 

The Retreat Spa at Okada Manila, Manila, Philippines

The Pearl Spa at Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Athenee Spa, Bangkok, Thailand

Le Spa at Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris, Paris, France

Evian Spa at Palace Hotel Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

Crown Spa Perth, Perth, Australia

CHI, The Spa at Shangri-La Hotel, Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

CHI, The Spa at Shangri-La Hotel, Paris, Paris, France

The Bulgari Spa Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Bliss Spa at W Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

Related:

How to get a Forbes Five-Star Rating for your spa

Check out the spa & wellness trends we’re keeping our eye on in 2020. Sign up for Spa Executive’s newsletter and download the free report! CLICK HERE >>

Spa Executive magazine is published by Book4Time, the world’s most innovative spa, salon, wellness, and activity management software. Learn more at Book4Time.com.

The post 24 new Five-Star spas on Forbes 2020 Star Rating Awards – who made it? appeared first on Spa Executive.