Articles by Susie Ellis

What Makes a Spa Soulful? Contemplating this at a Soulful Spa in Thailand is a Good Way to Find Out. by Susie Ellis Am in Thailand at the Six Senses Hideaway Yao Noi while at the same time continuing my work regarding preparations for the Global Spa Summit 2008. Interesting how the two intersect. Am […]

The SpaFinder Biggest Loser Contest began in January and ended with our “grand finale” yesterday! We got down to our final 4, pictured here from left to right: Lisa (Accounting), Dan (SpaBooker), Sarah (Publishing), Nikki (Accounting) and each stepped on the scale for the final time at 5:00 p.m. Our winner was Sarah Day – […]

Spa Related Highlights from a Hospitality Forum: Through my Spa Eyes by Susie Ellis A few things got my attention at yesterday’s 2008 Leadership in Hospitality & Leisure Executive Forum (an Argyle Executive Forum) which was held here in New York. Some of us “spa-types” were in attendance – Judy Singer, Patti Monteson, and Jeff […]

Sad news. Canyon Ranch Living Chicago, which was in the design and pre-sale phase, has been cancelled. This article, “End of the Trail”, gives some of the details. From the few mentions I could find on the web, it appears that there were insufficient sales of condos and that it fell victim to the current […]

Spas and Sleep Health: A Sizzling Hot Topic in Spas and Beyondby Susie EllisYou know that something is a “hot” topic when it comes to you from many different angles at around the same time. Here are three things that came across my desk in the past 48 hours: 1. “Great Reads: Nonfiction,” People Magazine, […]

Spa Management Students at the Global Spa Summit – Spa Intensive versus Spa 101 by Susie Ellis Of all the exciting things I get to work on in preparation for the Global Spa Summit (sometimes I refer to it as Spa Davos – à la World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland) one of my favorites […]

Spa Lockers are Not Safe for Major Valuablesby Susie Ellis My neighbor’s valuable Cartier watch was stolen from his spa locker at the Wynn in Las Vegas a few weeks ago. He had changed into his spa robe, put his clothes and watch in the locker, and then punched in his “secret” four digit code […]

Spa Services and the Spa World Through a Teenager’s Eyesby Susie Ellis Well, I’m really convinced now. If I ever doubted that the younger generation is embracing spa-going enthusiastically (but in a different way than baby boomers), I need only remember yesterday – the day I spent with my niece (16-years-old) and her girlfriend. Niece […]

Sleep Health at Vacation Spas May be more Important than Massages, Facials, Manicures/Pedicures, Diet, or even Exercise! by Susie Ellis The importance of sleep is something that has been on our SpaFinder top 10 spa trends list for the past two years. In 2007 the focus was on adding sleep health to diet and exercise […]

Just reviewed some literature about the upcoming Turning Point Spa Seminar in Thailand which looks like it is shaping up nicely. Turning Point is a conference that is held in Asia (last year it was in Shanghai) every year which either Peter or I have attended for the past four years. Unfortunately, neither of us […]

Daytona Bike Weekend Photos by Susie Ellis As promised here are the photos from our weekend in Daytona during their big bike rally. A couple of things I learned: 1.When you are working long hours and going to bed late, etc. there is nothing like a total change of scenery and schedule to revive you. […]

After a weekend in Daytona at “Bike Week,” (my contribution to our marriage) am back at my desk. As soon as Peter sends me some photos of us on his Boss Hoss motorcycle I will post them. It did actually turn out to be a lot of fun. In the meantime an article in Hospitality […]

In the Club Spa e-newsletter, which goes out twice a month, I get to answer one of the many spa questions our readers send in. Here is the Q & A from this week. Am sharing it because I have received an avalanche of response and follow-up questions. Detox is a hot topic! Thought I […]

Spa Veteran, Thad Hyland from Ojai Valley Inn Resort & Spa, heads east to open new Spa at Kelley House Martha’s Vineyard by Susie Ellis Just learned that Thad Hyland, Managing Director of the Ojai Valley Inn Resort and Spa – and one of the spa industry’s “stars” – is leaving Ojai. After 12 years […]

New York Times Travel Show Always Makes Me Want to Go To A Spa (Now!) by Susie Ellis Just returned from the New York Times Travel Show at the Javits Center. Good Day New York, Fox 5 did some interviews to show viewers what they can expect at the show. Since SpaFinder is hosting the […]

LA Spa Conference: A Medical Spa Insight, Touching Remarks from “The Godmother of the Spa Industry” and Excitement about Spa Bookerby Susie Ellis Just returned from the Los Angeles Spa & Resort (and Medical Aesthetics) Expo & Conference. Highlights included hearing John Buckingham, the Founder and President of Solana MedSpas speak on “The Evolution & […]

Spa & Resort Expo & Conference LA: Keeping Up With Spa Trendsby Susie Ellis The Spa & Resort Expo & Conference and the Medical Aesthetics Conference is happening tomorrow, February 23-25 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. I will be driving in from Palm Springs and attending all three days, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. One […]

Spa Highs and Spa Lows for the New Desert Springs JW Marriott Resort & Spa by Susie Ellis I visited the renovated Desert Springs JW Marriott Resort & Spa in Palm Desert a few days ago. I remember when it was built (20 years ago I believe) – it was really quite a sensation. There […]

What great timing! I am in the middle of a book by Douglas Peter Mackaman called, Leisure Settings, Bourgeois Culture, Medicine, and the Spa in Modern France where I just finished reading the chapter on Vichy and Aix-les-Bains. These were two of the largest and most important spas in France during the 19th century. The […]

Since I receive quite a few Ask Susie questions from Club Spa and the Ask Susie column in Luxury SpaFinder Magazine – and can only answer a few each month – I thought I would answer some in my blog. Here are two questions which represent a subject I get asked about quite often: QUESTIONThe […]