Articles by Susie Ellis

As I was talking with some friends the other day about our upcoming NewBeauty SpaFinder: The Guide to Global Spa, Wellness & Beauty, a thought occurred to me. In the midst of all the excitement and work we’ve been doing, we hadn’t really taken the time to share the story of how the partnership between […]

Spa Consumers in Pain? A session at the 2010 Global Spa Summit that got very high ratings was the Coyle Hospitality Report on Spa Consumers. Coyle has been in business 15 years and is well known for its mystery shopping services, having 6,000 “evaluaters” all over the world. Not only did Stephanie Perrone Goldstein do […]

Question:

My wife and I are looking for a spa in the southeastern U.S. similar to Rancho La Puerta for fitness, spa activities, and wellness.”

Euromonitor is a world renowned provider of business intelligence on industries, countries and consumers.  They prepared a report for the 2010 Global Spa Summit that included some very valuable statistics and observations that would (or should) be of interest to the spa industry.  Here is one slide I thought was interesting…kind of a good news […]

Question: Which spas in the United States do you consider the best for holistic treatments, such as Acupuncture, Reiki, Reflexology, etc? “ -GA Answer: Dear GA These days, many people are looking for the very things you mentioned and I can understand that you would want to look for a place with a good reputation and […]

The Spa Brandwagon What a stark difference I noticed between two spas I visited recently. Before I tell you which two they were, here is some of what I experienced: Spa #1: Peter and I walk up to the front desk in a lovely reception area that had amazing views. There were four women working behind the […]

Taking a day away from home or work to visit a spa is a great way to escape your stresses, but sometimes you need immediate relief…after hours. At-home spa treatments are great practices to unwind and give yourself (or a friend) some much needed pampering while saving time and money. An important element of all spa treatments is the ritual…in this case, soaking, relaxing, and making time just for you.

Some of you may know that I have an “Ask Susie” column where consumers and spa professionals ask spa-related questions that I try to answer as best I can (or I tap into my vast database of very smart spa-people to ask for their help). Here is a question I received the other day that […]

Susie Ellis answers questions on age limits on spa treatments.

I received a link to the commencement speech given  to the graduating class at Stanford’s School of Medicine last week.  The link was sent to me by Dr. Ken Pelletier, one of the popular keynote speakers at this year’s Global Spa Summit in Istanbul, who “gets it” about the value of spas to medicine.  The graduation remarks were […]

One of the goals of this year’s Global Spa Summit (GSS) , held in Istanbul, Turkey in May, was to look beyond our industry for fresh ideas and inspiration.  So early on, the board of the GSS decided to invite a futurist. Edie Weiner immediately came to mind.  She is a prominent futurist known for “saying […]

SpaFinder’s own spa connoisseur Susie Ellis recently trekked down to the financial district of Manhattan to visit The Setai Spa Wall Street, a hip and sophisticated complex that’s making its mark on the New York spa scene. On-site bonuses at the new Setai Club include an award-winning restaurant, fitness center, and sleek design, and, with its inviting atmosphere, this spa’s stock is definitely up.

I love the challenge of helping people find a place that meets all of their unique requests. It gives me a chance to use the neat filter feature on the SpaFinder website. I know I may a bit unusual in that I find filtering fun – it kind of reminds me of a slot machine where things are whirling and then all of a sudden it stops – and you have your answer.

Question:

Dear Susie,

I have heard a lot about Oxygen Facials. Do you know where the best place to get one would be? I would like the one Madonna gets.

Dear Susie,

I lost my only child, my 6-year old son to a few weeks ago after he bravely fought an intensely aggressive 21-months battle. I am emotionally, physically and mentally drained out and exhausted. Also, it still feels unreal. I am looking for a 5-7 days retreat to heal my mind, body and spirit. A retreat where I can connect to my soul, the earth and help focus on rebuilding my energies and my life. Activities I am looking for are: yoga, meditation, holistic discourses, healthy meals, Ayurveda, massages, walks, spiritual awakening, all scheduled by the retreat so I have a daily itinerary to follow.

I was in Bangkok a few weeks ago (when the Red Shirts who were demonstrating still looked more like a Sunday parade) attending the Asia Pacific Spa and Wellness Coalition (APSWC).  Since I usually take pretty comprehensive notes at conferences (keeps me awake and alert), I have selected some points I found particularly interesting, surprising, […]

Question: My mind swirls with thoughts when I get on the massage table and it is hard to relax.  Any ideas? – SR Answer: Dear SR, You are not alone – it is very common for us to have our minds darting to and fro, buzzing with thoughts, when we first get to a spa […]

Just returned from a spa trip to Asia.  First stop – Tokyo for a SpaFinder Japan press conference.  Yoriko Soma, our partner in Japan, hosted a lovely event honoring recipients of the Crystal Awards for top spas in Japan. Consumers voted these the top 10: 1. The Peninsula Spa by ESPA Tokyo 2. The Ritz […]

The Setai Spa Wall Street If I lived in the financial district of Manhattan near Wall Street (and especially if I was a regular recipient of those Wall Street bonuses), I would love being a member of the new Setai Club .  With an award winning restaurant, access to their cool new Setai gym and Setai spa, and great aesthetics all the […]

I have come to peace with the word “pampering.” To understand why this is important to me, I’ll start with the fact that the word pampering and I have been in a wrestling match for about 10 years. It started as a result of hearing my friend and colleague Bernie Burt, author of Fodor’s Healthy […]