spa industry

Global Spa Summit Gaining Momentum…Kempinski President and CEO to Keynote Susie Ellis, SpaFinder Insider This time of year I spend a great deal of my days working on details for the upcoming Global Spa Summit (GSS). I consider it a privilege to do so – and have to admit I really enjoy it. This year’s […]

“In Tough Times, Spas Stress Stress” was the Headline in NY Times Travel Piece this Weekend Susie Ellis, SpaFinder Insider My hat goes off to Michelle Higgins who wrote this article. I have noticed over many years of reading her writings that she really understands spas – and she understands people – therefore her articles […]

India Spa Millionaire by Susie Ellis, SpaFinder Insider As you probably know each year SpaFinder announces the top ten spa trends we are seeing for the spa industry in general. In addition, sometimes we take a closer look at one particular country. Last year we looked at Japan, this year it is India. With a […]

Last Sunday Peter and I had a chance to experience the Acqualina Resort and ESPA in Florida near Miami. Their spa manager, Kate Brown, had been voted as a top-10 favorite spa manager in the 2008 SpaFinder Readers’ Choice Awards. One of their therapists, Randy Felstead, had been honored as a top-10 favorite spa therapist. […]

The Unlikely Pairing of Maureen Dowd and Spas (Canyon Ranch Miami in this case)By Susie Ellis, SpaFinder Insider I have been asked by quite a few people what I thought of the recent (and lengthy) New York Times article on the new Canyon Ranch in Miami. Thumbs up or thumbs down? Here goes. I was […]

Bar Scene Spa SceneSusie Ellis, SpaFinder InsiderPeter just reminded me this morning (after having read the blog I posted yesterday about visiting Spa Castle) that Ian Schrager had mentioned this social spa-ing concept in his talk at the Global Spa Summit 2008. Ian did in fact talk about how our industry needed to think more […]

Spa Funhouse Susie Ellis, SpaFinder Insider You could call it a large Korean spa, a water park, a theme park, a European bathing facility, an Asian sauna circuit, spa Disneyland or (my favorite) a spa funhouse. I am talking about Spa Castle in Queens, New York. It’s nice for a change when Peter talks me […]

As I mentioned in my last blog, I visited the new Sense, a Rosewood Spa at the Carlyle for a spa treatment (90-minutes, $280) last Friday. While I was there to learn more about the brand and this spa in particular, I couldn’t help but notice that the spa appeared to be quite busy. Later […]

Not Your Ordinary Manicure, Pedicure and Massage, Rather this Spa is a Jewel Box. Susie Ellis, SpaFinder Insider Last Friday I had a chance to visit my first Sense Spa. Rosewood introduced this brand quite recently – I believe within the past year or two. Three months ago the Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel opened Sense, […]

Spa Trends 2008 – Report Card Susie Ellis, SpaFinder Insider Before we take a closer look at spa trends we are predicting for 2009, I thought it might be fun to go back and look at the ones we predicted for 2008 and see how well we did. I think we were “right on” with […]

Spa Aside – It is Christmas Susie Ellis, SpaFinder Insider Email holiday greetings – like you, I receive more and more of them each year. I don’t know yet how I feel about them. On the one hand, it is nice to hear from people. On the other hand, knowing that I am part of […]

2009 Spa Trends Continued… Susie Ellis, SpaFinder Insider My last post was the list of SpaFinder’s Top Ten Spa Trends for 2009. Most people (except Peter who has to put up with my endless musings and Betsy and Beth at RBI who help me edit the report) don’t realize how long it takes me to […]

Top Spa Trends for 2009 by Susie Ellis, SpaFinder Insider Each year SpaFinder announces the top spa trends that will likely make headlines and have people talking in the upcoming year. The information that follows is a result of a great deal of study and research. Simply click on each trend introduced below to learn […]

Spas = Stress ReductionSusie Ellis, SpaFinder Insider How I wish that more people would see the connection between spas and stress reduction. Hopefully, as an industry, we can help more people make this connection. Clearly, this is “our moment.” Stress is at an all-time high. Spas reduce stress. Most people who have been to a […]

Spa Industry Resiliency…let’s continue the conversation Susie Ellis, SpaFinder Insider Since my previous post, How Resilient is the Spa Industry?, I have heard from various people in the spa arena. Some agree, and some disagree, with my somewhat optimistic analysis. Since our economic climate continues to be volatile – with some areas being affected more […]

It’s been a few weeks since I attended the ISPA (International Spa Association) conference in Las Vegas. I have had some time to reflect on the days I spent there, visiting the expo exhibits, attending sessions, and catching up with many industry colleagues (which is the best part). I always learn things at ISPA and […]

SpaFinder Lifestyle Online Magazine Debuts By Susie Ellis, SpaFinder Insider A few weeks ago, on November 6th, our new SpaFinder Lifestyle online magazine launched. Several days later I attended the ISPA conference in Las Vegas. I can’t tell you how many people remarked to me that they had seen it, read it, and liked it! […]

Spa Talk: Please Don’t Call Me a Masseuse or Masseur Susie Ellis, SpaFinder Insider The term “masseuse” and “masseur” are like fingernails on a chalkboard to me. Every time I hear someone use them, I cringe. That’s because I know that practitioners of massage much prefer the terms “massage therapist” or “licensed massage therapist.” I […]

Transformational Spas and Transformational Momentsby Susie Ellis, SpaFinder InsiderHere is a question I am asked now and then. “What is the difference between a good spa experience and a great spa experience?” I always answer the same way saying that, to me, a great spa experience is one that is transformational. Transformational spa experiences are […]

Anni Hood, group spa director and creator of Talise, the Jumeirah spa brand, flew in from Dubai to run this race – her first marathon. A friend of hers, Maria Keeley from London, joined her. Both had begun training about nine months ago for the 26.2 mile race, which begins on Staten Island and winds […]