We talk a lot about spa design.
We talk about architecture, materials, treatment menus, thermal experiences and the latest wellness trends. We discuss what a spa should look like and what experiences it should offer.
But we do not always talk enough about what happens when the guests arrive.
That is where operations comes in.
A spa can have exceptional design and the finest equipment in the world, but if the operation behind it is not right, the guest will notice. Perhaps not immediately, and perhaps they will not be able to explain exactly what is wrong, but they will feel it.
A treatment starts late. A sauna is out of service. The relaxation area feels crowded. A member of staff does not know how an experience works. The changing rooms are not being maintained properly. A guest has to ask three different people the same question.
None of these problems require a bad spa design. They require a good operation.
I have always believed that operations should be considered much earlier in the life of a project.
Before the first guest walks through the door, there should be a clear understanding of who is running the facility, how the team will be trained, what the operating procedures will be, how maintenance will be managed and what success actually looks like.
This sounds obvious, but it is surprisingly easy to leave these conversations until the end of a project.
By then, many decisions have already been made.
The spa is built around an operational model that may not be quite right. Equipment has been installed without enough consideration for servicing. Staffing requirements have not been properly understood. There is no clear plan for pre-opening training.
That is an expensive time to discover these things.
This is also why we have built an operations team at ASPA.
The team is led by Kent Richards, a highly experienced spa and wellness operator who has spent more than 30 years working across the industry, including senior roles with Six Senses. His experience is very different from simply looking at whether a spa works on paper. It comes from actually running facilities, managing teams and understanding what happens when a spa is busy and the pressure is on.
That operational experience brings a different perspective to our projects.
It means we can look at a spa not just as designers or technical specialists, but from the point of view of the people who will eventually have to run it every day.
Good operations also require measurement.
How many guests are using the spa? Which treatments are performing well? When are the busiest periods? What is the cost of running the thermal areas? How often is equipment being serviced? Are members returning? Where are guests spending their time?
You cannot improve what you do not understand.
And the numbers are only part of it. I would always want to hear from the people actually working in the spa. They often know exactly where the problems are because they deal with them every day.
There is also a wider opportunity here.
A well-operated spa can become much more than an additional hotel facility. It can drive revenue, strengthen guest loyalty, create membership opportunities and give a property a reason for guests to stay longer.
But that does not happen simply because the spa is beautiful.
It happens because someone is paying attention to the business behind the experience.
For me, the best spa operators are constantly asking questions. What could we do better? What are guests telling us? Where are we losing time? What is costing more than it should? Which experiences are worth investing in? What does the team need?
That mindset keeps a spa moving forward.
At ASPA, our involvement does not have to end when the construction is complete. Through our operations and preventative maintenance services, we can support clients with pre-opening, training, operational planning, strategic development, KPIs, recruitment and the ongoing performance of the facility.
Because opening a spa is a project.
Running one successfully is a business.
I think the industry needs to talk more about that distinction.
If you are developing a new spa, taking over an existing facility or looking for ways to improve the performance of your operation, contact the team at ASPA International. With Kent Richards and our operations team alongside our design and technical specialists, we can help you look beyond the facility itself and understand what it takes to make the whole business work.