The role of the spa therapist

Training, staff empowerment and incentives were key topics during the discussion. According to Bonner, the spa therapist is one of the only members of staff in a hotel operation who would spend more than one hour with a guest and so it is vital that they are trained to reflect the quality of the brand, and that they feel motivated to deliver high standards.

Amer added that the spa itself takes up just a small part of a hotel in terms of its physical size, however it forms a very important facility in a five-star hotel, and so therapists and spa staff must understand their roles within the wider hotel operation in order to deliver consistent service.

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Here’s what our experts said

Bonner: “When I joined my new company it was shocking to understand how little our spa teams knew about the overall hotel picture and how segregated the spa was, because I came from a background where it’s one deptartment. So I think it’s interesting to highlight the relevance of the spa person in the hotel and the relevance a spa plays in the hotel.”

Amer: “I think the spa department is not a big part for the hotel in terms of space but spa and wellness has become very trendy and when guests book a hotel, they will always check for spa and wellness.”

Antoniouk: “It is very important for the guests because we cannot compare ourselves with the revenue of the rooms but still if you don’t do much revenue you are still there to do the treatments for the guests, which they remember and which they expect in five-star hotels.”

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