Kamal Khalil, spa & recreation director, at the Phoenicia InterContinental Beirut speaks to Hotelier about how he’s managed to produce impressive numbers in a tough market and his future plans are for the spa at the historic property.
In October last year, Khalil, spa & recreation director, at the Phoenicia InterContinental Beirut collected his accolade for Fitness/Spa Person of the Year at the 14th Hotelier Middle East Awards.
We recently caught up with Khalil:
What prompted you to choose the hospitality industry as your career?
Early on, I decided to take my favourite hobby, sports, and make it my career. So I am a fitness and wellness professional before anything else. I was lucky in that my first work experience was at Beirut’s landmark hotel, the Phoenicia Hotel. Being able to help others makes this job the most rewarding of careers, especially when it comes to their health and improved daily living – fitness is the key to being healthy and happy.
Today, I would say that my ongoing path into the wellness industry is to mentor the new spa/fitness manager generation. Also to assist and guide those that think injury is a disability to them, to encourage children and parents that exercise is a vital part of the path to a healthy lifestyle and most of all that it can be enjoyable at any level. Also, we have to go to our roots and be next to Mother Nature where we can get the vitality back.
You’re an award-winning hotelier. What is the key to managing a successful spa?
The spa department at Phoenicia Hotel is unlike other hotel departments. Although all hotel departments require people’s skills, we at the spa have the privilege to offer emotional environment for our guests, a spiritual getaway. We have the pleasure to uplift a guest’s mood and make them feel good about themselves in just under an hour of treatment. For that, you need to connect with the guest.
And to create such a connection, such a genuine guest care approach, you need, as a spa manager, to build and maintain a rapport with the staff and consider them family. They are the ones who ultimately are delivering this positive vibe to the guest.
Mastering people skills like empathy, anticipation, and motivation are not enough. You also need a strong business acumen, such as leadership and managing performance, an ability to analyse and manage financial matters, planning and keeping up with trends and result-oriented therapies and new equipment.
In a few words, motivating the team is key to keep the guests happy. You should incentivise the employees financially for extra revenue to be generated and reward stars for outstanding performance. Controlling expenses is critical as well as being cost effective in all areas. Training and collaboration with others is ongoing activity. Be a mentor and have your own mentor as we are always in need to learn and grow.
What are some examples of initiatives that you’ve introduced at the spa?
The Phoenicia is a landmark Hotel and has great fitness and wellness facilities. I have introduced initiatives across different platforms. Firstly, building a strong team was crucial. I implemented a new incentive scheme that motivated the spa therapists and linked this incentive to the overall performance of the spa.
On the spa and beauty side, we have introduced the luxury Swiss skincare brand Valmont. And with the increased interest in organic products, we are collaborating with the renowned British organic brand Ila, used in leading luxury hotels in the UK.
With that came an increase in skincare and body care retail offerings. We took it a step further and provided a comprehensive and wide-ranging retail experience to our guests, from soaps, fragrances, accessories, pool apparel and sportswear.
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