SM: Are the relevant spa training opportunities readily available in the Middle East or are there gaps to be filled?
I have a spa team with immense experience, expertise and knowledge.
We brainstorm, plan and execute the trainings accordingly.
To date I have not had the need to look outside of the spa for trainers.
SM: Is the spa a key revenue generator for the hotel? What initiatives have you implemented to boost revenue in the spa?
I would not say that the spa is a key revenue generator for the hotel; however I think that the spa adds prestige to the portfolio of the hotel.
Regardless of whether it is a businessman looking for a massage after a stressful day of meetings or a tourist who is just looking to relax and be pampered, having a spa in the hotel is a key selling point. I try to launch at least four new treatments a year, thus ensuring our regular guests don’t get bored.
I have updated and changed the spa menu according to our guests’ feedback to ensure there is something available for all.
As of October 1, we introduced a teen spa menu and we have also developed a system to reward our loyal and regular guests in the form of the ‘Temptation’ loyalty card.
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SM: How does the revised retail sales commission work as referred to in your nomination and has it boosted retail sales at the spa?
The retail commission structure rewards the staff that make the extra effort in regards to retail sales.
It has definitely boosted retail sales and money is a great motivator.
It has also created a competitive spirit within the spa in regards to sales figures and the number of products sold.
SM: How has the economic downturn affected your role and your spa and how have you responded to new challenges such as this?
To be honest, there has not been a significant change in the business.
I have, however, been more focused on the expenses and keeping them to a minimal without affecting the standard of service that we deliver at the spa.
SPA PERSON OF THE YEAR SHORTLIST:
• Chantelle Mason, Beach Rotana, Abu Dhabi
• Michael Monsod, The Palace – The `Old Town
• James Rodriguez, Madinat Jumeirah
• Sunanda Marasinghe, Radisson Blu Hotel, DMC
• Anchen Els, InterContinental, DFC
This award was sponsored by Esadore International
THE HIGHLY COMMENDED NOMINEES
For the first time in the event’s six-year history, the Hotelier Middle East Awards 2009 recognised two highly-commended candidates in each category.
The two nominees highly commended in the Spa Person of the Year category were Michael Monsod and James Rodriguez.
Monsod, spa and recreation manager at Dubai’s The Palace — The Old Town, managed the property’s spa through a recent re-branding phase and was instrumental in turning the spa into a profit making machine. Recently he took over the spa at sister property, The Address Downtown Burj Dubai, leading the iconic hotel’s spa facility to its highest revenues since opening. Spa therapist Rodriguez, who plies his trade at the Madinat Jumeirah, was described by those who nominated him as a “rising star”. Rodriguez has played a role in developing many of Jumeirah’s spas from scratch and according to his colleagues has so many regular guests that they are often forced to rearrange their own schedules just to pay him a visit.
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