The recent trend in spa management is branding. Based on the theory that a spa placed in the hotel is similar to its restaurant and can be easily franchised, managed, replicated and implemented hotel chains are buying up brands to secure that their franchise will have a well known option for its spa choice, not unlike putting a Starbucks in the lobby. While this seems like a logical option to an unmanageable problem, spa-goers might not want a cappuchino like all of the rest. Especially when choosing to opt for down time, a moment away or an hour of pleasure while on holiday. However, the jury is still out on how brand frachises are received within hotels. Further, just as restaurant franchises developed over time until the formula for creating a restaurant chain of any type was free from error, spa chains will evolve and adapt until they become the the types of facilities that are enjoyed by hotel guests as well as serve the purposes of the franchise. READ MORE

Having a spa in your hotel is nice but the spa doesn't stop at the spa's entryway. To truly embrace the spa experience and market that experience to your clients it is necessary to also have spa amenities in each guest's room. I want to share some personal notes with you before I launch into ideas for enhancing your hotel. I travel extensively. One of my favorite hotels is the Westin. Why? They have the best pillows on the face of the earth! Their bedding is extra opulent and after a day's worth of consulting or training this tired head appreciates that extra fluffy pillow. READ MORE

A decade ago when the spa concept was just becoming popular in the United States and hotels were essentially devoid of adequate health and beauty facilities, many lodging establishments settled for taking a loss with their spas. Spas were thought to be amentias that put "heads in beds." Like having a sizeable indoor pool, fluffy pillows, plush carpeting and a complimentary cocktail at happy hour, spas were thought to attract more of the core business which is lodging guests. Interestingly, no element of this equation really worked...for any of the players. Hotels put in spa facilities in all sorts of shapes and sizes from ultra posh to the ultra Spartan. Some hired the management of the spa out to expensive specialty services, while others had their Food and Beverage manager oversee the new area. Spa-goers started the '90's off fairly confused about what to expect from a spa facility and wound out the decade by becoming more and more demanding. Hotels did what they do best; they marketed their facilities showing off the new amenities in glossy brochures and interactive websites, on television commercials and through travel agents. What started as a na"ive and well-intentioned foray into more comprehensive amenities and customer service, turned into a money hungry monster. An unchecked, mismanaged, unruly monster turned lose upon the masses. READ MORE

Creating a hotel spa that attracts and enhances a guest's experience is not as hard as one might think. The guests experience at the property should be comprehensive, seamless, and without a flaw. This means that each step of the way the guest should be surrounded in theme and consistent branding. While many hotels are still not giving their spas the attention they should some hotels are creating a spa brand that is unique, able to stand alone as a profit center and bankable as an extended product. READ MORE

The city is Little Rock, Arkansas. The catalyst for an unprecedented Little Rock tourism boom is a library. Known in Little Rock as the William J. Clinton Presidential Center and Park. It is an attraction unique to the presidential library system, because it's not an attraction at all; it's a destination. The Peabody Little Rock, which opened a few years before is the bookend to this National Treasure. The meat in this sandwich is the wonderful River Market District, which is very pedestrian friendly and connected by a wonderful trolley system that is a throwback to days gone by. The triple treat of the Peabody Little Rock, William J. Clinton Presidential Center and Park and the River Market District have placed "La Petite Roche" in the hearts and minds of both meeting planners and leisure travelers alike signaling a new age of tourism in what is being described as the "New South". READ MORE