While it’s a common perception that spas rarely make money, I strongly disagree. It just takes forward planning…and a lot of it.
Three years on from introducing a high-quality spa Ramside Hall, UK is on track to reach £4.6m in spa revenue this year. Its secret is maximising all potential revenue streams.
Alongside a potential 250 hotel guests, the spa has close to 1,000 signed up members who pay in excess of £100 (US$132, €112) a month, while during peak times the facility can host up to 100 day spa guests on a variety of packages from £55 (US$72, €62) up to £375 (US$494, €421).
The obvious challenge is managing the balance between these users and this is where robust planning comes in. At Ramside, for example, we created a pool and steamroom and sauna for hotel guests and a separate hydrotherapy, thermal and outdoor pool offering for those on a day spa package or residents looking to upgrade. We also added a VIP tranquility lounge, with its own pool and butler service, as a separate bookable space to take groups off poolside.
Equally potential ‘pinch points’, such as changing room capacity, at peak times need to be considered, as well as paying attention to scheduling. Spa days were created with different start times throughout the day to further manage flow.
Making all this work relies on a positive sales culture and real diligence in the reservations process. Revenue accountability cannot be left to chance either and objective setting needs to reflect the aim of the business. Anyone opening a spa needs to underpin design and purchasing decisions with a clear business case to achieve great results.
• Commercial Spa Strategies