42 PULSE ■ March/April 2016

S pa parties have grown in popularity and, when done right, can bring in a great dealof revenue. But, if proper planning is not made to ensure that logistical require-ments of a spa party is covered, group party services can pose complex nightmaresin booking, facilities management and treatment preparation.

“Spa parties give guests the rare opportunity to spa together within an exclusive privatespace,” explains Shannon Stringert, director of spa, salon, & fitness at Cosmopolitan of LasVegas, Sahra Spa & Hammam in Nevada. “While spas have always been popular for anindividual or couples’ retreat, now more than ever, we are seeing the increase in requests forgroup spa and wellness experiences.”

BY ALEXANDERMENRISKY

SPAPartiesAll in the Details

March/April 2016 ■ PULSE 43

Party PlanningJessica Pickard, promotions and eventscoordinator at BJ Grand Salon & Spa,recommends taking several factors intoconsideration when designing spa partyofferings, especially the size of thegroup—the size of the party has to fitthe spa area. Furthermore, the exactservice must be clearly envisioned,including what staff and resources willbe necessary and what menu items arepopular enough to include.

“Guests want the details,” Pickardsays. “Before you begin offering spaparties, be prepared and organized.Create protocols on bookings, the day offlow and have answers to potential

questions a guest may have. Bringingalcohol into the spa is always aquestion.”

BJ Grand Salon & Spa’s most popularspa party is Girls Night Out, whichchauffeurs eight to 10 guests to the spaby limousine for a blowout and fullmakeup application for one to twohours, after which the limousinecontinues to chauffeur them for a nightout. The spa also has a partnership witha local winery so that if the girls decideto make it their destination, they receivefree wine with dinner.

Sahra Spa offers suites in Las Vegasthat fits up to 12 guests in a private,1,400-square-foot “spa-within-a-spa,”

combining an entertaining area with spa accommodations and even a butler.The amenities include plush seating, a flat-screen television with DVD player,wet bar, whirlpool tubs, steam room,showers and changing and vanity areas, capable of hosting a variety of spa parties unlimited by type ordemographic. Guests can also choosefrom a complete menu of spa services.However, Stringert recommends always surprising guests with something special, based on theiroccasion.

“Depending on the purpose of theirvisit, you could offer a glass ofchampagne at check-in or a personalized

“While spas have always been popular for an individual or

couples’ retreat, now more than ever, we are seeing the

increase in requests for group spa and wellness experiences.”

— SHANNON STRINGERT • Director of Spa, Salon, & Fitness

Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Sahra Spa & Hammam • Las Vegas, Nevada

44 PULSE ■ March/April 2016

note welcoming them to the spa that isset alongside their robe and slippers,” hesays. “Have a party or suite host on-sitefor the day of the event. This personshould be focused on executing aseamless experience for the guest.” Healso recommends designating a singlegroup reservations specialist or manageras a point-of-contact for event and partyregistrations, to avoid miscommunica-tions regarding reservations.

At Fayez Spa in London, Ontario inCanada, Fayez Tamba also has spa partyitineraries organized according to groups’specific objectives and size, rather thanpre-designed packages. Because FayezSpa can host up to 40 guests, Tambapays close attention to its employees’ability to plan and execute the events.

“Each event is considered to be anextension of our strategic public

relations philosophy in that each newguest has the potential to be convertedinto a repeat client. In turn, the guestcan also refer new clients within her/hiscircle of friends, family and colleagues,”Tamba says.

Demographics and DemandsThe large Sahra Suite at Cosmopolitan ofLas Vegas is a popular choice forbachelor and bachelorette parties,birthdays, girls’ weekends and othercelebrations. To deal with the challengesof diverse occasions, Sahra Spa &Hammam employs a Spa & Salon GroupExperience Manager to focus on buildingrelationships and experiences withguests.

Similarly, BJ Grand Salon & Spa’sbridal coordinator and spa day coordi-nator become points-of-contact for

organizing large parties. “This eliminatesan unknowing staff member from havingto try to figure out a guest’s questions orchallenges,” Pickard says. “We workpersonally with them to create an eventthat meets their needs for relaxation andbeauty.”

Centralized management and flexi-bility also allow spas to quickly shifttheir game plan when spa parties attractan unexpected demographic. Forexample, while BJ Grand Salon & Spa’soriginal Girls Night Out target youngwomen ages 20 to 35, women between35 and 65 ultimately showed moreinterest, and so Pickard redirectedmarketing by word-of-mouth and socialmedia toward these individuals.

Word-of-mouth has been an especiallypowerful marketing tool for Fayez Spa,whose spa parties have been most

“Each event is considered to be an extension of our strategic

public relations philosophy in that each new guest has the

potential to be converted into a repeat client.”

— FAYEZ TAMBA • Owner

Fayez Spa • London, Ontario, Canada