SPA DEVELOPMENT

Planning, organizing and implementing all that needs to be done to open a new spa can be a daunting experience, so the more expert help you have, the smoother your experience will be. This page will give you an overview of what is necessary to plan and develop your new spa, and offers practical advice and resources to pave the way.

Please select your topic of interest from this list of links, or fill out the form below
and we will contact you to address your specific needs:

Types of Spas
Steps to Opening Day
General Research
Feasibility Analysis
Implement Your Plan with Experts
Project Management
Design Considerations

Types of Spas

From the earliest and most basic spas to today's most elaborate and luxurious facilities, the advent of the spa in the US, Europe and around the globe has inspired several different types of spas offering different specialties. They are:

The Day Spa
The offering of a single treatment or an entire day of total relaxation without the necessity of overnight accommodations is the realm of the Day Spa. Hotel and resort spas exist under the auspices of the parent resort or hotel, whereas the day spa is a stand-alone facility, offering services by appointment to clients who come for a few hours or a whole day of pampering. Salons that expand their services beyond hair care to include facials, manicures, pedicures, massage, etc., are considered day spas as well.

Day spas typically offer everything from a simple massage to an extensive treatment that includes a full body exfoliation, a deep massage, sauna, facial, manicure, pedicure and other signature treatments unique to each facility. This approach offers the benefits of the spa to people within the framework of their everyday lives, without requiring travel or a hotel/resort stay. At the end of a hectic week, a few hours at the closest day spa can relax away built-up stress and encourages repeat business for the spa owner from local clientele.

The Destination Spa
Destination spas are almost always located in a place of beautiful natural surroundings and offer tailored programs for health/fitness, spiritual renewal, outdoor adventures, or just plain outright pampering in a gorgeous place. Enjoying a destination spa requires travel and accomodations, and they are generally not part of a larger chain of hotels or resorts. Many are single facilities for the sole purpose of offering the total spa experience in a natural, luxurious or exotic destination setting.

Destination spas usually include special activities governed by the natural features of the location (mineral springs, outdoor sports, yoga, spiritual renewal, etc.), healthy cuisine, personalized attention, education in different aspects of health and wellness, and encouragement to adopt a healthier lifestyle in general. Often, entire packages are offered that cater to an individual's interests, and full vacations can be arranged around the client's preferences in activities, cuisine and spa treatments.

The Medical Spa or MediSpa
Medical spas are the fastest-growing segment of the spa industry, with more and more plastic surgeons, for example, wanting to expand their practice to offer non-invasive esthetic treatments to their patients. Clinical-grade esthetic treatments like microcurrent facials or microdermabrasion are performed by trained spa professionals along side a licensed dermatologist, or deep tissue massages are offered in tandem with chiropractic services. Laser hair removal is performed in the room next door to a formal surgical unit.

Medispas are a cash-based business that include services not reliant on insurance approval, and they can offer a reliable revenue stream for an already-established medical office that delivers more traditional surgical procedures. The perception is that formal medical credentials and on-staff medical professionals lend credibility to less invasive procedures that still require thorough training to execute. People are also interested in the "one-stop shopping" that medispas offer. Would you like a massage with your Botox®? Or a mani & pedi with your Restalyne® injections before a big night out? The conveneince of mutiple treatments in one office fuels the popularity of this realtively new type of spa.

The Hotel & Resort Spa
It's almost impossible these days to find a large, high-end hotel or resort chain that has not established their own particular brand of spa for their guests. Hotel and resort-goers have come to expect spa facilities when traveling, and the hospitality industry has continually raised the bar on the level of pampering and luxury they offer their guests. The types of spa packages and treatment options often compliment the sport and relaxation activites featured at the resort. Spa treatments that require several sessions are generally the domain of day spas where repeat business is more likely, but more and more large chains are offering these treament packages that can be redeemed at any of thier locations for loyal guests who stay in multiple locations.

Hotel and resort spas often design their own "brand" of spa with specific visual aspects and standards that are established chain-wide. Signature treatments are very common, and standards are adhered to strictly to keep continuity between properties.

Steps to Opening Day

Opening day is the culmination of long-held dreams for most spa owners, but the road to get there can be long and takes expert help to navigate. SpaEquip can help bring your dream to life from the ground up, with a specific set of steps that cover every aspect of spa development.  The most successful spa developers have followed these initial steps toward building their plan:

1) Begin with general research

2) Perform a feasibility analysis

3) Implement your plan with the support of industry experts

Below is an outline of how to accomplish these steps.  This will insure you get started on the right track from the outset.

General Research

For some generic guidelines on how to get started, we strongly suggest two books that will help you build a foundation when developing a day spa. 

• Day Spa Operations
(http://www.spaequip.com/Day-Spa-Operations-by-Erica-Miller?sc=2&category=150)

Synopsis:  Essential to prospective day spa operators and highly useful to veteran owners who want to boost their bottom line, this compact introductory handbook covers all the practical aspects of planning, operating and maintaining a flourishing day spa program, creating attractive and profitable packages to enhance overall business, and marketing your services.

• Day Spa Techniques
(http://www.spaequip.com/Day-Spa-Techniques-by-Erica-Miller?sc=2&category=150)

Synopsis:  Informative for both new and experienced spa owners, this book is the first in the industry to help you offer successful day spa treatments in your salon.  It covers simple treatments for upgrading manicures, pedicures, and facials up to current day spa concepts; plus, it provides teaching methods for full-scale hydrotherapy and full body treatments.  The various segments of treatments are presented singularly and in combination with each other to maximize your treatment and business potential.  It is the only advanced resource book of its kind.

We also can recommend other experts in spa conception and design.


Perform a Feasibility Analysis

Once you’ve completed your generic research and have a better idea of what type of spa you want to develop, you should analyze the financial feasibility of the project.  If you don’t feel qualified to do this yourself, you can work with one of our consultants who has the expertise and experience to guide you through the process:

• Review of your overall market and design concept:  This is an information gathering phase where you identify your target market, the most profitable mix of treatments to include in your menu, how your space should be allocated, and initial over-all facility layout.

•  Development of budget and financial analysis for start up as well as ongoing operations. This will answer critical questions such as: 

• How much will this cost to develop? 
• How should I structure my operations? 
• What are the on-going expenses in 1, 3, and 5 years? 
• When will I see a return on my investment?


Implement Your Plan with the Support of Industry Experts

Our job is to provide expert support as you begin implementing your development plans. We can apply our experience with spas across the country to help you make the right decisions as you get started.  We are a single source for:

• Spa Design & Development Review
• Spa Equipment Selection and Configuration
• Hydrotherapy Equipment
• Massage & Body Care Equipment
• Skin Care and Facial Equipment
• Salon, Manicure and Pedicure Equipment
• Locker Room and Steam/Sauna Equipment

SpaEquip is generally called upon by spa developers and managers to:

• Consult on overall spa design, layout and treatments offered
• Identify spa equipment needs based on treatments offered
• Review architectural blueprints for proper equipment placement
• Develop equipment specifications and budgets
• Assist with leasing arrangements
• Advise architects and installers on technical specifications
• Train staff on hydrotherapy treatment procedures and equipment usage

Since we represent many different manufacturers, we can help you select the equipment best suited to your facility’s specific needs.  We will save you countless hours of researching, selecting, ordering and tracking purchases.  We offer volume discounts based on the size and scope of the project.

Project Management

SpaEquip also offers project management services free of charge that you won’t find when ordering directly from a manufacturer, such as:

Pre-installation Analysis:
• Identifying equipment needs based on your plans
• Review architectural blueprints for proper equipment placement       
• Development of equipment specifications & pricing lists
• Advising architects & installers on technical specifications

Equipment Installation:
• Order processing and handling all shipping/customs arrangements
• Developing shipping schedules to ensure proper delivery times to meet your schedule
• Development of room equipment lists as required
• Technical support to installation staff as needed to ensure proper installation of equipment

Post Installation Support:
            • Development of “punch lists” to identify any equipment or shipping problems and then coordination to solve
            any problems.
            • Support to ensure customers receive the full benefits of equipment warranties from the manufacturers.
            • Handling any last minute reorders or shipments
            • Providing training for your staff on substantial pieces of equipment such as hydrotherapy tubs, body treatment enclosures, and multi-function skin care systems

On an on-going basis, we support the entire warranty period for each piece of equipment to ensure your long-term satisfaction. 


Design Considerations

SpaEquip will work with you, your architect or designer, and/or your consultant to formulate the best overall plan for your space and vision. Some of the aspects that must be considered when designing your spa include:

• Client Traffic Flow

• Quiet Zone

• Room Sizes

• Room Temperature

• HVAC

• Sound Systems
           
• Lighting

             o In-Service

             o Maintenance

This is just a short list of the myriad factors that must be considered when planning a spa. Contact us using the form above and we will have the appropriate person contact you with help and resources.