Visitors to the Amway Grand Plaza in Grand Rapids who are looking for a little pampering are discovering its new, state-of-the-art spa.
Caitlin McClelland, AHC Hospitality wellness director, says The Amway Grand Plaza’s original spa was no longer meeting demand—both in terms of what the facilities could offer as well as from a growing customer base. “It (the original spa) was built with the intention of more of an amenity for hotel guests and over the past 10 years we’ve evolved and really outgrew that label … and turned it into a full-fledged business within the downtown area, within the hotel,” McClelland says. “In creating this new design, we really wanted to not only still cater to our hotel guests and groups within the hotel, but also wanted to cater to the local community and invite more community members to come into the hotel to be able to receive these services and experience these amenities.”
Celeste Salon & Spa at the Amway Grand Plaza in Grand Rapids opened in August with all-new spaces including a hair salon, nail salon, steam room, dry sauna, five treatment rooms, and indoor and outdoor relaxation spaces among the features. Interior design touches include custom wood pieces, brushed gold accents, and chocolate brown hues. Guests can relax on private and shared balconies throughout the facility before and after services and take in views of the Grand River. It’s all on the Amway Grand Plaza’s fourth floor, dubbed “the wellness floor” because it’s also home to the hotel’s pool, fitness center, and rooftop pickleball courts.
McClelland says the spa retains most of the services it previously provided. “The most popular services are obviously our massages and then all of our hair services,” she explains, noting her favorite is the hot stone massage. “Our popular nail services are executive pedicures—we’ve elevated that experience with our new location, we got all new…chairs, and new products to go into those services. And you get an amazing view while you’re getting your pedicure.”
Therapeutic facials are also in demand. “We are using new products and tweaked that a little to elevate it,” she says. “But the most amazing thing about this new location is all of the amazing relaxation spaces we have for our guests.”
McClelland expects the new and improved spa to be another attraction for planners booking meetings and conferences at the Amway Grand Plaza. “We’ve had a lot of conventions, a lot of corporate groups we weren’t able to accommodate as well in our previous (spa) location,” McClelland says. “With the Amway Grand being as big as it is and being a convention hotel, we think that was a missed opportunity. Having a much larger space, more treatment space, more salon chairs, more manicure and pedicure stations … there are more spaces in that area to kind of gather and have a little bit of everything.”
She predicts the emphasis on health and wellness that many planners seek to incorporate into events will also put the new spa in greater demand. One upcoming corporate event at the Amway Grand Plaza will treat clients to spa services as part of activities. An upcoming convention is planning to create an oasis of peace and relaxation where participants can come to rest and rejuvenate.
“The general aesthetic is very light and airy and welcoming,” McClelland says. “Our design firm (Gensler) did a really good job of modernizing the spa, but also playing a part to our history as a hotel and creating a wonderful functionality of the space.”
