Resorts that offer full-service spas might have an edge when it comes to attracting bookings for meetings and events. Meeting planners are looking for venues that meet a variety of needs, and one of those is the all-encompassing category of health and wellness. While the main idea of a conference or meeting is for attendees to gather and fulfill goals through education, professional development, and networking, having a chance to rejuvenate and unplug can prove just as important.
“We have seen a noticeable increase in planners asking about wellness amenities right from the start,” says Mollee Pifer, Celeste Salon & Spa wellness assistant director at Amway Grand Plaza, Curio Collection by Hilton, in Grand Rapids. “As wellness continues to be a priority, especially for those who travel frequently for work, having a spa on-site is a major draw. … Many groups build time into agendas for rest and recovery with yoga sessions, guided meditation, or spa treatments like massages. Even for attendees with limited time, having wellness options available before or after meetings adds real value to the overall experience.”
Massage tends to be a popular choice. “We have many different types of massage modalities, the most common being Swedish style, a tranquil massage,” says Andrea Argy, director of Crystal Mountain in Thompsonville’s Crystal Spa, where options include a dry sauna, eucalyptus-infused steam room, and indoor and outdoor gathering areas. “That’s everything from services for an individual to the couples room that allows two people to have services together.” Crystal Spa also offers body scrubs and has a Vichy shower room that combines scrubs with hydrotherapy. “You lie on [a waterproof] table and warm water flows and cascades down on you,” Argy says of the Vichy shower room. “It’s a great way to detoxify the body and improve circulation.”
Alexandra Martin, spa manager at MGM Grand Detroit’s Immerse Spa, describes the resort’s spa as “an oasis in a metropolitan area,” adding, “It’s a massive location—20,000 square feet—with a huge pool, two Jacuzzis, steam rooms, and saunas. We have massages, body treatments, and facials.” And MGM Grand recently renovated its fitness center. “Every piece of equipment has been replaced with [one that’s] new,” Martin says, noting the hotel’s team works with groups to make access convenient. “Our goal is to make the time for them [at the resort] as special as possible,” she says. “It allows for higher productivity and engagement in terms of being more relaxed.”
Distinctive Offerings
Drift Spa at Island Resort & Casino in Harris recently added new services to its roster of massage, facials, body treatments, and nail and hair services. Spa Director Kara Pasco-Johnson says the latest options on the wellness menu include “Head Spa,” an offering which includes a scalp deep clean and restoration; “Float Therapy,” which suspends the body in a tank of water with Epsom salt to reduce inflammation; and “Red-Light Therapy,” using low levels of red-colored light to stimulate cell function and reduce inflammation. Astor’s Salon & Spa at Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island also offers a full suite of amenities with everything from facials and massages to hair styling, nail services, and waxing. Astor’s draws on Eminence Organic Skin Care products from Vancouver, British Columbia, to infuse treatments with naturally derived, sustainable ingredients.
Boyne Mountain Resort in Boyne Falls and sister property, Inn at Bay Harbor, Autograph Collection, both operate full-service spas. Boyne Mountain Resort’s 36,000-square-foot The Spa at Boyne Mountain provides a Jacuzzi, saunas, many massage options, relaxation spaces, indoor and outdoor pools with hot tubs, a workout facility with classes, and other services. The Spa at Inn at Bay Harbor offers body treatments, facials, massage, and relaxation areas. “Inn at Bay Harbor has a smaller spa, so it’s very easy for a group to take over if you have 25 to 30 people who want to use the spa for a whole day,” says Wendie Keen, Boyne Resorts’ vice president of spa and owner services. “We can literally lock it down for the whole group and serve food and beverages.”
Boyne Mountain Resort’s “Yoga in the Sky” program includes summer and fall yoga sessions on its SkyBridge Michigan—the world’s longest timber-towered suspension bridge, running 1,200 feet and hanging 118 feet above a wooded valley. Meanwhile, Inn at Bay Harbor’s “Sunset Sound Healing” takes place on the shores of Little Traverse Bay and combines a sound bath featuring quartz crystal singing bowls, chimes, gongs, and drums, with guided meditation. When time is short, the properties can slide in chair massages during meeting breaks. Extra touches could include providing herbal teas and other healthful amenities in attendee rooms. “My favorite part of creating a wellness event or making wellness part of the entire event is we can do specific classes—perhaps a fitness class, cardio class, or yoga class before a conference or after,” Keen says. “And we can block off the spas at certain times of day. We know sitting is the new smoking, and the best thing we can do in conferences is to provide an avenue to remain healthy.”
Relaxation Coordination at Spa Resorts
How resorts package spa options for groups and handle the mechanics of providing and paying for them varies. Kristie Hayes, recreation manager at The Homestead in Glen Arbor, says sometimes conference-planning staff makes appointments for participants, while in other situations attendees call and book services themselves. The Homestead’s spa offers massages, body scrubs, facials, and a private outdoor pool, with a salon offering hair and nail services in a separate building. Brenda Albrecht, head massage therapist and esthetician at The Homestead, notes many attendees bring their significant others to the resort, and the spa provides them a peaceful space to unwind while their other half is in a meeting. “It gives [the accompanying person] a place to come, sit, and relax; to have a glass of wine at the spa; and sometimes to get two or three different services,” she says.
Grand Traverse Resort and Spa, near Traverse City in Acme, has a staff member specifically designated to work with meeting planners on coordinating spa resort services. The resort contains Spa Grand Traverse, with offerings that include massage and body care, facials, and waxing, as well as hair and nail services. There also are pools, hot tubs, a sauna, workout facilities, and more. “Our spa sales conference coordinator works specifically with a lot of meeting planners,” says Communications Manager Caroline Rizzo. “If planners know they have 20 to 50 attendees who want spa treatments, we will work around conference times and attendees’ schedules. We make it nice and simple.”
At Treetops Resort in Gaylord, planners can set up a spa option alongside a golf or ski activity, says Connie Weaver, spa director at Treetops Resort, which offers facials, waxing, massages, body treatments, and other traditional spa services. “What we have works most easily is, if there are 10 people who are interested in the spa, and people are golfing for four hours, we try to fill four hours of time [for them].” Attendees opting for the spa can choose the services they want, which can then be billed to a central account or back to the [individual’s] room—whatever arrangement works most easily for the conference organizer.
At Celeste Salon & Spa, planners can provide attendees (and sometimes spouses) with spa resort vouchers. “When spouses travel with attendees, planners often include them in the offerings, either via shared services or separate wellness experiences,” Pifer says. Discounted pricing often is available if spa services aren’t provided as part of registration. Many planners reserve blocks of time for attendees; and some spas close to the public, making their entire facility available to conference-goers. “It depends on the event,” says Shannon McKisson, hotel manager for MotorCity Casino Hotel in downtown Detroit, which has the on-site D.Tour Spa with 10 treatment rooms and provides massage therapy, aesthetician services, body wraps, and facials, among other offerings. She adds, “For some meeting planners, [reserving time is] very important, because they might be coming here as a retreat, so they work with the spa and set up appointments. We also can have private parties here. … We have a private room you can book, and you can have catering in there as well. … [Meeting planners can] figure out what works best for them.”
And tailoring activities to attendees’ needs is what it’s all about, says Argy, adding, “Not everyone who comes to these events wants to golf. Not everyone wants to do those physical, outdoor activities. A lot of times the appeal is trying to reduce burnout. There’s definitely a big focus on having more bonding in a relaxed setting, which helps attendees focus, get reenergized, and get back to tackling major business needs.”
