Garden State Golf, Spring, 2005
SPA INDUSTRY MAKING A HUGE SPLASH IN GOLF – NO MATTER HOW YOU DEFINE IT
“Spas are devoted to enhancing overall well-being through a variety of professional services that encourage the renewal of mind, body and spirit” – “Spa” Defined, International SPA Association, August 2004
Maybe it’s just a matter of men finally figuring out what women have long known- a visit to the spa is the ideal antidote for stress and a sure-fire answer for, as the apt definition states, “the renewal of mind, body and spirit.” Making time for spa visits as never before, men today represent 23 percent of all spa guests, while they comprise nearly three of every 10 spa-goers, according to the Lexington, Kentucky-based International Spa Association’s 2004 Spa Industry Study. A decade ago, that image would have been brushed off as pure folly, but reality has set in and the spas themselves are responding in kind by developing special treatments just for men and, in some cases, opening male-only spas. Golf resorts have also gotten into the act, including here in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, offering golf-specific treatments and their own signature specialities, as well as the usual tried-and-true treatments. However one chooses to define the word “spa,” it is clear that the spa industry is experiencing a boom like never before and, perhaps, never envisioned as an emerging trend. Then again, who could have predicted that men, for example, would so enthusiastically embrace the spa culture, which has heretofore been primarily the domain of women. Increased male-focused offerings are not only linked with golf and outdoor adventure activities, but also with cosmetic treatments and high-octane fitness programs. Spa Finder a New York-based spa marketing and publishing company, predicts that men-and not just “metrosexuals” – will continue to hit spas in record numbers and that more and more day-and-stay spas will offer equal facilities for men and women.
Indeed, spas have come a long way. Beyond adult men and women, today’s spas are drawing in the whole family. Last year, spas saw an influx of teenage girls, drawn by the beauty treatments and the glamour of a luxurious spa experience. This year, Spa Finder predicts even younger girls are likely to join mom (or dad) on a day trip to the spa, while teenage boys will soon begin to make their presence felt. Spas are expected to keep pace by offering more family-oriented activities, spas for kids, as well as kids-only spa programs.
Moreover, there is an increased trend toward adult children introducing their parents to the benefits of spas, reports the International SPA Association (ISPA). Gifts for anniversaries, birthdays, and Mother’s and Father’s Day appear to be the catalysts for children sending their parents on an expense-paid visit to the spa. Clearly, gone are the days when a visit to the spa was deemed as a luxury or unnecessary indulgence. Further proof is how travelers are increasingly making a hotel choice based on whether it has an on-site spa. No luxury resort worth its salt can exist today without one, so it’s not surprising that in terms of sheer numbers of spas, the hotel industry takes a backseat only to day spas.
Additionally, spas are shrewdly gearing their menus for as diverse an audience as possible. With the continued explosion of affordable spas geared towards middle-income earners, more Americans are now supplementing their aromatherapy candle and bubble baths with a trip to a nearby spa to enjoy professional treatments and wellness programs.
With record participation comes a record number of different types of spas-30 and growing at last count. For example, spas have answered the prayers of golfers, providing everything from hot gold-ball massages to strengthening and flexibility focused on the vulnerable lower back. Cruise lines have even gotten into the swing of things. Onboard the ultra-luxe Queen Mary 2 is the Canyon Ranch Spa-Club with 50 treatment rooms, salon, gym and aqua therapy-the perfect après-golf treatment following a round on the ship’s golf simulator.
There is an enhanced interest in indigenous spa experiences, providing more distinctive and compelling spa experiences. It is not uncommon to see maple treatments in the Northeast, cactus flower treatments in the Southwest and treatments incorporating grape seeds in Napa-Sonoma, Northern California’s internationally renowned wine region. Talk about indigenous-consider chocolate spa treatment at The Spas at the Hotel Hershey in Pennsylvania! Whether it’s the maple or the chocolate influence, it is the Northeast that is embracing spas like no other region in the U.S., enjoying a 36 percent growth rate since 2002.
If 2003 was the year spas made a significant splash with record visitations and broadening socioeconomic appeal, 2004 was the year spas made a genuine difference. Expect more of the same in 2005, as spas will continue to deftly manage the intersection of someone’s work and personal life. And increasingly, that someone is just as likely to be a Mike as it is a Michelle.
The Crystal Springs Resort is a unique new hotel, spa and sports complex in the northwest New Jersey highlands, less than a one-hour drive from Manhattan or Newark Liberty airport. With six golf courses, Crystal Springs offers golfers a smorgasbord of choices. The indoor activities are also abundant, particularly at the Elements Spa in the new Minerals Hotel, named for the area’s abundance of minerals found nowhere else in the world. While the Minerals Hotel offers deluxe and luxury overnight accommodations decorated in an upscale Aspen mountain theme (the larger guest rooms feature stone fireplaces and magnificent views), the Elements Spa offers an extensive menu of body treatments, unique facial options and stimulating massage therapies. Among the most popular massage treatments is the Golfer’s Delight, which focuses on the back, neck, shoulders, hamstrings, and forearms. Many of the spa’s services feature minerals, including a unique copper flakes-infused moisturizer, sodium scrubs and post-treatment mineral water soaks. Elements Spa also offers fitness and wellness programs, hand and nail services, body waxing and cosmetic enhancements with board-certified plastic surgeons. The Elements Spa is a popular place for golfers after they have played one, some or all of Crystal Springs Resort’s array of challenging courses, all within a 15 minute drive of each other. Your choices include Bollyowen, Crystal Springs, Wild Turkey, Minerals, Black Bear and the newest member of the team, Great Gorge. – John P. Boyle
The Marriott Seaview Resort has always been known for its great golf courses. The Donald Ross-designed Bay Course opened in 1914 and today hosts the LPGA Shop-Rite Classic. The links-style course built alongside the bay features a view of the Atlantic City skyline and breezes that make the course play differently each day. The Pines Course, which opened in 1929, was the site of the 1942 PGA Championship won by Sam Snead. Are you having trouble with your game? A visit to the Faldo Institute may be just what the swing doctor ordered. But there’s more to this resort than golf. Sure there’s the historic landmark hotel, which offers superb accommodations and a choice of formal or casual dining experiences. Then there is the lure of the nearby Atlantic City casinos which, like the golf, might have had something to do with luring you to the south shore. And then there is the Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa. It offers its line of spa services-including its popular Red Door Signature Massage-which incorporates techniques designed to meet the individual’s needs or conditions. Essences, shea butter, reflexology, acupressure warm towels and eye pillows are designed to relax joints and muscles. Another popular option is the Red Door Signature facial, which involves the latest products and techniques. – John P. Boyle
Hershey, Pennsylvania has been a tourist destination for more than a century. In 1906 citizens named their town after Milton Hershey, who put it on the map after he built his chocolate factory, golf club, hotel, park and other structures. The town now offers golf, a spa, history, entertainment and an abundance of additional attractions. The Hershey Country Club features the East and West 18-hole courses, and a new clubhouse is slated to open in 2006. There is also a 3-hole practice course and the 9-hole Spring Creek Golf Course located at the Hotel Hershey, a restored historic Mediterranean-style structure that sits prominently atop a hill overlooking the town. It offers 234 elegantly decorated sleeping quarters with comfortable feather beds and an old-world charm. The Spa at the Hotel Hershey’s current treatments and facility far surpass past offerings. The 17,000-square-foot European-style spa is well known for its chocolate bath, cocoa rubs and chocolate fondue wrap. Chocolate and roses, among other flavors and aromatic ingredients are the basis of the spa’s unique treatments. One-to-five-hour day packages include the Hershey Hug- a chocolate rain shower and meadow flowers herbal wrap; Chocolate Immersion- a chocolate bean polish; and the Chocolate Fondue Wrap. Spa pedicures, manicures, and whirlpool soaking tubs, hydrotherapy, facial massages, facial skin care and body wraps with traditional and unique ingredients are available in a variety of treatment offerings. The Spa at the Hotel Hershey is a sanctuary where chocolate is not just a treat to eat, but a necessary ingredient for innovative spa treatments like the Whipped Cocoa Bath, Cocoa Butter Scrub, Chocolate Dipped Strawberry, The Hershey Peppermint Pattie, Ocean Therapy and Rosario Sea Soak. The signature shower treatment-the Hershey Rain Shower-combines the Swiss Shower, Deluge Shower and Scotch Spray. Special treatments for the Hershey man include facials, massages, wraps and manicures, among others. Facilities include a pool, jacuzzi, fitness center, and a mind and body studio, among others.
