In search of the new spa…
The word spa conjures up a Mittel Europa image of a luxury hotel full of wrinklies taking the water. As our feature shows, this now far from the truth.
Increasingly, spas are being replaced by wellness centres often now in urban centres, such as London or Cologne. Visitors stay a day (or three) and the focus is on eliminating bad habits rather than on relaxation.
We found that payors are surprisingly open to the new concept as long as you can find some inkling of medical need behind it!
But Europe has yet to develop a budget chain aimed at the mass market. For that you need to head to the USA, the home of Massage Envy….only in America!
We would welcome your thoughts on this story. Email your views to Max Hotopf or call 0207 183 3779.
