Press | Blu Spas Inc. | Spa Industry Consultants

press | american spa | jan 2004

Spa Makers
Four top spa management and development firms describe how they have helped owners harness their spa's unique attributes to turn ideas into successful realities.

REMEMBER WHEN HOLLYWOOD WAS THE ULTIMATE DREAM factory? That was so last century. Today it seems the paying public prefers firsthand experiences to film magic. In 2003, consumers spent more money visiting spas than filling movie theater seats for the first time ever. That's good news, right? Alas, things are not that simple- with great power comes great responsibility. When you're vying for spa clients against 12,000 competitors in the u.s. alone, it takes more than plumbing, plaster, and paint to create the seamless dreamscape today’s sophisticated spa-goers demand. To meet the challenge, some spa owners enlist their own "spa Spielberg,"- someone who, under a management contract or for a percentage of the profits, does the dream work for them.

These spa wunderkinds assist in creating signature spas with minimum risk and maximum profit to you, the owner. The four spa makers below metaphorically design the set, write the script, hire the cast, pop the corn, run the projector, and tally the box office receipts. At Academy Awards time, however, the golden statuette of repeat clients and greater profits goes home with you.

True Blu.

"We are passionate about the use of green, environmentally friendly elements that are compatible with budgetary considerations," explains Doug Chambers, co-founder of Blu Spas (Whitefish, MT). "A recurrent theme is bringing the outdoors in."

Chambers’s BIu Spas partner, Cary Collier, agrees. "Glimpses of nature expand the spa experience. It's liberating to take a showcr outdoors," Collier says. "It’s a proven concept that natural elements can give a resort feel even in a city spa."

Not only is the idea proven; its appeal is documented. Travel + Leisure readers recently named Blu Spas's Alvadora Spa at the Royal Palms Resort and Spa in Phoenix one of the best in North America, crediting the spa- a lush desert oasis that opened in 2002- with putting the resort on the map.

One can attribute the pair's success to their backgrounds. Collier, previously of Collier & Collier Spa Consultants, and Chambers, a former attorney and principal of Yamaguchi Salons,joined their business-savvy forces to form Blu Spas in early 2001.

They now have more than 20 projects in various stages of development, including spas for the Santaluz private membership community in San Diego; the Royal Bora Bora resort on a private island in the South Pacific; the Green Valley Ranch in Henderson, NV; and the Salamander Inn and Spa in Middleburg, VA. Satisfying this array of five-star clients isn't dimming BIu Spa's determination to keep things real-and natural. "The hallmark of our work is tactile rather than sterile," says Chambers.

These two spa gurus know how to create an appealing, environmentally friendly spa. According to Collier, the pair's focus on all aspects of the natural experience is what sets BIu Spas apart.

"If you're promoting wellness overall, you should attempt to cover all fronts," he says. "From a marketing standpoint, it's a way to distinguish yourself. It shows your commitment."

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