It wasn’t too much of a surprise to see Local Sourcing appear at number 7 on the International Medical Travel Journal’s top ten global spa trends for 2011 (except maybe I might have expected to find it a little higher up the list.) This is an ethos which we at Raison d’Etre have been living by since our inception.

Raison d’Etre is not a chain and we do not copy and paste our spas. We engage in a creative process with each hotel to make sure we are creating something unique which suits its surroundings. Yes, this means architecturally but it is not only the physical space which is important. Every client is different and every regional location is different. And it’s wonderful to be able to take advantage of the best resources that each client and location has to offer and build this into the conceptual design of the spa.

This is why we are not affiliated with any product supplier; one product line could never compliment the individuality of all our spas. Instead we work with our clients to design product and treatment ranges that are particular to their ideas and needs. Clients can even commission their own bespoke range, which we will then create on their behalf.

The idea of local sourcing is, of course, perfect. Why not look outside the window? What does nature in the local region have to contribute to your spa? At our Nordic spa at The Grand Hôtel in Stockholm, for example, many of the treatments use products made from Nordic herbs, hand picked and organic – which add to the authenticity of the experience for the customer.

Sourcing locally makes sense for environmental and holistic reasons. Increasingly it also makes sense for commercial reasons. It is part of a wider global feeling that in some ways we should make the world a little smaller again, to promote sustainability and environmental awareness. People are passionate about these issues and want to apply these principles to all areas of their lifestyle. Including their enjoyment of spas!

So, what has your region got to offer?

//Anna

I just had to write about this little new gadget that has just entered the market and simply can save your life.

Ever had your IPhone run out of batteries???? Just when you need it.

I was recently cycling to my brother’s country house, 80km ride, and I had never done that tour before. So I kept my GPS on – BIG misstake!

Half way there the phone ran out of batteries and I was lost on the small roads and had of course not brought a paper map with me. I took a break and was reaching down for a bit in my bag pack when my hand clutched….. the CasePower, that I have put into my bag pack for some divine reason.

I happily arrived a couple of hours later…..

The CasePower is both a case for the IPhone as well as an extra battery and not very big. Especially for the Iphone 4. The one for IPhone 3 is a bit too big for me (although I am picky), so I don’t use it as a case, but bring it with me as a back up and I can just take of my light case and put this on and I have double battery time!

A life saver for most of us and I can truly recommend it http://case-power.com/

And for those who hates when a new ITunes update messes up everything…..this picture is for you:

//Anna

You’ve got chronic lower back pain. Given the choice between a traditional treatment course of painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, or a course of massage therapy, which do you choose? Findings from a recent Seattle based study suggest that for short term relief you would be better off opting for the latter.

The study recruited 401 participants, all suffering from chronic lower back pain, and randomly divided them into three different treatment groups; structural massage, relaxation massage or traditional care, with the two massage groups each receiving weekly treatment.

After 10 weeks the participant feedback revealed some interesting results. More than one in three of those who had received one of the two massage treatment courses reported improvement in their back pain, whereas only one in 25 participants from the traditional care group reported the same. Those receiving massage treatment were also more active, spending fewer days in bed.

Six months later, both types of massage were still linked to improved function. After a year, however, all three groups were reporting similar levels of pain and function.

Surprisingly, little difference was observed between the effects of structural massage and relaxation or Swedish massage, although lead study author Daniel Cherkin had originally expected structural massage, which manipulates specific pain-related back muscles and ligaments, to prove superior. It seems we don’t need to be specialising our therapies in order to make a genuine difference for the individual.

This is really encouraging news. I have always been convinced of the restorative nature of massage and am happy to see it acknowledged here. And if you do have lower back pain, you really have nothing to lose.

//Anna

A spa experience can be the perfect getaway from the troubles (and people) in everyday life. But as much as I enjoy indulging myself, sometimes I want to be able to share the experience with the people I love, including my family. Even kids need to relax and it can be great for the whole family!

It seems that it’s not just me who feels this way. As reported in one of the UK’s leading papers The Independent last month, researchers at June’s International Luxury Travel Market held in Shanghai highlighted the ‘strong growth in multi-generational family travel among luxury lovers’.

Increasingly it seems, spas will have to cater to this growing trend and many of the best, forward thinking hotels are already providing spa treatments for stressed parents and entertainment for their children. At Raison D’Etre at The Grand Hôtel we have decided to take it one step further, offering the little ones spa treatments of their own.

Families will be able to relax in one of The Grand Hôtel’s two 70 sqm spa suites overlooking the Royal Castle. These suites are separated from the rest of the spa – so those of you without children, who still want to enjoy that quiet, indulgent time alone, will be relieved to hear you still can.

Parents will have complete access to the full spa menu, while children are free to have fun with the product buffet of cranberry scrubs, birch facial masks, hair masks and the ever popular Nordic bathing brush. They can even be treated to hand or foot packs, foot baths, hand, foot or scalp massages and the ever popular mini pedi/mani/facials – all in shorter than normal sessions to suit mini-attention spans.

Another spa, where this has become widely popular is Yasuragi here in Stockholm, that during the summertime are open to families and it is called Yasuragi kids, with a whole package with spa, play, fun and hotel – http://www.yasuragi.se

Fun for all the family and a perfect way to pass a little pampering time together.

//Anna

On a recent visit to London I was intrigued to discover just how popular all things Nordic are over in the UK this season. It was difficult to open a magazine without stumbling across a feature on Nordic fashion, Nordic walking or Nordic design.  They even have an expo dedicated to it. The Scandinavian show took over London Olympia for two days last autumn and will be setting up in Earl’s Court in October 2011.

This is the fashionable Nordic Bakery in Soho, tapping into the hottest UK culinary trend of 2011, serving dark rye breads andcinnamon buns among other things. London’s Time Out awarded it the full 5 stars in its review.

Nordic fashion brands such as Wild Swans are setting up shop in affluent areas of London like Chiswick and Islington and woman of the moment, Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton, has been seen dressed in Danish fashion brand, By Malene Birger.

The British people even want to exercise like us it seems. Nordic Walking UK has classes and instructors all over the UK with 54 instructors registered in London alone.

So, with this appetite for the Nordic life, perhaps we will see a few more visitors from the UK here in Sweden soon?

They could indulge in their new found interest at the Raison d’Etre spa at The Grand Hôtel in Stockholm and enjoy The Grand Nordic Restart treatment.
And if it’s Nordic fashion they’re looking for, they could register for the luxurious personal shopper service at Nordiska Kompaniet in Stockholm. We’ve teamed up with NK and now shoppers can be pampered with Raison d’Etre spa treatments while other people shop for them. Perfect for Britons wanting an all round, authentic Nordic experience!

I wonder if British trends will come to Sweden soon…..

Massage therapy may be better than medication or exercise for easing low back pain in the short term, a new government-funded study suggests.

Seattle researchers recruited 401 patients, mostly middle-aged, female and white, all of whom had chronic low back pain.

Those who received a series of either relaxation massage or structural massage were better able to work and be active for up to a year than those getting “usual medical care,” which included painkillers, anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants or physical therapy, the researchers found.

Lead study author Daniel Cherkin, director of Group Health Research Institute, said he had expected structural massage, which manipulates specific pain-related back muscles and ligaments, would prove superior to relaxation or so-called Swedish massage, which aims to promote a feeling of body-wide relaxation.

“I thought structural massage would have been at least a little better, and that’s not the case,” Cherkin said. “If you’re having continuing problems with back pain even after trying usual medical care, massage may be a good thing to do. I think the results are pretty strong.”

The study, funded by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, is published in the July 5 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine.

Participants were randomly assigned to one of the three groups: structural massage, relaxation massage or usual care. Those in the massage groups were given hour-long massage treatments weekly for 10 weeks.

At 10 weeks, more than one-third of those who received either type of massage said their back pain was much better or gone, compared to only one in 25 patients who received usual care, the study said. Those in the massage groups were also twice as likely in that period to have spent fewer days in bed, used less anti-inflammatory medication and engaged in more activity than the standard care group.

Six months out, both types of massage were still linked to improved function, Cherkin said, but after one year, pain and function was almost equal in all three groups.

I very recently was in Bangkok conducting what we call a Mystery Shopper at the Siam Kempinski Hotel, Bangkok.  Basically this is a very thorough and detailed assessment of the entire spa operation from treatments, to bookings, to the facilities, to the spa menu, the spa concept, to spa management, to statistical analysis of the business, to financial performance…. and a lot more.  You may think it is a ‘dream job’ and very relaxing…. but it isn’t!

The spa there opened in September 2010 and is based on the ‘Kempinski The Spa’ concept, a herbal spa concept, based on the four seasons of winter, spring, summer and autumn, which was created by Raison d’Etre.  They use the amazing Elemental Herbology products from the UK and these products are combined with some very unique and results orientated treatments.

So how did they score!  Very happy to say that they scored a well earned 90% overall, which is certainly the highest score of any mystery shopper I have conducted.

So how did they achieve such a good score, what makes them so good?.  I put this down to 3 key points:

1. Good spa management
2. Spa team culture/work and service ethic
3. Great spa treatments matched with great spa products

Good Spa Management

This spa is blessed with a very good spa manager who manages and leads her team positively, professionally and also has a great understanding of the business side of the spa.  These days this is rare amongst spa managers!  The team have great respect for her, as she does for her team.

Spa team culture/work and service ethic

There exists a happy, positive and very professional team culture within the whole team.  Everyone helps each other out and is happy to do so.  How many other spas around the world can put their hand up and can say that their spa has this?!.  I loved that at the end of my stay the new therapists that had only just started approached me and told me how much they loved working at the spa.

I must qualify this a bit by saying that generally Thai people have a fantastic work culture and work ethic overall, all performed with a genuine smile.  They genuinely do care.

Great spa treatments matched with great spa products

I must admit to loving the spa concept that we created for Kempinski The Spa.  I know that may sound  like we are ‘patting ourselves on the back’, but when it works… it works!  The ‘Seasonal Massages’ are truly magical and I have to take my hat off to Isabella our Training Director for creating such memorable treatments.  But when you create great treatments you need to marry that with great products that can not only benefit the end user (in this instance… me!) but they can ‘enhance’ the quality of the treatment.  Here again it works!.  The Elemental Herbology products are amazing and the silky smooth feel of their massage oils is heavenly.

You put all three of these together in any spa and the results will speak for themselves!  I applaud Kempinski the Spa Bangkok for performing so well, not only on the service side but also on the financial side.  Bangkok is a very competitive market and for a spa only 9 months after opening to have settled down so well, be performing so well and be exceeding budget by so much is credit to the entire spa team.

I look forward to going back!

Michael

I had the pleasure to visit Skallerup Klit with my family last week – an absolute paradise for families – and absolute hell for couples….. The have Romelus, supposively one of Denmark’s best spas and I of course decided to pay them a visit.

In general the design and concept is very well executed; it is a Roman theme and you can see that in all material, design, experiences as well as some of the treatment. The design is very nice in general. Price for a 50min massage is around €100. BUT after having been there and booked and the receptionist correctly said that I should come before and enjoy the wet area, I arrived in good time only to get hit in the face with that the wet area is not

included in the spa treatment and that would cost €25 extra(!). This really put me off and had a negative effect on the whole experience.

Either increase the cost of the treatment to €125 or include it in the spa treatment, as it should be a complete experience!

The price suggests a five star experience, but I rate it more as four star (see below). There are several points – the treatment room is too cold

– the towel is too small and only covers 70% of the body (hate that!)

– I have to smell 5 oils before after lying down to decide which one I want (why not have the therapist ask what result I want and they, as experts chose)

– No health assessment which is lack of professionalist

– Wet area not included

– Room to noisy

– Not a proper waiting area

– Staff not very attentive

– Treatment not up to quality

– Therapist did not ask if temperature, pressure or music was ok

The massage itself was a combination of aromatherapy and Swedish, although I asked for a Swedish. It was one of those treatments that are so light that it never becomes muscular and for me I might as well not have one.

RATING scale 1-5

Concept = 4

Service = 2

Quality of treatment = 2

Design = 4

Products – Kerstin Florian = 5 (always great massage oils)

Value for money = 1.5

Overall experience = 1.5 (3.5 if wet area included in price)

Overall rating = 2.9

 

In summary, it can get a much higher score with 1. Include wet area in spa treatment price 2. Do a thorough training with all staff to be more service minded and give higher quality of treatments

Would I pay to come back? No.

Would I pay to come back if they change the above? Yes

//Anna

 

Want to know the latest fitness trends… from IDEA and IHRSA

My personal favorite at the moment is TRX, it is the best core training I have ever tried.

Last week brought it to Phoenix (fits in my hand luggage) and did 5 am TRX training on the hotel roof top as the sun rose, it was magically good. Both scenery, ambience but most of all the training as it is super effective.

Although I love dancing and have a history as an aerobic teacher, I still haven’t come to love Zumba despite a couple of tries….

What everyone is talking about is Personal Training in groups of 3-5 people, this is the win win for both the trainer (higher income) and the person (lower price) and would anticipate this becoming something that will stay for a long time.

/Anna

 

Are you a spa consumer? What does the experts say about you?

Well…. you have changed, from wanting to visit places to be seen, name dropping, and designer splashy clothes…..

….we are now seeking value, it is wrong to have the designer name written all over, it is more nuanced luxury and you are more looking out for the experience than to be seen.

Sounds good to me!

What else? As technology continues to take over every aspect of our daily routines, the boundaries between local and global; between young and old or between physical and virtual are blurring even more. New products will keep making life of the consumer easier. E-commerce and global payment will continue growing. Sharing is profitable. Allowing people to adjust to unpredictable future.

And it is happening now.

Pretty cool.

//Anna

At the recent GSS (Global Spa Summit) the new Evidence based alternative therapy research portal was released http://www.globapspasummit.org and one of the creators behind this portal is Professor Marc Cohen, a dear friend of mine and also fellow board member.

After the summit, he communicated some really interesting new research and he said “I believe that this link is a vital one and that not only is the spa and wellness world on the brink of being redefined in terms of medical evidence but that the medical world is on the brink of being redefined by spa and wellness therapies. This may sound like a dramatic statement but there is a growing body of scientific evidence to suggest that the obesty and diabietes epidemic along with many chronic diseases may be due to the accumulation of chemical toxins and that detox programs such as those offered in many spas could become a key component of the medicine of the future.”

WOW!

Luckily I have the past 10 years myself used toothpaste, shampoos, creams, organic food etc. without chemicals and are quite strict with my children as well BUT as I am the fifth generation of chemical induced children via the mother’s breast milk I am full with toxins. Hence I am personally very interested in what theresearch in terms of how efficient detox ACTUALLY is.

One research says about treating diabetes “Detoxification protocols, rather than endless and additive drug prescriptions to suppress the symptoms of the problem, could become the standard of care if such protocols are shown safe and effective for restoring glucohomeostasis.”

See for example “Chemical toxins: a hypothesis to explain the global obesity epidemic.” (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12006126 ) and “Does early-life exposure to organophosphate insecticides lead to prediabetes and obesity?”  (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0890623810002650 ) “Detox: Science or Sales Pitch” (www.racgp.org.au/afp/200712/200712Cohen1.pdf ),

While there is now good science to suggest that toxins may be a cause of chronic disease, there is still a missing link which is to demostrate that removal of toxins through detox programs can assist in treating these diseases. This situation is summarised in the article “Diabetes: Are Toxins to Blame?”  (http://diabetes.boomja.com/index.php?ITEM=70711)

Professor March is now working with Bharat Mitra the owner of Organic India and other collaborators including Prof Gerry Bodeker, to design a large scale trial of detoxification that will commence in India next year. I will be their on the front row to hear what the result is!

Stay tuned…

//Anna

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I just had the fortune to try some new yoga/lifestyle clothing, Pärlan from My Spirit http://msen.ekvist.se/ was over and showed their new collection at our office in Stockholm and we had the fortune to try it. My Spirit offers energized, eco-friendly and authentic yoga gear and accessories that supports yoga and a healing lifestyle. Their yoga mats are called  ECO-ION™ yoga mat, and is a new generation of eco-intelligent yoga mats that enhances the yoga practice by generating healthy negative ions into the air when you practice…

…we use this and sell them at our spa at Grand Hôtel in Stockholm and I of course use one at home that I just have trained on out in the garden – yes, 30 degrees here in Sweden today! And we use their organic meditations cushion when we do our daily meditation in the office.

But what we really fell in love with was their clothing – one of our team members said “I love it.  Really do. It even makes my fat, presently lumpy post-baby body look respectable.”. Their new fleece hood made of recycled PET bottles is now my personal all time favorite . Perfect after a yoga class or a cool Swedish summer night.

Another really cool yoga/lifestyle clothing brand is Spirit of Maya, they have designers eco wear of finest quality. Not cheap but worth every penny! I use it both when going out for dinner or party, as well as on a Sunday morning. Simply those clothes that will be used over and over again, and always gives you lots of compliments.

So, why are we promoting these two brands, well one because they are great, but moreover due to their organic, fair trade, spiritual ethics. And we love brands that are both stylish and good for the earth, and has a spiritual background. Just as giving love and healing to water has been proved to change their composition, why not clothing.

This is why we have chosen these two brands in our Raison d’Etre spa in Stockholm and our customers love them too!

Have a wonderful spiritual day!

//Anna

 

 

Svenska Spahotel or Swedish Spa Hotel, who has not branched out to the day spa market, is the Swedish spa association, and has now hosted the annual spa conference at Varberg’s kurort in southern Sweden. Sitting here at 1 am, after two fantastic days at Varberg’s Kurort, some years ago voted best spa in Europe, I am amazed how organized and well prepared this association is for the future.

Except from sharing my “beautiful”voice about “business should be treated as any other business with business plan, marketing plan and Human capital management pl spa an”, we have also learnt that Visit Sweden, is looking at promoting the Swedish spa market towards Norway and Denmark with a custom made spa portal, the Swedish spa market has grown with 9% from 2010, that occupancy has increased with 7% for hotels with a spa, compared with 3.8% for hotels without a spa, and that arrivaguides.com is a fantastic marketing tool….

But more than anything, I think I have learnt that the Swedish spa market is on the rise, the people that is driving this forward are passionate, dedicated and disciplined and after these days, I truly believe that the Swedish spa market just have begun its journey to excellence, the sky is the limit, and it is just about deciding where they sky is…..

 

Thank you for some absolutely fantastic days, and more to come!

//Anna

It is time for sun and everyone is talking about what works, what is safe and the difference between chemical and not chemical. We have sorted out the question marks and given some examples below. There is nothing better than a t-shirt and a hat and below are some surprising truths about sunscreens:

1. There is no consensus on whether sunscreens prevent skin cancer

2. There is some evidence that sunscreens might increase the deadliest form of skin cancer for some people

3. There are more high SPF products than ever before, but no proof that they are better

4. Too little sun might be harmful, reducing the body’s vitamin D levels

5. The common sunscreen ingredient vitamin A may speed the development of cancer

Mainstream or “chemical” sunscreens work by using chemicals to absorb UVB and UVA rays. Drawback: People are sometimes sensitive to the chemicals.

*Natural or “barrier” sunscreens use the active ingredients titanium dioxide or zinc oxide to form a barrier between the skin and the sun. Drawback: Natural sunscreens often look really white and thick when you put them on and take a while to absorb (not always the best look, I admit). Chemical sunscreens with synthetic active ingredients need time to be effective — up to 30 minutes. That’s because chemical sunscreens have to soak into the skin before they begin to work. Furthermore, sunscreen chemicals have been found to pass through the skin and mimic the effects of estrogen, which may disrupt the delicate balance of the body´s natural hormones.

So, are natural sun screens completely safe? The shocking truth is the fact that both chemical sunscreens (avobenzone, methoxycinnamate, padimate-o and the like) and physical sunblocks (titanium dioxide and zinc oxide) have been found to generate free radicals when exposed to sunlight, which then can attack the nuclei of your skin cells and cause mutations. That´s right: they can cause skin cancer.

So… what to do, well our advice is to use natural ones, they are for sure better than the chemical ones, in our opinion BUT don’t rely on them. A healthy and sound approach is the absolute best thing.

Finally, don’t believe what the marketing and labels say – below is an example:

Hawaiian Tropic Baby Stick Sunscreen SPF 50

Hawaiian Tropic’s website claims “Less Chemical Sunscreens” for this baby sunscreen stick. Truth is, it contains two chemicals to that don’t belong on a baby’s skin – the hormone disruptor oxybenzone and a form vitamin A called retinyl palmitate. A recent federal government study shows retinyl palmitate may speed up the growth of skin tumors.

The final straw? The UVA protection factor for this sunscreen is less than 10 – a far cry from the 50 SPF plastered on the package.

EWG (Environmental Working Group) top-rated sunscreens all contain the minerals zinc or titanium. They are the right choice for people who are looking for the best UVA protection without any sunscreen chemical considered to be a potential hormone disruptor. None of the products contain oxybenzone or vitamin A and none are sprayed or powdered.

We of course have a natural sunscreen at Grand and NK, The Organic Pharamcy. I use it myself!

//Anna