Spa Reviews

My relationship with spas began at Enchantment Resort 15 years ago when I had my first massage at the resort's small amenity spa. I was fortunate that my first massage therapist instructed me how to receive a massage - to quiet my mind, be in the present moment and to send my breath and energy to the part of my body being massaged. I had never had those thoughts before. It felt a little other-worldly. My massage was so profound that it literally changed my life. It ultimately revealed the first part of my current mission - to share information about spas with others.

Since that visit, the resort built a 24,000 square-foot destination spa, Mii amo. Read about my first experience at this wonderful facility in this exceptional location.

~Julie

It's not very often that I am totally surprised by a spa, but Toppers Spa at Dover Downs Hotel and Casino did just that. There was a very nice surprise and a not-so-nice surprise.

First, the nice...

Read about my experience.

~Julie

Read More Reviews

THE UPSELL

Imagine lying on a treatment table in a lovely Spa ready to have that facial you've been looking forward to. You're settled in. The light is low. You're warm. You're comfortable. Soft music is playing. You're relaxed. The esthetician gently knocks on the door to see if you're ready. She quietly comes in. You hear her wash her hands. You hear her making preparations for the facial. But before starting the facial, she first makes you suffer through THE UPSELL!... Read more...

~Julie

Events for Spa Consumers

• SpaFinder Deal Days
  During this one-week-only event, select spas across America will offer consumers spa treatments priced at $50.
  March 8 to 14, 2010
• Spring Spa Week Event
  Spa Week is a Bi-Annual Event that allows you to enjoy luxurious full-service spa treatments at hthe finest spas all across North America for just $50 each.
  April 12-18, 2010
  
• Hay House Events - See how one day can improve your life
  
• Spa Cultures, Dreams & Healing Waters
  Bad Sulza, Germany
  June 29 - July 4, 2010

Spa Conference and Expo Reports

Part 3 of 3 of my report of the 19th annual ISPA Conference & Expo that took place October 5-8, 2008 at the Austin Convention Center in Austin, Texas includes my notes from Keynote Speakers Tony Hsieh, Jeremy Gutsche and Guy Kawasaki; a panel discussion about How to Preserve Quality in a Shifting Economy with Denise Vitiello, Tammy Pahel, Angee Smithee-Senior and Diane Trieste; 30+ Tools, Tips, and Techniques for Hiring and Retaining Top Talent in Today's Turbulent Times from Mel Kleiman and highlights from the expo.
Read Part 3 of the report.
Read Part 2 of the report.
Read Part 1 of the report.

~Julie

Best Spa Lists

Events for Spa Professionals

• IBS (International Beauty Show) New York
  Jacob Javitts Center, NY, NY
  March 7-9, 2010
• Day Spa Expo & Business Forum
  Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada
  March 13-15, 2010
• Face & Body Midwest
  McCormick Place West, Chicago, Illinois
  March 27-29, 2010
• 2010 Global Spa Summit (by invitation only)
  Cragan Palace Kempinski Hotel, Istanbul, Turkey
  May 17-19, 2010
• Building and Sustaining High Quality Systems for Spas
  6-Week Online Course
  Summer 2010 - July 2010
  Linda Bankoski and Julie Register of SpaQuality LLC will teach this online elective course for the Spa and Hospitality Management Certificate Program at the University of California - Irvine Extension using The International Standards of SpaExcellence^SM2008 for the textbook. Enrollment in the certificate program is not required in order to take the course.
  

More Spa Events in the News

Spa Studies

• Intelligent Spas Releases Updated Thailand Spa Industry Report (December 2009)
• HFD on Spa Benchmarking - Reliability vs. Marketability (December 2009)
• Coyle Hospitality Group and WTS International Reveal Latest Spa Consumer Trends and Insights (November 2009)
• Intelligent Spas Publishes Fifth Spa Study for Australia (October 2009)
• Intelligent Spas Publishes Updated Research on South Africa (October 2009)
• ISPA Releases 2009 U.S. Spa Industry Statistics (July 2009)

More Spa Studies

Spa People in the News

• Sheri Claflin Appointed Director Spa Operations at Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa Sonoma, California
• The Palms Hotel & Spa Selects Kate Brown as Spa Director
• The Ritz-Carlton Spa, Dove Mountain Hires Samantha Malone-Telesford as First Spa Director
• Stefanie Wilson Named Director of Spa and Retail at The Seagate Hotel & Spa in Delray Beach, Florida
• Vanessa Infante Appointed Spa Director at Capella Pedregal
• Historic Gasparilla Inn & Club Appoints Jennifer Knight as Spa Director

More Spa People in the News

Spa Products in the News

• G.M. Collin Skincare launches Bio Organique "Distinguised Organic Skin Care" line featuring organic ingredients certified by Ecocert, QAI, & NOP-USDA.
• Andrew Morgan Collection Introduces Groundbreaking And Revolutionary Aromatherapy-Infused, Eco-Friendly Textile Collection

More Spa Products in the News

Education

SpaQuality LLC to Teach Quality Mnagement Course this Summer

Julie Register and Linda Bankoski will again teach Building and Sustaining High Quality Systems for Spas in conjunction with the University of California - Irvine Extension's online Spa and Hospitality Management Certificate Program. The 6-week course will be offered as an online certificate elective starting in July, 2010. However, it may be taken without enrolling in the full certificate. The textbook for this course is The International Standards of SpaExcellence^SM.

• Click HERE for details of the course.
  
• Click HERE to order a discounted PDF copy of the textbook.
  
• Click HERE to enroll in the course.
  

Here's a sample typical of the feedback provided by the past course participants:

• Just loved the structured approach and the seemingly easy, straight forward way of explaining a complex system. Thank you for sharing and I learned so much.
• The instructors were very knowledgeable and very available for any questions we had as students.
• I learned a tremendous amount of information that will help me in my future career.
  
• The presentations were very organized & straightforward. Great visuals & examples.
• The instructors were very friendly, helpful & knowledgeable.
  
• ...this course is unbelievably interesting.
  
• I have to say that this course has been the best structured so far! As instructors: YOU GUYS ROCK!!! I have NEVER had such thorough feedback. The best class I have EVER taken!!!
  
• This was a great course & I'm so happy that I took it.

Publications

The International Standards of SpaExcellence^SM2010
Managing for the Sustained Success of a Spa
A Quality System Approach

By Linda Bankoski and
Julie Register

The fifth edition of The Standards are available in four formats:

With Guidance and Examples
This 262-page book includes The Standards, concept discussions and examples.

• Print - $195 USD (There will be additional shipping charges for addresses outside the United States)
• PDF - $95 USD (This electronic format can be sent to any email address that accepts attached pdf files.)

Without Guidance and Examples
This 69-page book contains only the standards section of the larger 262-page book.

• Print - $70 USD (There will be additional shipping charges for addresses outside the United States)
• PDF - $35 USD (This electronic format can be sent to any email address that accepts attached pdf files.)
  

Click HERE for information on how to order and for details about the book's contents, the changes for this edition, the Model of a Process-Based Spa Quality System andThe Table of Contents.

The International Standards of SpaExcellenceSM has been sold to spas in over 20 countries.

The New Year - A Good Time for Spa Business Review
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It's Time for The Spa Industry to Cross "The Chasm" and Step into "The Tornado"
by Julie Register, Owner of DiscoverSpas.com and SpaQuality's Managing Director of Operations

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Actionable Feedback:The Key to Guaranteed Results
by Linda Bankoski, SpaQuality's Managing Director of Education and Assessment

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