"By listening to our clientele, we ensure that we are meeting and exceeding their expectations. We continually create new and innovative treatments that invigorate and energize with seasonal variations infused with natural products designed to restore balance to the body. We also utilize a number of marketing programs to stay on the minds of our guests, including direct mail, e-mail blasts, and special invitations for exclusive treatments. One element that helps to establish the bar and sets us apart from our competition is our emphasis on providing a complete spa experience—from the varied treatments and use of our health club facilities to a personalized health and wellness evaluation for each individual by our certified trainers."—Travis Umpleby, spa director, The Spa at Rowe's Wharf (Boston)
"We set ourselves apart from the competition by being consistently focused on one thing: the guest. With that focus comes success to the team in terms of personal and financial rewards. Staying true to our message of intentional wellness is a point of difference where I see other spas unclear and distracted in their direction. This is something our spa-savvy guests pick up on." —Michelle S. Young, spa director, Willow Stream Spa at The Fairmont Empress (Victoria, British Columbia)
"Because americans get so few vacations each year, we set ourselves apart by helping guests take the spa experience home with them, following a mission to educate our guests about the ritual and benefits of spa. Education plays a key role in everything we do. All treatment providers—not only licensed massage therapists, but also estheticians, nail technicians, hair stylists, and front desk staff—receive continual education, helping them in turn help guests better understand their own needs."—Ann Brown, spa director, Spa Shiki at the Lodge of Four Seasons (Lake Ozark, MO)
"Setting ourselves apart from the competition rests in the hands of our therapists. Our focus and competitive edge has always been in creating innovative treatments, often with a seasonal emphasis, that stand out from the crowd and in the training and high quality of our technicians." —Mary Low, spa services manager, Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa (Phoenix)