Opened in July 2001, the Spa at Turnberry Isle Miami has established itself as a popular Mediterranean-style retreat. Designed by renowned architect Tag Galyean, the 25,000-square-foot spa and fitness center is made up of 22 treatment rooms, a salon, a boutique, and a café. The sanctuary-like atmosphere features natural light that floods through a glass dome skylight and dramatic glass wall, highlighting a soothing fountain and a grand spiral staircase. Although the resort and spa was managed by Fairmont Hotels & Resorts for a period of time, it was reacquired in 2006 by the Soffer Family, who originally founded Turnberry Isle Miami in 1970. More recently, spa director Michael Perez was brought on board to manage the spa and its 50 employees. Since joining the team, he reports a 45 percent increase in business year-over-year due in part to a greater capture rate of in-house groups and group guests and the introduction of more customized treatments and seasonal services. In addition, the spa is focused on raising the bar on service standards and showcasing the talents of the spa team that has been in place for many years. Here, Perez shares how he and his team at Turnberry are making the spa a true profit center for the property.
How has the Spa at Turnberry Isle Miami continued to succeed over the years?
A. Between tremendous brand recognition and engaged owners, the Spa at Turnberry Isle Miami continues to celebrate success and be a premier spa destination. In addition, our therapists have been with the spa an average of 10 to 15 years, and as a result, we reign in a lot of repeat business from guests who come back time and again to indulge in treatments performed by their favorite therapists.
What are some of the steps you’ve taken to boost business this year?
A. This year, we have focused heavily on increasing our group and club member capture ratio. To do so, I’ve been involved in every site inspection, whether or not there is interest in including spa treatments as part of the group experience. Selling the concept of a “spa with no barriers” also allows us to make the group spa experience unique and even more enticing. We’ve also increased the number of membership spa events and e-blasts to further create awareness for new and existing club members.
How do you attract new and repeat clients and encourage them to visit?
A. We do so through creative packaging and promotions, regular e-blasts to our local spa database, outreach to incoming guests, and annual incentives that we give our therapists based on the number of repeat guests they book. In addition, we give bounce-back offers to new guests to encourage them to visit us a second, third, and fourth time.
How do you use digital marketing and social media to increase business?
A. We regularly distribute seasonal offers to our spa and club member databases. Such offers are featured in digital pieces sent to our past resort guest databases. We also continuously build spa into our social media schedule.
What steps and cost-cutting measures do you employ?
A. We employ proper product uses and protocols and hold our staff accountable for both. Also, ensuring that payroll matches occupancy and revenue trends is extremely important.
Have you changed your menu of offerings? If so, what effect has it had on the business?
A. We are building buzz for a spectacular new menu to be released late third quarter 2013, which will give the Spa at Turnberry Isle Miami a foothold into the marketplace. The new menu will focus on ingredients indigenous to the state of Florida, as well as healthy dining options to help take advantage of gaps in our comp set.
What have you learned from surviving the recent recession, and how do you plan to incorporate those lessons in the future?
A. It has shown me how to tear apart a P&L and control products, as well as payroll. Creative marketing is also really important to keep us fresh and unique by offering new specials each month.