We had the chance to speak to Brooke Zarconi, spa operations manager at The Spa at Gervasi Vineyard (Canton, OH), to get an inside look at the new spa, which opened in April 2023.
Can you tell me a little bit about the spa’s design?
The Spa’s design is luxurious and sophisticated. The Spa’s design team and leadership transitioned between a few themes for The Spa and decided to lean into rich golds, white, black, and earthy accents. When you walk through the doors of The Spa, you are transcended to complete luxury. Stunning chandeliers, light fixtures, and furniture were thoughtfully curated for the space. Spa designer, Michelle Pelafas, played an integral role in the design of The Spa. Much of The Spa’s equipment and furnishings were created and crafted by the Pelafas team. Guests will take in beautiful vineyard views as they unwind and enjoy the sophisticated interior of The Spa.
Please describe each of the treatment rooms.
There are seven treatment rooms. There is one Duo Room, which features two treatment beds. The Duo Room is ideal for two individuals to enjoy two services during the same appointment. Facials, body treatments, or massages are available for booking in the Duo Room. There are two couples' spa suites that include two treatment tables, a chromotherapy air bath, and a chromotherapy steam shower. The couples' suites are ideal for an experience all in the privacy of staying within the suite. The couple will experience one or two services, the soak in the air bath, steam/shower, and light refreshments all without having to leave the spa suite. We offer a fruit and cheese plate, or chocolate-covered strawberries. There are four individual treatment rooms. These rooms have a single treatment bed for facials, body treatments, and massages. There is also a Glam Room, which is where all nail, hair, and makeup services take place.
What makes the spa unique and sets it apart from other spas in the area?
The Spa at Gervasi Vineyard is unique from other spas in the area due to its location, interior design, and services provided. The Spa is located within the Resort of Gervasi Vineyard. The moment you drive onto the property, you are transcended to Tuscany, Italy without having to leave the U.S. Guests will experience a true resort spa treatment from the moment they walk through the doors. The Spa at Gervasi Vineyard also offers a Tranquility Welcome, which is unlike any other spa welcomes in the area. Guests are invited to arrive 30 minutes before their scheduled service to enjoy a complimentary beverage, including a glass of Gervasi’s award-winning wine, light refreshments, warmed neck wrap, all in Gervasi’s Signature Aromatherapy Tranquility Lounge. Gervasi’s treatments were thoughtfully curated with our guest in mind. The Spa offers top-of-the-line and cutting-edge equipment and products to deliver treatments that are truly one of a kind.
How would you describe your typical clientele?
Typical clientele are made up of hotel guests and local guests looking to experience a unique and memorable spa experience. The Spa opened its doors in April and saw a wide range of clientele from couples to spa seekers looking for a unique experience. There is a mix of locals and hotel guests that book services at The Spa.
How are you marketing the spa to your hotel guests?
When a hotel guest books their hotel through our online booking platform, they have the option to directly book a spa service, as well. Hotel guests also receive a reminder email about booking their spa service days before their check-in. Once the hotel guests’ check-in, they are also delivered information about booking their spa appointment if they have not done so already.
How are you marketing the spa to local guests or those not staying at the hotel?
The Gervasi marketing team has put an extensive plan together to engage and attract local guests not staying at the hotel. The plan consists of targeted digital ads, targeted YouTube and OTT ads, SEO, SEM, and paid social. The spa and marketing team have been running several contests to increase awareness through email and social platforms. Follow TheSpa_atGervasiVineyard on Instagram that showcases the interior, spa services, and appointment availability.
Tell us a little bit about the creation of the spa menu.
Creating the menu was a very large task and took months of research and finalizing. Thankfully, working in many resort spas over the last couple of decades really helped narrow down some of the many options we discussed. First, deciding the product lines was crucial in figuring out what services to offer. Prior to being a spa manager, I was a massage therapist for many years, developing protocols has been a fun way to be creative and know exactly how to offer great treatments for our guests.
Our Signature Massage includes a choice of Kerstin Florian Aromatherapy, heated herbal poultices, a neroli facial massage, and a Shu Uemura hot oil scalp massage. Our Signature Facial is customizable using Babor Skincare in addition to a 24-karat gold hydro jelly mask, and a hand and foot massage. Our Signature Red Wine pedicure is inspired by our vineyard. We add in a beautiful, pedicure soak that changes the water into a wine-like color and using a Rosé Hydrating Foot/Hand Masque that has resveratrol (the anti-aging properties found in fermented grapes) help keep the hands and feet well moisturized and looking their best.
After all the services, our guests are given a plate of grapes to enjoy and a custom blood orange caramel truffle.
Did you take any green initiatives when creating the spa/creating the menu/selecting the spa products?
We do our best working with quality companies that feel it is equally important to share our green promises. We use all recyclable plastics for our disposables and washable glassware for our Gervasi select wines we offer. It is critical to set an example and create an impact on our green efforts throughout the state of Ohio.
What is most spa-goers looking for when they visit your spa? What treatments do most spa-goers gravitate toward?
Most of our spa goers gravitate to our signature services, as we are so new. They want to experience what we are most excited to offer, however, we have many enhancements to add into our services including a Cryotherapy Headache Relief Massage, Knesko Collagen Facial masks are available for massage and facial services, and adding a CBD Pain relieving cream to any massage is available.
What treatments are a harder sell? How do you promote them?
Our Body Indulgences are booked a little less than massage or facials. We have had great success with pricing our packages well and including a scrub or wrap to a massage or facial is the best way to book the body services.
What product lines do you carry at the spa and why did you select them?
The spa carries Babor, Cause+Medic CBD, Kerstin Florian, and Shu Uemura.
Tell us about your staff.
We have a total of 29 staff members. 18 full-time and 11 part-time. All our staff have had spa experience prior to working at Gervasi. We did an extensive hiring process. It was critical to have them perform up to two practicals for the interview process.
How many clients can the spa handle on a typical day?
If staff scheduling wasn’t a factor, the spa can turn 90- to 50-minute spa services and 72 glam services in a day. Due to hiring struggles, we have been able to maximize 95 services total in one day.
What sort of retail offerings do you offer?
The Spa carries an extensive product line from brands Babor, Cause + Medic, Kerstin Florian, and Shu Uemura. The Spa also sells clothing apparel; Faceplant and Beyond Yoga, along with some private labeled items like tank tops, sweaters, and our signature scented candles and diffusers.
What do you find your biggest challenge to be, and how do you meet that challenge?
I am finding that the biggest challenge thus far is maintaining consistency with clientele reservations. As with many resort spas, there are ebbs and flows with traveling guests. High seasons like summer and lulls during some months of the year. With being a new property, we are learning when our high seasons are and figuring out game plans for those slower times.
What plans do you have for the future?
We are currently planning on promoting new seasonal services that can change year to year with specific products and services, but I have found that the community is really excited for those fun services, whether it be a pumpkin scent for the fall or a tropical scent for the summer.
SIDEBAR
Owners: Ted and Linda Swaldo
Spa Director: Brooke Zarconi
Opened: April 11, 2023
CLIENT BASE:
65% female
35% male
SPACE:
5,000 square feet
7 treatment rooms
ARCHITECT:
Norman Eckinger Construction Inc. (Canton, OH)
INTERIOR DESIGNER:
Michele Pelafas Inc. (Chicago)