A Spa for Boutique Resorts
The Spa at Xandari by the Pacific

The Spa at Xandari by the Pacific in Costa Rica at Playa Esterillos is slated to open this week as a boutique spa catering almost exclusively to resort guests of 11 villas in the first stage of this sister resort to Xandari Resort and Spa Central Valley, with plans to expand to 20 villas by the next season.

Architect and owner Sherrill Broudy of the already successful Xandari Resort and Spa Central Valley has designed another gem and together with active artist wife Charlene who has contributed monumental art and dedicated pieces for the resort, it is poised to be another success story. As the Xandari Central Valley this new venue also features a boutique spa.

Konrad Esquivel is the opening spa director for this newly built facility. His background is in the healing arts with a focus on massage therapy and Quantum Touch and he comes from an active therapy practice. He has spent the last few months sourcing products, and continuing job-specific training with Spa College, interviewing staff, researching and designing a menu to fit the premises. With four young children and one more on it's way, management is second nature to Konrad and with studies in art and philosophy he brings a level of awareness to the process of design and implementation that guests will greatly appreciate.

With 11 villas, that although nearly fully booked throughout the season from December to May, and then again in the summer with guests staying an average of 3 days, the resort provides potentially only 20 guests a day for the spa.

But of course competition is stiff, there are numerous activities to choose from as well as the pools and the beach at your doorstep. The owner of the resort has stated his parameters: The spa is a necessary amenity. The call for revenue is clearly stated. Clients cannot be overwhelmed by pricing and although the room rates are in the luxury category, the spa has to remain attractively priced. Staffing costs are always a consideration and while service is paramount, it is hard to keep everyone busy with possibly only 10 guests a day. Independent contractors only go so far and with specifically designed treatments featuring local products.

Menu design is the key element to attracting guests. Konrad's menu is designed to enhance the guest experience from the moment they arrive. Rather then become an add-on service for the vacationer, the spa wants to accompany the guest from the beginning. The goal is to serve guests multiple times during their stay, in fact if appropriate multiple times a day. While Konrad does not expect most guests to come specifically for the spa (yet), and knows that they have other priorities, treatments can still become an integral part of the guest experience without dominating.

Becoming quickly acclimated after extensive travel, climate change and encountering a different culture is paramount to getting the most out of a vacation. The spa greets newcomers with the opportunity to participate in a "Welcome to Costa Rica Ritual", gently introducing tropical ingredients and featuring a scrub made from fine white local sanitized sand and a mountain mud masque that will remove toxins - all embedded in fine tropical scents and luxurious lotions.

Konrad plans to address each guest's needs individually and design a treatment plan that accommodates their specific needs and wants and addresses their activities while at the resort. Whether that is a "Footloose Treatment" before a day of hiking and a "Replenish" session after a day of action, or a soothing "Sun Recovery" wrap to soothe rehydrate the skin after sunbathing - all requests are met effectively. Creating a personal relationship with each guest is his goal. Guests will recognize the expertise and appreciate the personal attention.

The setting is your choice, whether in the privacy of your villa, at your favorite spot on the private beach or in one of the colorful spa rooms it's up the guest.

As a full service spa, the challenge will be to manage capacities profitability and keep staff on board. Some service providers will have other reasons to be in Costa Rica, taking a break from a stressful career while still doing what they love, looking for a holistic environment and management in which to practice their art, or having their residence close to the resort and being happy not to have to travel to work. In seeking providers with those circumstances, Konrad has been able to assemble an expert team.

The experience that the Spa at Xandari will provide is intentionally designed to provide an authentic glimpse into the culture and nature of Costa Rica. Rather than resorting to brand-name products they have chosen a local provider of organic lotions, scrubs, masques and wraps who produces in small batches for a limited market and ships by local bus to the resort as well as to utilize available ingredients directly from the land that grow readily in this climate such as aloe vera.

Clients will be able to purchase some products to take home, extending their experience of Costa Rica to their bathroom at home. Economic survival means for a spa of this operational size utilizing every resource to build a connection with every single guest and becoming an integral part of their stay.

More at Xandari

~

Nicolay Kreidler is an instructor at Touching from the Heart and a facilitator at Spa College. He is an active consultant to the spa industry with iSpad.

You can also reach Nicolay at nicolay@ispad.net