SPA EXECUTIVE MAY 2022

ISSUE #36 MAY 2022
SPA EXECUTIVE
FOR LEADERS IN THE BUSINESS OF WELLNESS
The Design Issue
Bill Bensley
ON DESIGN, GUEST EXPERIENCE & THE SINGLE
MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENT OF A SPA
Featured property:
Shinta Mani Wild
Feature:
How building design impacts wellbeing
& the spa experience
News:
The new Forbes Star Award
winners for 2022

PUBLISHER
Roger Sholanki
EDITOR, CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Elizabeth Bromstein
DESIGNER
Design Pickle
AD SALES, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR,
PRODUCTION MANAGER
Sal Capizzi
Note from the Publisher
Dear readers,
How does design impact the guest experience? According to world-renowned architect and
hospitality designer, Bill Bensley, “It’s everything!”
Bensley, our Spotlight interview for this month’s design issue, is the creative mind behind some of
the most breathtaking hospitality spaces around the globe. Based in Bangkok, Bensley has
designed properties for Four Seasons, Rosewood, Marriott, and many more, including Bensley
Collection’s own Shinta Mani Pool Villas Siem Reap and Shinta Mani Wild, in Cambodia.
He told us that the single most important element of a spa is that “the relationship to mother
nature is paramount,” and that “good design should be unique to where you are, an education in
itself on the new culture you are immersing yourself in.” Read the entire interview here.
Mother nature and a unique sense of place are themes that come up more than once. Alberto
Apostoli also talked about these things in his interview about designing for wellness in 2022. We’re
fortunate that these two talented creatives took some time for us this month.
More on nature’s impact on the spa experience can be found in articles on how design, sound,
and light impact wellbeing and the spa experience. Plus, we report on a study in which scientists
believe they’ve found evidence refuting the theory that smell perception – meaning the scents we
like or dislike – is culturally influenced. Because how your spa smells matters too.
Our featured property is Bensley Collection’s Shinta Mani Wild, a concept in Cambodia that takes
glamping to a whole new level. And we’ve got a list of the new winners of the Forbes Travel Guide
Five-Star Awards for 2022.
So much goes into creating the environments of the world’s best hotels, resorts, and spas. Let’s all
take a moment to appreciate the buildings, light, nature, and sounds around us, and the people
who put them together. Thank a designer today.
I hope you enjoy reading this month’s articles in Spa Executive and they provide valuable information
to help you achieve success.
Spa Executive
The online magazine for Spa
Executives, featuring news
and exclusive interviews.
Roger Sholanki,
CEO,
Book4Time

Contents
May 2022 Volume 36
3
15
4
6
8
11
13
17
20
FEATURE:
How building design impacts
wellbeing & the spa
experience
FEATURE:
How light impacts wellbeing &
the spa experience
FEATURE:
How sound impacts wellbeing
& the spa experience
FEATURED PROPERTY:
Shinta Mani Wild
SPOTLIGHT:
Bill Bensley on design, guest
experience & the single most
important element of a spa
RESEARCH:
Is this the best smell in the
world?
NEWS:
Forbes Travel Guide announces
2022 Star Awards
22
INSIGHT:
Alberto Apostoli on finding the
unique concept of wellbeing for
every spa
24
CASE STUDY:
Resorts World Las Vegas
8

News
How building
design
impacts
wellbeing &
the spa
experience
Bathhouse underground spa features original brickwork, geometric matte-black tiles, and a custom
tile mural by illustrator Amit Greenberg depicting an Ancient Roman-inspired bathing scene.
Design for health and wellbeing is a
burgeoning field of research and study. Here’s
how building design impacts wellbeing & the
spa experience.
The built environment of a hotel, spa, or
wellness business will have a big impact on
people’s experience in that building and even
a direct impact on their health and wellbeing.
The architects and designers creating these
spaces have much to take into account, going
beyond the simple safety and practicality of a
structure and into its potential impact on our
breath, sleep, stress levels, mood, and more.
Design for health and wellbeing is, in fact, a
burgeoning field of research and study,
interest in which is said to be growing since
the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. We
have been spending more time thinking
about the design of our living
environments, but also about our work,
play, healthcare and vacation
environments. When and why should we
leave the safety of our homes for another
building and what will be the impact
when we do?
The growing interest in
wellness-focused design
From office spaces and schools, to retail
spaces, restaurants, hotels, resorts, and
spas, how the people inside those spaces
feel can have a make-or-break impact on
the successful realization of their
intended purpose.
Research indicates that wellness-focused
design may contribute to increases in
employee productivity, morale, teamwork,
and retention. In hospital and healthcare
settings, architects and stakeholders are
coming together to incorporate principles of
social design into the built environment in a
bid to improve patient outcomes.
The design of your spa will impact the guest
experience and the results of your service
offerings. Air quality, noise filtering and
acoustics, lighting, and the sounds and colors
that you incorporate will have an impact on
how people feel in that space.
Design influenced by a rich history can add
an experience and enhance the journey.
Working with the lines and story of an
existing space will inform and influence the
story of how a guest feels in that space.
For example, Bathhouse, in Williamsburg,
Brooklyn, is located in a transformed 1930s
soda factory. The space, designed by
Manhattan firm Verona Carpenter Architects,
houses a restaurant and subterranean spa
influenced by Scandinavian saunas, Turkish
hammams and Russian banyas.
Bathhouse has been lauded for its unique
design that stays true to the building’s
04 | Spa Executive News

The Khmer Tonic Spa at Shinta Mani Wild blurs lines between indoors and out
heritage. Dezeen reported that the
600-square-metre underground spa features
original brickwork, geometric matte-black
tiles, and a custom tile mural by illustrator
Amit Greenberg depicting an Ancient
Roman-inspired bathing scene.
And, let’s not forget how things smell. What
people smell in your space is of the utmost
importance. Interestingly, new research
suggests that vanilla is the most loved smell in
the world.
Incorporating natural elements into design,
including plants and water features may
have a positive impact, as exposure to
nature is said to enhance wellbeing and
health outcomes.
More aspects of wellness design include
whether furniture is actually comfortable,
rather than simply nice to look at, and places
for social gathering, as people have always
craved community.
Spas should be welcoming and relaxing
environments, while fitness areas must not be
too sleepy, but rather, lend themselves to
motivation. It’s a lot to think about.
The built environment and interior design
of your spa affects your team too
And your guests are not the only people to
consider. You want your staff to feel
comfortable, at ease, motivated to provide the
best service, and you want them to be happy
when they come to work. The spaces where
they rest, rejuvenate, and eat, should be
among the top concerns. Comfortable seating
and appropriate lighting matter. Your team
members also need windows and plants,
where possible.
Blurring the lines between indoors and
outdoors is among the best strategies, so
people can sit in the sun and breathe fresh air
whenever possible, and another increasingly
popular design strategy.
Bill Bensley’s designs are excellent examples
of this. Among them are the Khmer Tonic Spa
at the stunning Shinta Mani Wild in Cambodia,
which features two treatment rooms nestled
amid giant natural rocks in the forest canopy.
Though most spa directors and managers are
unlikely to be designing a spa themselves, an
understanding of wellness design principles
employed in your space will help you optimize
their efficacy. Take note of the elements that
create and contribute to particular
experiences and positive spaces – a smell, a
color, a soft fabric, and the light coming
through a particular window – to enhance a
tranquil or memorable moment.
05 | Spa Executive News

News
How light
impacts
wellbeing &
the spa
experience
The best light for relaxation in your spa
environment includes natural light and
possibly blue light, according to research.
Here’s how light impacts wellbeing and the
spa experience.
Light impacts human health and wellbeing in
various ways. Light is critical to our daily
activities and wellbeing, impacting health
and human function by enabling
performance of visual tasks, controlling the
body’s circadian system, affecting mood and
perception, and facilitating direct absorption
for critical chemical reactions within the
body (Source: Impact of Light on Outcomes in
Healthcare Settings).
The invention of the electric light bulb forever
changed the way humans construct our daily
lives and had many positive effects, like
allowing us to extend the day and social
activities after sundown and drastically
reducing the risk of house fires. But there
were downsides also, that include a reduced
reliance on and appreciation for natural light.
Natural light can have measurable
health benefits
Natural light is the preferred light source for
most people. A study examining the impact
of natural light on staff satisfaction in
healthcare settings found that 43% rated
increased natural light as having a very
positive impact on their work life, and 27%
rated it as having a positive impact. And, in
another survey by Future Workplace,
employees ranked “access to natural light
and views of the outdoors” as their number
one desire for a workplace environment.
Direct exposure (not through a window) to
natural light boosts absorption of vitamin D, a
critical nutrient for preventing bone loss, and
reduces the risk of heart disease, weight gain,
and various cancers. Exposure to natural light
also helps reduce the risk of seasonal
depression when days get shorter in fall and
winter and improves sleep quality (even
through glass).
A 2014 study published in the Journal of
Clinical Sleep Medicine found that workers in
environments with windows had significantly
more light exposure during work hours and
slept an average of 46 minutes more per
night during the workweek than workers in
environments without windows. Workers
without windows reported more sleep
disturbances and poorer sleep quality.
More research has found that length of stay
was shorter for hospital patients whose
beds were near windows than for those
near doors, and workers who were exposed
to natural light experienced an 84% drop in
06 | Spa Executive News

issues such as headaches, eyestrain, and
blurred vision. Among hospital patients
undergoing spinal surgeries, those on the
bright side of a hospital unit were exposed
to 46% higher-intensity sunlight on average
than those on the dim side. The study
found that patients on the bright side
experienced less perceived stress and took
less analgesic medication per hour than
those on the dim side.
The color of relaxation
None of this means that artificial light does
not have its place. Without it, we’d spend a lot
more time in the dark and, in fact, there’s
evidence to suggest forms of light therapy
with artificial light can help treat depression
and slow the process of dementia. But we
to three times faster than conventional white
lighting. Inc.com reports that separate
research has found subjects report feeling
relaxed more quickly in blue lighting, and that
“some municipalities are even experimenting
with using blue lighting on train platforms to
calm the agitated and reduce the risk
of suicide.”
More factors to consider include the intensity
and direction of the light.
When planning the lighting design of your spa
environment, or any other environment
where the primary purpose is to create a
relaxing atmosphere and promote wellbeing,
one might consider incorporating blue light
where appropriate. But natural light, if
possible, is a must.
can’t just go out and buy any old light bulb
when creating an environment designed for
relaxation and stress relief.
If you’re looking for relaxing light color, you
might consider blue. An interesting 2017 study
found that blue speeds up the relaxation
process after acute psychosocial stress to up
07 | Spa Executive News

How sound impacts
wellbeing & the spa experience
The sound of your spa environment has an
impact on how people feel when they’re in it.
Here’s how sound affects stress levels and the
guest experience in your spa.
The sound of your spa environment affects
how people feel when they’re in it.
We know that loud noise exposure can impact
the ear and cause hearing loss, and studies
suggest it can have other detrimental health
effects. Traffic and airport noise exposure, for
example, is linked to cardiovascular events like
heart attack and stroke. Noise has even been
linked to increased blood glucose levels and
increased risk of diabetes.
Noise is a nonspecific stressor
According to a paper published in
Antioxidants & Redox Signaling, noise is a
nonspecific stressor that activates the
autonomic nervous system and endocrine
signaling, and chronic low noise levels are
associated with disturbances of activity, sleep,
and communication, “which can trigger a
number of emotional responses, including
annoyance and subsequent stress.” And we
know, of course, that stress is associated with
negative health outcomes, including
cardiovascular risk factors.
Loud noise probably isn’t a major consideration
in your spa (we’re assuming you’re not hiring
industrial metal bands to play live shows in
your pool area), but the way sound carries and
the sonic environment as a whole can still have
a positive or negative impact on the guest.
How far a voice travels or construction or
street noises from outside can interrupt an
otherwise blissful experience. These are things
to be mindful of.
And what, at the other end, constitutes a
relaxing sonic environment? Silence, they say,
is golden, but not necessarily always ideal.
Some sounds may be able to induce a trance
or relaxation state, as evidenced in the
practice of sound therapy and the use of
singing bowls. And music is, of course, a
familiar element often incorporated into the
treatment experience.
Music may increase revenue
Did you know that music can have a positive
impact on business?
According to a study by Music Works:
08 | Spa Executive News

1/3 of customers are willing to pay
5%
more in businesses that play music.
3/4 of employees enjoy
going to work more when
music is played, and 1/3
are less likely to take time
off sick.
More than
50%
of customers spend more time in
stores that play music.
81%
of people prefer hair salons that
play music.
Music in waiting rooms
makes over 3/4 of people
feel more relaxed.
while driving.” This may or may not
be hyperbole.
The song’s harmonies, rhythms, and bass lines
are purportedly designed to slow the heart
rate, reduce blood pressure, and lower levels of
the stress hormone cortisol. Listening to
“Weighless” was also said to slow breathing and
reduce brain activity. Subjects reportedly
experienced a 65% reduction in overall anxiety.
The eight-minute-long track features guitar,
piano, and electronic samples of natural
soundscapes overlayed with chants. It contains
a sustaining rhythm that starts at 60 beats per
minute and gradually slows to around 50.
Lyz Cooper, founder of the British Academy of
Sound Therapy, told Spa Executive in 2019 that
a person’s heart rate will gradually slow to
match the pulse of the track, which leads to a
fall in blood pressure.
The sound of birds and water
The researchers wrote: “The results affirm
that natural sounds improve health, increase
positive affect, and lower stress and
annoyance … Raising awareness of natural
soundscapes at national parks provides
opportunities to enhance visitor
health outcomes.”
Open the window and let the sounds of birds
and water into the spa – but close it when it
gets too noisy out there.
Don’t, however, assume everyone wants to
listen to new age music or typical “spa”
sounds. Offering a music menu is one good
way to ensure the guest gets to hear what
they want. Just make sure your walls aren’t so
thin that, if the person chooses pop music or
a bombastic symphony, the guest next door
who opted for the New Age drone isn’t
listening to Beethoven’s 9th.
The most relaxing music in the world
In 2011, researchers claimed to have found
the world’s most relaxing music. The track
most likely to chill you out, they said, is
“Weightless,” by Manchester trio Marconi
Union, who worked with sound therapists
to create it. It was said to be so effective at
inducing sleep “it should not be listened to
Meanwhile, despite the caution about not
everyone wanting to hear “spa music,” we do
know that the sound of nature can make
people feel better. A 2019 study reportedly
found that gentle woodland sounds, such as
birdsong and the breeze rustling leaves in the
trees, are more relaxing than meditation
recordings. And, research conducted in 2021
found that nature sounds may positively
influence health outcomes.
The researchers found that people who
experienced the sounds of nature felt
decreased pain, lower stress, improved mood,
and had enhanced cognitive performance. Bird
sounds were best for combatting stress and
annoyance, while the sound of water was most
effective at improving positive emotions and
health outcomes, a research brief stated.
09 | Spa Executive News

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Featured property:
Shinta Mani Wild
Shinta Mani Wild guests enjoy creative luxury
adventure activities, feast on delicious cuisine
including local freshly foraged ingredients,
relax at the Khmer Tonics Spa, and join the
Wildlife Alliance anti-poaching rangers and
researchers as they study the forest and
its inhabitants.
400-acre river valley connecting the Bokor
National Park with Kirirom National Park, and
set out to protect the area from poaching,
mining and logging. A resort like no other
grew out of the land and into 800 acres where
15 tents, custom designed “to invoke the
feeling of what it would have been like to be
on a luxury safari in the jungles of Cambodia
Shinta Mani Wild takes glamping to a whole
new level in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, where
the guest experience begins with a zipline
with Jackie O,” now perch along 1.5 kilometers
over river and waterfalls, providing exquisite
views and experiences.
ride over a river and waterfalls into the
Landing Zone Bar where you’re handed a
Gin & Tonic upon arrival.
Guests are invited to enjoy creative luxury
adventure activities, feast on delicious
cuisine including local freshly foraged
The resort, part of the Bensley Collection, was
born out of an altruistic land purchase.
Renowned resort designer, Bill Bensley,
identified the unprotected wildlife corridor, a
ingredients, relax at the Khmer Tonics Spa,
and join the Wildlife Alliance anti-poaching
rangers and researchers as they study the
forest and its inhabitants.
11 | Spa Executive Featured Property

Signature activities include:
Wildlife Alliance Rangers
Anti-Poaching Patrol
Butterfly Walk
Jungle Trekking
acupuncture techniques and passive
stretching. Spa offerings are included in the
room rate and include natural heat healing, a
full-body scrub, and a detoxifying facial, and
can be enjoyed anywhere on the property, like
on the deck of their tent, atop a jungle peak, or
aboard a custom Bensley expedition boat.
Forest Foraging
Mountain Biking
Kayaking
Expedition Boat
Bird Watching
Camera Trap Walk
The Headquarters Restaurant serves up a
daily changing menu of dishes derived from
local ingredients grown in the wild paradise
garden, where guests can sample native nuts,
juicy jungle fruits, and rice paddy herbs.
Guests can also sign up for a private cooking
class or arrange a bespoke culinary
experience of their own making.
Khmer Tonics Spa at Shinta Mani Wild
The signature spa, Khmer Tonics, features two
treatment rooms nestled amid giant natural
rocks in the forest canopy. The spa’s wood
and stone design is in tune with the forest,
while the river takes center stage, and guests
can enjoy a river-stone foot massage while
soaking in a waterfall pool.
The treatment menu celebrates Cambodia with
chemical-free tonics made from a mix of
medicinal plants, herbs, and spices, all of which
are present in the surrounding rainforest.
Guests can experience the traditional Khmer
art of healing with a full body massage using
12 | Spa Executive Featured Property

Bill Bensley on design,
guest experience & the single most
important element of a spa
Landscape architect, architect, and designer
Bill Bensley on designing for wellness,
sustainability, the importance of
incorporating nature, and much more.
Bill Bensley is a landscape architect,
architect, and designer, renowned and
sought after in the hospitality world for
astonishing, creative, and whimsical
designs of luxury hotels, resorts, and spas.
At his Ateliers in Bangkok and Bali, simply
called BENSLEY, Bill employs a team of
150 interior designers, architects,
landscape designers, artists, and “makers
of all things beautiful.” They have created
spaces for more than 200 hotels, resorts,
and palaces in nearly 40 countries. These
include designs for Four Seasons,
Rosewood, Marriott, and many more,
plus Bensley Collection’s own Shinta Mani
Pool Villas Siem Reap and Shinta Mani
Wild, in Cambodia.
Shinta Mani Wild is an all-inclusive luxury
tented camp, described by Bill as “a utopia
of sustainability”. It is located deep in the
South Cardamom National Forest on land
Bill purchased with his business partner
Sokoun Chanpreda to save it from poaching
and logging. Upon arrival, guests zipline
400 meters over the forest canopy, a river
and waterfalls into the “Landing Zone Bar”.
The camp experience offers a variety of
activities to push people beyond their
boundaries and explore the natural
environment. The design of 15 onsite tents
is inspired by King Sihanouk and Jackie
Kennedy’s 1967 Cambodian travels.
Sustainability is one element Bill integrates
into all of his designs, in his hopes of being
part of a wave on which the hospitality
industry bands together to help reverse
climate change. His open-source white
paper “Sensible Sustainable Solutions” was
launched in January 2020 and is available
here on his website.
Another important element for Bill is
having fun. In 2017, when he was inducted
into the Hospitality Designs Hall of Fame,
he told CNN, “If it’s no fun, don’t do it. If
you’re not having fun, then you’re not
13 | Spa Executive Spotlight

going to do a good job. Everybody in our
studio here … we’re all about having fun.”
We spoke to Bill Bensley about designing
for wellness, sustainability, the importance
of incorporating nature, and much more.
Can you please talk a bit about your career
trajectory and what drew you to
architecture and design?
It actually started with career day at
school. We had to call people and ask them
to come speak – I accidentally dialed the
wrong number in the phone book (I was
aiming for the fire department) and ended
up speaking to a man called Rocco, who
was a landscape architect. He visited my
high school with a spectacular slide show
of his work at Knotts Berry Farm – a nearby
amusement park, like a western
Disneyland, that I had been visiting for
years. The idea of getting to design a place
that brings so much fun and joy to
thousands of people on a daily basis was
the lightbulb moment. I knew I had to be a
landscape architect. Rocco and I are still in
touch and I often thank him, all this time
later. After college at Harvard, by way of
scholarships, I came to Asia and cut my
teeth building many exotic gardens, mostly
in Bali, but honestly, I did not like most of
the hotel buildings I was asked to tart up
with my tamed jungles. After some time in
Singapore and Hong Kong I came to
Bangkok and set up shop in 1989… and
here we are! I never thought I would one
day be at the top of my game in South East
Asia, as a landscape architect and hotel
designer by the time I was 60.
Your designs are breathtaking. Can you share
some of the factors you consider when designing
hospitality spaces?
Why thank you! Good design, at least in my
playbook, rarely fails when it follows the 3
Es: it should EDUCATE visitors and teach
them something new, champion the
ENVIRONMENT, and provide a unique
EXPERIENCE… ticking those boxes, one
rarely goes wrong.
Take Shinta Mani Wild. The lesson there was
teaching the world that conservation is a
viable alternative to extraction, building a
tented camp in a preserved forest – without
cutting down any trees – and using it as a
means to fund protection from poachers
and loggers by the Wildlife Alliance NGO. It
is packed with experiences, from following
the rangers on patrol to arriving at the lobby
by way of a leap of faith off a seven-story
tower and flying along a 400 meter zipline
through the forest and over a waterfall, and
being handed a G&T on landing. One, I think,
will have bragging rights for the rest of their
life? I want guests to be able to feel the
pride and joy that I feel in being involved on
the real honest to God front line of
protecting the Cardamom National Park,
while also being comfortable enough to be
able to fully enjoy the beauty of this true
wilderness. I have learnt through a lifetime
of exploring wilderness areas in 50+
countries, that if one has to be fully
occupied with survival or just making
oneself comfortable, the beauty of a place
becomes foggy.
How does design impact the guest experience?
It is everything, if you ask me! There are
hotel chains which consider nondescript,
soulless blank box rooms that look identical
in every city, all over the world, good
enough. But why do that when you can do
something completely wonderful? Good
design should be unique to where you are,
an education in itself on the new culture
you are immersing yourself in. One example
is Capella Ubud. We started off as the
landscapers on the project, and the plan
architecturally was a huge hulk of a hotel
that would have obliterated the natural
beauty of the site, which is a valley sacred
to the Balinese. Being a lover of nature and
a landscape architect by training, I
persuaded our good client, Suwito, to hire
us to do the whole thing, and swap the
boring 120 room hotel for a 24-tent camp.
Capella Ubud tip toes ever so softly on the
land, without cutting down a single tree,
and working with a more luxurious hotel
operator allowed us to raise the room rate,
which is now the highest on the island.
Capella Ubud was rated #1 in the world by
Travel and Leisure. I am very proud of that!
Are there factors you consider specifically when
designing spas and wellness spaces? What
makes a space healing and restful?
The single most important element of a
spa is that the relationship to mother
nature is paramount. The guest should
have the option of being outside while
having perfect privacy. There is little more
soothing than a massage to the sound of
nature’s creatures at sunset – as I write this
I am actually having a foot massage in my
garden! Although I am a maximalist, I do
think keeping it simple in the spa cannot go
amiss. Also going local – forget the fancy
French imported products, and learn from
the locals – they know best!
Can you talk about the importance of
conservation and sustainability and why this
matters to you? Why do hospitality companies
need to understand the importance of
these things?
Conservation and sustainability should
matter to all of us. Not putting nature on
the top shelf has brought us to the brink of
climate disaster. I was raised to care, being
born in California to English immigrants
who had a small farm. We were almost
totally self-sustaining. I raised bees, quails,
14 | Spa Executive Spotlight

chickens, ducks, rabbits, mushrooms, a
huge variety of veggies, and, of course, a
compost heap. Every weekend we’d take
the trailer to a camp spot, and in the
summer we would travel all over the
states… never leaving behind more than a
footprint. We learnt respect for nature. It
makes me smile to hear the word
sustainability used so frequently these
days as though it is a new idea! At the point
we are at, the importance of caring for our
planet cannot be underestimated,
especially big players like large
corporations and hospitality companies
who cause the most impact. As individuals
we all must do what we can, but are a drop
in the ocean compared to the single-use
plastic and energy-use monsters big hotels
can be.
Are there design trends or developments you’re
excited about?
Recycling! Upcycling! Trashion! These are no
longer dirty words people turn their noses
up at. Naturally, I am overjoyed. I have
always wanted to build a hotel made of
100% recycled materials… How cool would
that be? I think we are well on the way, as we
are soon opening an InterContinental here
in Thailand where the rooms are upcycled
train carriages… we retrieved them from all
over Thailand and have renovated them into
16 stunning suites, with bespoke interiors to
fit the very particular dimensions. Some will
even become a bar and a spa! Upcycling on a
big scale is the future, and I am so glad
InterContinental joined us on this adventure.
Can you talk about the death of luxury and how
tourism will change going forward?
Journalists often ask me about that old
quote “Luxury is dead.” It really struck a
chord with people. Having gone through a
world with COVID, I think many of us have
felt that luxury is the freedom to travel, and
to do so safely. Going forward, the emphasis
will be on exclusive experiences limited to
small groups of friends or loved ones, like
buying out a small hotel or house and taking
it over for a holiday, like I did this winter in
Mexico. I also think people will prioritize
longer travel, and making the most of those
trips, rather than short jaunts, as that
makes all the paperwork worth it!
What is your favorite project you have
worked on?
You may as well ask me to choose my
favorite child, as hotels are very much that!
If I HAD to pick one, it would be Shinta
Mani Wild, as it has everything I would
want in a hotel. Wilderness, conservation,
great design, storytelling, and not to
mention, the best arrival ever… I do love a
zipline and a stiff drink!
What are you working on now?
I am working on a fascinating new idea for
regenerative living in Portugal with an old
friend, the InterContinental Khao Yai that is
coming ever so soon, projects in Zanzibar,
Tel Aviv, The Congo and Nepal, and a
gorgeous Spa in Mayfair bringing ancient
Thai Escapism to London! The party
doesn’t stop.
Getting a foot massage at Shinta Mani Wild
15 | Spa Executive Spotlight

BOOK ONLINE,
PAY ONLINE,
SKIP THE LINE
Enjoy the contact-less experience.
Feb 2022 Issue • p.

Is this the best
smell in the
world?
What’s the best smell in the world?
Researchers set out to find out. Here’s
what they learned.
You’ve probably heard it said that, while
there are, inarguably, pleasant and
unpleasant odors, much of what people like
and dislike aroma-wise is determined by
culture and life experience.
We were told exactly this in a 2017 interview
with Dawn Goldworm, a nose and the
founder of olfactive branding company,
12.29, who said that, while some
ingredients, like lavender and rose, can
have calming effects, because they’re used
in a variety of different ways around the
world, they might not evoke these feelings
in some populations.
In Central and South America, for example,
Goldworm said, “lavender is used in baby
products. “So, if you have young children,
and you’re looking to have a relaxing day at
the spa, and everything is scented with
lavender, you’re going to be thinking about
your kids the whole time. Not that you
would ever not think about your children,
but maybe you wanted an hour or two
to yourself.”
Now, authors of a new collaborative study
between researchers at Karolinska
Institutet, Sweden, and the University of
Oxford, UK, say they have found otherwise.
The scientists conducted a study, the
results of which, they argue, show that the
smells we like or dislike are not influenced
by culture but by the structure of the
particular odor molecule.
“We wanted to examine if people around
the world have the same smell perception
and like the same types of odor, or whether
this is something that is culturally learned,”
said Artin Arshamian, researcher at the
Department of Clinical Neuroscience,
Karolinska Institutet, in a research brief.
“Traditionally it has been seen as cultural,
but we can show that culture has very little
to do with it.”
The researchers found that certain smells
were liked more than others regardless of
the cultural affiliation of participants.
“Cultures around the world rank different
odors in a similar way no matter where they
come from, but odor preferences have a
personal – although not cultural –
component,” said Dr Arshamian.
“Indigenous populations in
disparate environments”
The study involved a total of 235 individuals
from nine communities representing
different lifestyles: four hunter-gatherer
groups and five groups with different forms
of farming and fishing. Some of these
groups have very little contact with
Western foodstuffs or household articles.
“Since these groups live in such disparate
odiferous environments, like rainforest,
coast, mountain and city, we capture many
different types of ‘odor experiences’,” said
Dr Arshamian.
Participants were asked to rank 10 smells
on a scale of pleasant to unpleasant. The
results show variation between individuals
– which the researchers attribute to
molecular structure (41%) and personal
preference (54%) – but global
correspondence on which odors are
pleasant and unpleasant.
“Personal preference can be due to
learning but could also be a result of our
genetic makeup,” said Dr Arshamian.
The scents included:
Vanillin – Vanilla, extracted from
vanilla beans. Sweet, warm scent.
Used as flavoring in baking and food.
Popular fragrance ingredient.
17 | Spa Executive News

Ethyl Butyrate – Fruity scent, like
peaches or pineapple. Used in
fragrance and in artificial flavoring in
alcoholic beverages.
Linalool – Flowery, spicy scent, similar
to lavender and bergamot.
Commonly used in fragrance.
Eugenol – Spicy scent and the main
element of clove essential oil. Used
as a flavoring for foods and teas, and
as a fragrance ingredient.
2-Phenylethanol – Floral scent that
smells like roses and also like
carnation, orange blossom,
and geranium. Common
fragrance ingredient.
1-Octen-3-ol – Also known as
“mushroom alcohol,” has an earthy
mushroom-like scent, also
described as “raw chicken.” Used in
fragrance and in pesticide to
attract biting insects.
Octanoic acid – Cheese-like odor
also described as smelling like
goat. Medium-chain fatty acid
naturally found in palm oil, coconut
oil, and human and animal milk.
Used as a disinfectant and
food additive.
3-Isobutyl-2-methoxypryazine –
Fresh bell pepper scent. Also
present in the smell of coffee and
spinach. Used in fragrance,
detergents, candles, deodorants,
gums, and candies.
Dimethyl disulphide –
Garlic-like scent. Natural
compound emitted from bacteria,
fungi, plants, and animals. Used as
flavoring in food.
Isovaleric acid – Pungent, cheesy, or
“sweaty feet” scent. Found in feces
and blood. Its volatile esters have
pleasant odors and are widely used
in perfumery.
And the winner is….
Vanilla was considered the most pleasant
scent across cultures, followed by
peachy/pineapple-y ethyl butyrate. The
smell ranked the least pleasant was
isovaleric acid, which is found in cheese, soy
milk, apple juice, and foot sweat.
Dr Arshamian, muses that a possible reason
why people consider some smells more
pleasant than others regardless of culture is
that such odors increased the chances of
survival during human evolution.
“Now we know that there’s universal odor
perception that is driven by molecular
structure and that explains why we like or
dislike a certain smell,” Dr Arshamian said.
“The next step is to study why this is so by
linking this knowledge to what happens in
the brain when we smell a particular odor.”
Wintergreen and maple in France and Canada
These findings are interesting but not
shocking. When one looks up the smells
used in the study, the odors on the second
half of the list are mostly described as
“unpleasant.” It’s not a surprise that feces
and sweat rank low in popularity no matter
where you’re from. And, the suggested
explanation seems obvious: we are put off
by smells that can make us sick (feces and
bacteria) and drawn towards smells that
smell clean and/or good to eat because
moving away from one and toward the
other will help us live longer. Without the
research, however, that’s just a hypothesis,
so it is valuable. Still…do the findings really
“show that culture has very little to do” with
how we perceive scent? Different studies
suggest otherwise.
In a 2016 study, for instance, researchers at
the Montreal Neurological Institute found
that two people from different cultures
smelling the same thing can have
remarkably different reactions, even when
those cultures share the same language
and many traditions.
In a partnership with researchers from the
Lyon Neuroscience Research Centre in
France, clinical neuropsychologist Jelena
Djordjevic tested subjects in Quebec,
Canada, for their subjective impressions of
different scents, while their collaborators in
France did the same with French subjects.
This study used smells that are largely
considered pleasant, or at least not overtly
“unpleasant.” These were: anise, lavender,
maple, wintergreen, rose, and strawberry.
Participants were asked to smell each scent
first without knowing what it was then
again after being told its name. They were
then asked to rate the scent on
pleasantness, intensity, familiarity, and
edibility. The scientists also measured the
subjects’ non-verbal reactions to each
scent, including sniffing, activity of facial
muscles, respiration, and heart rate.
They found significant differences between
ratings of the same smells among the
French and French-Canadian subjects. The
French gave wintergreen much lower
pleasantness ratings than
18 | Spa Executive News

French-Canadians. A press release
explained that, in France, wintergreen is
used more in medicinal products than in
Canada, where it is found more in candy.
The French were more familiar with the
scent of lavender while Canadians were
more familiar with maple and wintergreen.
Anise was rated similarly in the two cultures
but was described more often as “licorice”
in Quebec and as “anise” in France.
Telling the subjects what they were sniffing
increased their familiarity, pleasantness,
and edibility ratings, and cultural
differences disappeared or decreased
Eventually she did find a formula that was
dubbed “Stench Soup,” but not without trial
and error.
Do any smells evoke more healing and stress
reducing effects in different areas of the world?
It will be interesting for the spa and wellness
world when more people take up the task of
conducting further research on cultural
perceptions of pleasant smells and if any
evoke more healing and stress reducing
effects in different areas of the world.
Until then, don’t put any stinky feet
aromatherapy treatments on your menus.
when the names were provided, including
for non-verbal reactions.
The brief states “This study reinforces the
idea that our brain’s processing of odor is
not simply its reaction to the chemical
compounds that make up the scent. It is
influenced both by our previous experience
with the scent and our knowledge of what
the scent is.”
The stink bomb experiment
Another experiment that lends credence to
the “scent perception is tied to culture”
argument is Pamela Dalton’s quest to find
the perfect stink bomb. Dalton, a cognitive
psychologist at the Monell Chemical Senses
Center, is known as the woman who
created the world’s worst smell. In 1998,
she was tasked with developing a stink
bomb for the Department of Defense and
her experiments found that people from
different backgrounds and different parts
of the world, who grew up smelling and
eating different things, often completely
disagreed about which smells were good
or bad.
19 | Spa Executive News

Forbes Travel
Guide
announces 2022
Star Awards
Forbes Travel Guide has released the latest
list of Star Award winners. Check out the
list of new Five-Star spas.
Forbes Travel Guide (FTG), the rating system
that sets the global standard for luxury
hotels, restaurants and spas, has released its
2022 Star Awards.
This year, FTG ventured into new
destinations, including the Canary Islands,
Greece, Ibiza and Malta. The 64th annual list
features 323 Five-Star, 558 Four-Star and 401
Recommended hotels; 74 Five-Star, 112
Four-Star and 67 Recommended
restaurants; and 102 Five-Star and 193
Four-Star spas worldwide.
Some highlights:
Nine destinations now boast their first
Five-Star hotels:
Amman (Four Seasons
Hotel Amman)
Amsterdam (Waldorf
Astoria Amsterdam)
Berlin (Hotel de Rome, a Rocco
Forte Hotel)
Greece (Katikies Mykonos)
Ibiza (BLESS Hotel)
Madrid (Four Seasons Hotel Madrid
and BLESS Hotel Madrid)
Malta (Iniala Harbour House)
Okinawa, Japan (Halekulani Okinawa)
Zurich (The Dolder Grand)
The U.S. has 10 new Five-Star hotels:
The Chanler at Cliff Walk (Newport,
Rhode Island)
Chatham Inn (Cape Cod)
Encore Boston Harbor
ESPACIO The Jewel of Waikiki
Four Seasons Hotel One Dalton
Street, Boston
The Lodge at Blue Sky, Auberge
Resorts Collection (Park City, Utah)
Madeline Hotel and Residences,
Auberge Resorts Collection
(Telluride, Colorado)
Rosewood Miramar Beach
(Montecito, California)
The Towers at Lotte New York
Palace (NYC)
White Barn Inn, Auberge Resorts
Collection (Kennebunk, Maine)
Boutique hotels made a strong showing.
Standouts delivering one-of-a-kind
experiences include new Five-Star properties:
Casa Angelina (Amalfi Coast)
The Chanler at Cliff Walk (Newport,
Rhode Island)
Chatham Inn (Cape Cod)
ESPACIO The Jewel of Waikiki
The Hazelton Hotel in Toronto
Hotel Esencia (Tulum)
Iniala Harbour House &
Residences (Malta)
JOALI Maldives
Katikies Mykonos
Kudadoo Maldives Private Island
20 | Spa Executive News

Park Hotel Vitznau (Switzerland).
The properties around the world with the
most Stars
Macau and Hong Kong are hot. Quadruple
Five-Star winners include MGM COTAI in
Macau (the resort received four top awards
for its two hotels, spa and one restaurant),
and Morpheus and Grand Lisboa Hotel, both
in Macau (they won awards for the hotel, spa
and two restaurants). Quintuple Five-Star
winners include Altira Macau and Mandarin
Oriental, Hong Kong. Both achieved five
awards for the hotel, spa and three
restaurants. Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong
racked up six top awards for its hotel, spa
and four restaurants.
Wynn Resorts, meanwhile, “swept the
septuple Five-Star category,” with two
properties earning seven Five-Star awards:
Wynn Resorts Las Vegas (four hotels, two
spas and one restaurant earned the top
rating) and Wynn Palace Macau (the hotel,
spa and five restaurants did the same). The
brand also has an octuple winner with
Wynn Resorts Macau amassing eight top
awards for its two hotels, two spas and
four restaurants.
Three new U.S. restaurants earned Five
Stars: Carte Blanche, Dallas (becoming the
state’s first ever Five-Star restaurant); Cara in
Newport, Rhode Island; MUGEN, Waikiki.
The Forbes Five-Star spas
And what of the spas? The Middle East now
has its very first Five-Star spas, Bulgari Spa
Dubai and The Spa at Mandarin Oriental,
Doha. The U.S. now has seven new
Five-Star spas:
Edge Spa, Park City, Utah
Salamander Spa, Middleburg, Virginia
The Spa at Encore Boston Harbor
The Spa by Ivanka Trump at Trump
International Hotel Washington, D.C.
Spa Montage Palmetto Bluff,
Bluffton, South Carolina
Spa Ojai, Ojai, California
The Wellness Floor at One Dalton
in Boston.
Mexico has two new Five-Star spas: Banyan
Tree Spa Mayakoba in the Riveria Maya and
SE Spa at Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit in
Puerto Vallarta.
In the United States, the states with the
greatest numbers of Five-Star spas are:
California (12), Florida (7) and Nevada (5).
Globally, cities with the most Five-Star spas
include: Macau (14), Hong Kong (5), Las
Vegas (5), and Los Cabos (5). The
longest-running Five-Star spa is Spa
Montage Laguna Beach, which was FTG’s
first Five-Star spa and has maintained its
rating for 17 consecutive years.
“Travel is back”
“Travel is back, and as travelers look to
make up for lost time with family and
friends, they want memorable experiences,”
said Hermann Elger, CEO of Forbes
Travel Guide. “As the authority on luxury
travel, Forbes Travel Guide can help. Our
Star Awards showcase the world’s most
outstanding hotels, restaurants and spas.
Through our exacting and independent
evaluation process, these award-winning
properties all have raised the guest experience
bar with an emphasis on what
matters most to today’s luxury guest.”
The complete list of NEW Forbes Five-Star spas
is as follows:
Asaya (Hong Kong, China)
Banyan Tree Spa Mayakoba (Riviera
Maya, Mexico)
The Bulgari Spa Dubai (United
Arab Emirates)
Edge Spa (Park City, Utah,
United States)
Salamander Spa (Washington, D.C.,
Virginia, United States)
SE Spa at Grand Velas Riviera
Nayarit (Mexico)
The Spa at Encore Boston Harbor
(Boston, Massachusetts,
United States)
The Spa at Mandarin Oriental,
Doha (Qatar)
The Spa by Ivanka Trump at Trump
International Hotel Washington,
D.C. (United States)
Spa Montage Palmetto Bluff (Hilton
Head, South Carolina,
United States)
Spa Ojai (Ojai, California,
United States)
The Wellness Floor at One Dalton
(Boston, Massachusetts,
United States)
21 | Spa Executive News

Alberto Apostoli on sense of place &
designing for wellness in 2022
Architect and spa designer, Alberto Apostoli,
shares the three most important elements to
consider when designing a spa.
Alberto Apostoli is an architect and spa
designer. Born in Verona in 1968, he studied
architecture at the University of Venice, then
studied and worked throughout different
European countries, before founding his own
design firm in 1997.
He has designed products and projects for
various brands and his spa and hotel work
includes Lefay Resort & Spa Dolomiti, Four
Seasons Moscow, and Terme Preistoriche
Resort & Spa.
Apostoli seeks inspiration in the
surroundings of whichever he happens to
find himself. He says, “I am interested in the
different cultures of the world; in my view,
being Italian means being hungry for beauty
wherever it may be found.”
Wellness design, he says, “represents for me
the culmination of my professional research
because it is a synthesis of architecture,
culture, philosophy and the ability of a project
to speak to the body, mind and soul of people,
… a way to speak of technology and poetry at
the same time.”
He explained that the projects he develops
“always aim to address well-being,
sometimes overtly, other times more subtly,”
but it is this approach that defines the
uniqueness of his work.
Sustainability is also a key component of
Apostoli’s work and has assumed a primary
role “because it is inextricably linked to the
concept of wellbeing for the planet, which is
indispensable for the wellbeing of people.”
Here, Alberto Apostoli talks about designing
for wellness in 2022 and the most important
elements to consider.
How things have changed in spa design over the
last couple of decades
The entrepreneur has moved on from the
perception of the spa area as mere facility or
amenity and today understands the strategic
value in wellness on the market and as an
element on which an entire idea can be built.
Spas can have a life of their own and
constitute important businesses in their own
right, whereas before they were more of an
afterthought or add on.
The customer of today is also more mature
than the customer 15 or 20 years ago. A
savvy consumer can recognize different
22 | Spa Executive News

types of spas and wellness options and
recognize quality.
Design should evolve to keep pace with the
business expectations of both consumers
and stakeholders. A spa is an all-important
space, the design of which deserves as
much consideration as the hotel or resort
where it is housed. And, in fact, may even
be the seed out of which the rest of a
property concept grows.
Each spa is a unique concept of wellbeing
There are three main elements I consider. The
first is place. When designing a spa space, one
must do a determined, precise and accurate
analysis of the location. Wellbeing is
subjective, not objective, and therefore the
environment must be understood from a
territorial and climatic point of view (as well as
the cultural, social, religious and historical
resources it possesses). Each spa becomes a
search for the unique concept of wellbeing
that an area can provide.
The second element is sustainability: the
strategies, methodologies and elements that
can create a sustainable spa. The third
element is the management aspect: how the
spa will be managed, how customers will
move, how the staff will move, maintenance,
cleaning, and so forth. Creating a spa is like
painting a work of art; you need to
understand where the artwork will be placed,
where it will be exhibited, the subject, the way
in which the customer will observe the
picture, and so on.
Technology as the beating heart
The technology within the spa is the
equivalent of the engine in the automotive
sector. It is the beating heart. It’s
mandatory for a spa designer to know the
techniques, results and expectations in
terms of systems (from a thermal,
thermo-fluidic, and hydro-thermal point of
view, the control of lights, the sensory part,
music, sounds, etc). The technology is used
to power the engine but also to create a
mood and a multi-sensory experience that
today is the basis of every spa project.
How design impact the staff as well as the guests
Unfortunately, the standard approach of a
designer is to design something only for the
customer. The guest must be able to move
with a fluidity and comfort inside the spa.
There are many factors to take into account
regarding the guest: they walk barefoot or in
slippers, they are often in a darker
environment than normal, often without
glasses, are not wearing clothes, and so forth.
So, the design has a substantial impact.
Creating wellness is not only about aesthetics
but also the use of design elements that help
and make the guest feel at ease.
The staff must be able to move just as well in
the structure, without hindering the guest’s
paths and must be able to experience the
wellbeing even if in a different form. It’s
important that all of these considerations are
taken together to create whole experiences for
both guests and staff.
The importance of nature and water elements
Nature is the mother of wellbeing. Man is an
animal, a living being and a social animal.
Nature cannot and must not be relegated to a
marketing value, but must be used for its
logical function. Within the natural world, water
is obviously essential. As Thales, one of the
most important pre-Socratic philosophers, said
“water is the origin of all things.” Water can be
perceived in the air content, becoming
humidity; and it’s also fundamental to our
perception of temperature. Water is therefore
essential in spas even when it seems not to
be, and since humans are made of 70% water,
they absolutely cannot help but consider it.
Water in all its three states – liquid, solid, and
gas – is important in the spa. The perception
that people have of water inside the spa is
very complex. Not all of us react well to the
humidity of a Hammam, a Turkish Bath or a
Sauna; but it is understood that water in all its
three states – liquid, solid, and gas – is
important in the spa.
During the design phase it should be
understood how the water moves and will be
used. I try to understand the repercussions
that water has on individual spaces. Water in
all its forms is important, but a specific
analysis must be made.
23 | Spa Executive News

CAS E S T U D Y
RESORTS WORLD LAS VEGAS
The Challenge
Sprawling, state-of-the art, next-gen gaming property with
complex integration requirements for spa & wellness.
The Solution
Book4Time, the easy-to-use spa software solution with the
most integrations in the industry!
The Results
Happy team, smooth operations, easy booking, and more.
Jennifer Lynn
Spa Director at Resorts World Las Vegas
Credit: Resorts World Las Vegas
I find the product to be far superior to the other systems I have used over the years. The online booking
platform alone is easy to use for guests and integrates well into our spa operation”.
In June 2021, Resorts World Las Vegas made its debut as the first resort
built on the Las Vegas Strip in more than a decade. The integrated luxury
resort boasts an array of unique and extraordinary features and amenities.
The sleek yet simple elegance of Resorts World Las Vegas was developed
with the intention of bringing the elevated experience for which the
Resorts World brand is known. Resorts World Las Vegas features 3,506
guest rooms and suites across three of Hilton’s premium brands,
Crockfords Las Vegas, one of the first LXR Hotels & Resorts in the U.S.
Each brand features its own entrance, lobby, and distinct selection of
guest accommodations. More features include an innovative,
next-generation gaming floor, more than 40 world-class food and
beverage options, a 5,000-capacity theater, distinct nightlife venues, an
extensive retail collection boasting a wide spectrum of internationally
known brands, and more.
including the Las Vegas Hilton, Conrad Las Vegas, and
24 | Spa Executive
Case Study

At the cutting edge
of technology
Resorts World Las Vegas is also offering various new-age tech
advancements across the property, including mobile check-in and digital
key via the Hilton Honors app, allowing for a contactless arrival experience,
and an AI-powered digital concierge named Red
Credit: Resorts World Las Vegas
AWANA Spa & Wellness at
Resorts World Las Vegas
AWANA Spa & Wellness at Resorts World Las Vegas is the first spa of its
kind. Complete with personalized treatments, immersive facilities, and
approachable wellness offerings. The modern, yet warm space draws on
the principles of the golden ratio with rounded rooms, curved walls, and
well-thought-out designs to promote a transformative and holistic
experience. Spa goers can choose from a variety of treatments inspired
by European and Eastern rituals with a unique social approach, including
treatments offered for the first time in the United States, like the theatrical
Art of Aufguss, showcasing a theater-inspired heated room with
aromatherapy, choreographed music, lighting, and dancing towels.
Jennifer Lynn is the Spa director at Resorts World Las Vegas. An
inspiring spa and wellness leader with 25 years of experience in luxury
brand development and a passion for hospitality, luxury service, and
sustainability, Lynn oversees operations at AWANA Spa & Wellness.
As the pre-opening Director of Spa and Fitness, Lynn worked diligently on
the critical path to opening the spa in the fall of 2021. Her responsibilities
included brand development for the spa, design and construction project
management for the space, system implementation -- including software
-- building a zero-based budget, and recruiting, hiring, and onboarding a
champion team of 70 passionate spa professionals. Book4Time was the
software of choice.
“Spa software
decisions should
be explored fully”
Credit: Resorts World Las Vegas
25 | Spa Executive Case Study

“Spa software decisions
should be explored fully”
As industry leaders know, there’s a lot to consider when it comes to
choosing a spa software, including functionality, ease of use, interface,
and more. When asked what she was looking for in a software solution at
the time, Lynn listed integrations as one of her top priorities. She said,
“Spa software decisions should be explored fully to ensure that they meet
all the right criteria for operations and property integration, perhaps even
taking into consideration a need for enterprise solutions for multiple
properties. At Resorts World Las Vegas, we needed to find a software
that had great integration for our PMS system, OPERA.” Specifically, for
AWANA Spa & Wellness, Resorts World Las Vegas’ operational needs for
software include:
eliminating the need to have multiple computers throughout the Heart
of House areas. This allows treatment providers to review their
schedules, eliminates the need for paper itineraries or agendas, and
creates easy access for upgrades and enhancements.”
Credit: Resorts World Las Vegas
Easy to use for guest facing online booking
User friendly for spa operators/end users
Retail management integration (sales, inventory, and purchasing
management)
Payroll configuration flexibility and having a software system that is
flexible
Operational configuration – spa services, retail store transactions,
wellness activities
“We chose Book4Time,” said Lynn, “because it met all of our criteria and
testing in a pre-opening setting for Resorts World Las Vegas IT
standards. We also verified references from other spa operators with
similar business models that were experiencing success with
Book4Time. “
“Treatment providers are able to use their mobile devices to check their
schedules throughout the day at their fingertips, eliminating the need to
have multiple computers throughout the Heart of House areas.”
The fact that the software is cloud based is one of the things that stood
out for Lynn. “Being a web-based program made it affordable to
implement and we love to have access to our spa reservations from our
mobile devices. Treatment providers are able to use their mobile
devices to check their schedules throughout the day at their fingertips,
26 | Spa Executive Case Study

“One of the smoothest
launches I have had”
The launch and implementation of Book4Time
went smoothly.
“With over 25 years in hospitality and spa operations management, this
was one of the smoothest launches I have had. At the baseline, the
software functionality and integration are key,” Lynn said. “The
Book4Time team was well prepared to support a launch of a new spa
within the launch of a new property. The team was well versed at
managing the critical path for configuration, implementation, training,
and go-live.”
“Customer support has been the most impressive. As we have worked
to create a system that represents the unique complexity of our
operation, the support team has been very responsive to inquiries
regarding configuration.”
Lynn also said the payroll functionality has been a time saver. “The
complexity of spa payroll could leave a scholarly mathematician
confused. Book4Time has a software program that can adapt to the
diversity and complexity of compensation when configured properly and
makes it simpler to understand.”
She adds that “Customer support has been the most impressive. As we
have worked to create a system that represents the unique complexity of
our operation, the support team has been very responsive to inquiries
regarding configuration.”
“Far superior to the
other systems”
How does Book4Time compare with other software systems Lynn has
used in the past? Simply put: it’s better, which was exciting and gratifying
for us to know!
Lynn said, “The online booking platform alone is easy to use for guests
and integrates well into our spa operation. I find the product to be far
superior to the other systems I have used over the years.”
Thanks to Jennifer Lynn and Resorts World Las Vegas for trusting
Book4Time with your software needs and for your kind words. We
appreciate you!
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27 | Spa Executive Case Study

Spa Executive
FOR LEADERS IN THE BUSINESS OF WELLNESS
ADVERTISE WITH US
CONTACT SAL CAPIZZI FOR MORE INFORMATION
SCAPIZZI@SPAEXECUTIVE.COM
scapizzi@book4time.com | www.spaexecutive.com