Wellness should be the standard

Capitalise on personalisation and private wellness

"If you have the space and opportunities, offering wellness should be standard." Peter Rietveld, director of the Netherlands at Klafs, makes a case for wellness as a tool to increase turnover by increasing guest loyalty to the hotel.

"In the last 25 years, wellness has exploded as part of the hotel experience. Where it started with health farms and more esoteric approaches, the sector has rapidly professionalised. Klafs GmbH & Co. is the world's leading manufacturer of high-quality integrated saunas, steam baths and complementary products and services for private and commercial sectors, including hotels and spas. We offer an A-to-Z service. From concept development to implementation, technical integration, commissioning, training and long-term after-sales service," says Peter Rietveld, director KLAFS Netherlands."

Personalisation

According to Rietveld, personalisation is an important emerging trend in the wellness market: "We have become a bit more prudish in general. The entry of mobile phones with cameras plays a role in this, among other things. Guests need more privacy. We see wellness facilities being installed in many hotel rooms, such as saunas, steam showers, whirlpools or Jacuzzis. Also consider the trend towards private wellness. Hotels can rent out wellness suites for a day, part of a day or a few hours, giving guests an individual wellness experience that they do not have to share with other people."

Higher occupancy rate

For those considering a wellness facility, Rietveld says it is important to carefully consider the type of wellness and the target audience early on. "There are different types of wellness hotels, such as destination spas, where the spa is the main product and the overnight stay is a by-product, or hotels with spas, where the spa is an extra service that enhances the marketing. You have to ask yourself what suits your hotel, what your vision is and what your guests expect. There are then solutions for each situation."

Savings measures

As a global player, Klafs firmly packs sustainable products that use energy sparingly. "For example, our steam generator works with so-called Green Steam. Thanks to ingenious technology with temperature sensors, this 50% uses less power. Another innovation is the climate manager. This measures the amount of exhaled carbon dioxide in a cabin and adjusts the ventilation. A double ceiling is another innovation. We are also working with seamless double-glazed windows. These too mean hefty savings. All in all, per investment, you save quite a few kilowatts per year and huge amounts in heating costs. In what order/size should you think? As much as 40% of costs! An impressive example: we are currently converting a 9-year-old sauna. We set the cost per savings measure against the payback period in 6 months, 1 year and 2 years. So the remaining 8 years save a lot of money. When that became clear, the signatures were quick."

'Wellness bible'

Are you considering setting up a wellness facility? Together with colleagues, Rietveld has written a detailed handbook with all the ins and outs. "The guide covers everything: what cabins are there, what do they all do? What is important in a swimming pool? How to regulate the technology? What about water quality? What construction methods should you consider? A handy 'wellness bible' at the start of concept development!"

Does investing in wellness ultimately lead to higher occupancy rates? "That's hard to substantiate but I definitely believe it has an impact. If you offer facilities that engage people with your hotel, you create loyalty and word-of-mouth. An example is Austria, where I also worked. People who didn't go skiing used to go to the local swimming pool. On the way back, they would eat something in the area. By offering wellness facilities, guests could be retained in the hotel, leading to more sales. Sales rose as much as 15 to 20 per cent. In other words, wellness is no longer a luxury, but a necessity. It is a way to increase turnover by retaining guests."