By the beginning of 2006, the company will have opened six new spas in Asia over a 12 month period. These are at the Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort & Spa, Hilton Maldives Resort & Spa, Hilton Cebu Resort & Spa, Millennium Hilton Bangkok, Hilton Sanya Resort & Spa and the Conrad Tokyo.

According to Ashley Spencer, Hilton International’s Vice President, Operations – Asia, the decision to focus more on spas and to create a signature product range is in line with Hilton’s overarching philosophy of Equilibrium, which is to “put back a little of what life takes out.”

“Traditionally, hotels were rather overwhelming, and often the sole idea was to create a lasting impression on guests. Today, it’s a whole new ball game. Lifestyles have changed and for a hotel to be fresh and contemporary, it has to be a complete lifestyle solution. If we can provide guests with enhanced services and help them to relax and refresh, then we can meet our Hilton equilibrium promise,” he added.

A sense of place

Hilton International’s spa facilities in Asia have one theme in common: they are designed to be “contemporary with a sense of place.”

Simon Littlewood Hilton’s Spa Consultant and the person behind the development of the new product line and treatments explains, “Our aim is to leave a positive imprint of the destination on our guests. All spa facilities draw inspiration from the local culture, with elements of the design, ambiance, menu, products, techniques and even the salutations bearing the personality of the region.”

As such, the architecture of The Spa in Hilton Hua Hin reflects ancient Khmer designs, whereas The Spa at Hilton Phuket Arcadia combines the soft flowing lines and expressive sharp angles of a Khmer, Ayuthaya, Lanna and Sukhotai periods with the feel of a traditional Thai village.

In the Maldives, an emotional connection has been created through marine elements and the overwater treatment rooms while Conrad Tokyo’s Mizuki Spa draws on symbols of water and moon and uses bamboo ‘batons’ in the signature treatment to reflect the regional characteristics of the destination.

The Spa & Equilibrium

Common to most of the spas is an exclusive Hilton product line with bath oils, essential oils, aromatic mists and bath salts in three aromatherapy fragrances: wild mint, lavender and lemongrass. Developed over a six-month period and launched late last year, the product line, simply called, “The Spa”, is used or retailed as the lead-in product at Hilton hotels in Hua Hin, Phuket, Cebu, Bangkok, Sanya and Maldives.

Explaining the reason for introducing an exclusive product, Littlewood says, “We still needed a dedicated product line like Thalgo for the credibility of the spa, but it is my philosophy that a spa should be designed for every segment of the market.

“Not everyone has the same spending power. The cost price of a boutique house brand like The Spa compared with a global brand can actually reduce the cost of the massage, making the art of relaxation more accessible to a greater number of people. Additionally, by creating our own product, we have been able to meet the Equilibrium needs to relax, restore and rejuvenate. These are products created for Hilton to be used by Hilton.”

To round off the experience, Littlewood spent months developing a signature 90 minute, multi-sensory spa treatment, known as the Equilibrium Therapy. The treatment entails a gentle body exfoliation followed by a Thai herbal massage using a herbal poultice filled with lemongrass, galagal, tumeric, kaffir lime, camphor and tamarind leaves, which is then steam heated over a terracotta pot of Wild Mint Massage Oil.

“It takes a little bit longer than standard treatments but it meets our objective to truly relax and soothe our guests,” added Littlewood.

Why spas?

The introduction of spa facilities is in line with Hilton’s overall business strategy to expand its portfolio and introduce a new generation of hotels that are more contemporary in design. Full service spas are integral to both the Hilton Worldwide Resort and the classic city-centre Hilton hotels. From an existing base of 37 hotels in Asia (including Japan), Hilton hopes to open up to 30 additional hotels within three years, with Resorts comprising almost one third of the portfolio.

And, according to Ashley Spencer, spas add handsomely to the bottom line. “Spas are not only a draw card and a means of bringing rooms business to the hotel, they also are a great revenue generator.”