Many women enjoy spa treatments during business travel. Spas are often open late at night, early in the morning and most major hotels have them so it offers something to do during nonworking hours. Businesswomen in particular enjoy spa visits because they add needed relaxation to hectic trips, solitude and a safe haven to relax in. Many international destinations are known for their spas treatments such as the Turkish bath, Budapest thermal baths, Chinese reflexology and Thai massage.
Here are a few tips to make the most of your spa treatments while on the road.
- Do some advance research on the spas in the areas visited, the types of treatments offered and the price list.If you cannot conduct research in advance, ask the hotel for recommendations. Many times the hotel will have the price lists at the concierge.
- Spas are not equal. The quality of service and the facilities will vary dramatically country to country even if the spa is hosted at a five-star hotel. If you can visit the spa in advance and ask for a quick tour before booking a treatment, do so! Look at the rooms and make sure you feel comfortable. I recall booking a spa treatment in a top five-star spa in Tel Aviv and being fixed on the mold spores growing on the ceiling of the treatment room and wondering if it was going to drop on my face.
- Be prepared for the uniqueness of your global treatments. When I was in Turkey a group of us businesswomen decided to go and try a Turkish bath. We were pretty shocked when they had us fully undress and have our massages as a group on very large slabs of marble by naked mature women who rolled and poked us and eventually hosed us down with large fire hoses. A unique bond was created by the experience to say the least.
- If you receive recommendations from friends make sure they understand what your preferences. My British colleague gave my Los Angeles colleague a spa recommendation in Europe and she was extremely disappointed because she was accustomed to L.A.-type spas, treatments and facilities and felt the European spa did not match in terms of expertise and customer service.
- If you desire to visit a five-star spa but are staying at a three-star hotel, visit the concierge at the local five-star hotel for spa recommendations when you get to town or contact them in advance by calling or emailing.
- Assuming you are staying at a respectable hotel, you may want to consider a massage in your room. Many hotels offer it and the environment in your room may be nicer and cheaper than the spa. The hotel personnel (who bring a massage table and all the necessary items) are local independent experts who are eager for repeat business and tips, so you might receive a higher quality of service. I had one of my best massages in my hotel room in Amsterdam by a physical therapist who picked up extra money as a masseuse in the evenings after work. His philosophy was he would stay and work on the parts of the body you wanted and he would leave when you were extremely satisfied and he would charge only for that time whether it be 45 minutes, 76 minutes etc.
- Ask specific questions before you book the service. Many spas may think you desire a relaxing massage and facial when what you want is very deep pressure and plenty of facial extractions. It is important to articulate what you want up front and before you book, as they may need to book a certain specialist. I was in the Cayman Islands and finally had to ask the esthetician if she was going to do extractions in between the 7 layers of the mask to which she answered in surprise, “that’s disgusting!”
- If you book a massage make sure you request if you have a preference for a male or female; many times the spa will just book whomever is free.
- Ask about pricing in advance; some hotels will price services in US Dollars or Euros. Others will post prices in the local currency, which can have advantages and disadvantages when the currency is translated.
- Ask about tipping in advance, too. In some cases the service fee is already included, in others 10 percent is the norm for tipping while some spas will automatically add on 18 to 20 percent.
- Ask what you need to wear for the spa treatment. I had a Thai massage but did not realize to wear the “special” outfit I was handed when I came in (I thought it was for after the massage), so I came out in a towel. The male masseuse (to my and his embarrassment) sent me back in to the changing room to put my clothes on.
- Talk to your masseuse or esthetician. I had a reflexology treatment in Beijing so severe I was practically crying and I had to ask her repeatedly to lighten up. I had a massage in Berlin that was just too soft and had to continually ask for more pressure.
- Be prepared for more openness than you are accustomed. I was in Vietnam at a hotel that had a very busy massage spa. I had an excellent male masseuse who felt very comfortable working on me and leaving the door open to chat with customers and other staff as they came in and out of the room. I felt very uncomfortable, as I was pretty much naked except for a tiny towel they gave me. No one else seemed to care.
- Be prepared for product selling, this happens quite often with facials and beauty treatments. The staff may make a commission on products customers purchase, so they may be extra persuasive about a product you need or a condition you have in need of resolution. This is often done by handing you a treatment list of what they did and what they recommend, which is available in the shop or on your way out.
In most situations, spas and treatments available are a global pleasure many businesswomen should enjoy — particularly when you are on the road. With a few tips and pointers perhaps your choices will be easier at your next destination.
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