Ask the Spa expert

Emotional shower at home?

Uccio di Caltagirone (CT) asks: Dear Daniele Cantoni, I own a house with a little used tavern and garage; with my wife we decided to turn them into a small wellness corner, we already have clear ideas about the sauna and the turkish bath (we read her article of the previous issue), we would like to know something about the emotional showers and other similar systems. Thank you.

The answer of the Spa expert

The term “emotional showers” is often used in our sector to identify one or more effects of water, which with lights, perfumes and sounds create precisely pleasing sensations/emotions. The best known are:

Cold fog: it is a fresh micronized drizzle, with mint fragrance, to combine with a green/blue light.

Tropical rain: they are big and warm drops, with a tropical fragrance (maracuja), to be combined with an orange light.

Bladed shower: it is a large water hole which, like a soft waterfall, provides a pleasant massage on the contact areas.

Summer thunderstorm: it is given by a large number of very large drops falling from the ceiling recreating an effect similar to the summer perturbation.

Wasser paradise: it is a path (often to U), which groups innumerable timed effects in a sequence that creates a pleasant surprise at every step. The combination with the heat bath for some of these effects of water is very suitable to create a good reaction effect, and to be able to pleasantly cool in the hot periods, typical of the latitude from which he writes.

What are Ayurvedic massages?

Greta di Zerobranco (TV) asks: I was in a center where Ayurvedic massages were practiced, and I heard about the Marma, until today I had only ever heard of the Chakra points. Can you explain to me what they are and what are they for?

The answer of the Spa expert

With the term “Chakra” the concept of “Marma” is very often and erroneously attributed. The latter term belongs to the Ayurveda tradition and indicates the energy centers, reflex anatomical points. The most important Marmas are 107. They are activated by prana (vital energy) that reaches them through the Nadi (thin channels). Imagine a great pianist, who with a precise sequence of pressure on the keys, manages to get a gentle music; the same happens when a good operator, through a studied sequence of pressure of the Marma points, can rebalance the pranic flow and make us return in perfect harmony with ourselves, and therefore with the universe.

Wellness center with external management?

Nicola asks: I manage two hotels in a tourist city on behalf of an international group. In one we are finishing the construction of a beautiful wellness center of 350 square meters. with waiting area, wet area, aesthetic area, shower and whirlpool area, gym and a large relaxation area. We are evaluating the opportunity to give the area under management to an external group, we must also decide on an eventual opening to the outside and whether to bring men and women together. I would like to have an opinion from your expert and some advice for the imminent realization in the second hotel. Thank you.

The answer of the Spa expert

Dear Director, imagine having to buy a suit, and instruct a friend of his purchase without telling him the size or tell him if he will use it for a summer ceremony or for an informal winter appointment. It is very likely that he will become the owner of a garment which, in order to use it, will have to adapt to his measurements and needs. The same thing happens for a wellness center that has not been designed and built on existing “sizes” and future “goals”.

This to assert that there are no external groups that can have their own methodology that “fits” perfectly with an already built center, will certainly have to adapt, losing part of their strength, and neglecting some already existing areas of the center; moreover, often in these cases customers notice that they are dealing with an appendix that is not perfectly integrated into the system. As for the openness to the outside (which I personally recommend almost always) and promiscuity, they are part of those “sizes” that must be decided before the design because they deeply modify spaces, paths and technologies, for example known in its list that are not expected changing rooms, starting point for the decision “external customers”.

On promiscuity unless a separate route has been planned, I advise you to provide in the wet areas the entry with the obligation of the costume (the nude is more hygienic but not tolerated in most of Italy) and provide a day to devote exclusive to each sex without the obligation of the custom, another possibility (more complex) is the management at separate times that must be studied with a careful analysis of the clientele and the flows of the city. Not having data like: city, number of rooms, existing clientele etc. I do not want to give you any further advice except for the imminent realization of the second hotel, it will be good to analyze with the professional who follows you these and other points before the design.

Is the nationality of the customers important?

Vania di Venezia asks: Dear Daniele Cantoni, I would like to know if the nationality of the clientele can influence the design of a wellness area, since our hotel (despite the 11th of September) is 80% attended by Americans. We would like some suggestions. Thank you.

The answer of the Spa expert

The nationality of the existing clientele is one of the fundamental parameters in the design of the wellness area. In his specific case, Americans love water and all the services related to this element: imagining serious difficulties in creating a spacious swimming pool in his city, I would opt for a series of single and group whirlpools, combined with wall, I would also foresee the insertion in the beauty zone of floating tanks for relaxation, and massage with water (widely used in America) as the wet table. All with that Italian touch that they seek everywhere.

Wellness area in the hotel?

An hotelier asks: Dear Dr. Cantoni, we are a family of hoteliers of a well-known spa in northern Italy, we are considering the possibility of adding a wellness area in our hotel. We turned to a friend architect, who presented us with a project with little personality, and to the question but how much he makes, he replied that he had not the faintest idea. We would like to know who we could address to and if you have any suggestions to give us. Thank you.

The answer of the Spa expert

Dear Mr. Hotelier, his is a problem that is frequently repeated by many of his colleagues. Allow me to defend his architect because the “little personality” could be determined by technical / structural difficulties, and it is certainly not his role to analyze the yield. So, if you have clear ideas I suggest you turn to a specialized company in the Spa sector, paying close attention because those serious and experienced ones in Italy can be counted on the fingers of one hand. If you want to understand what is the most convenient for your structure I suggest you contact an expert consultant in the Spa sector, which with an initial analysis can organize a project suited to your needs, taking into account existing factors and above all objectives to achieve, in addition to draw up a business plan that takes into account everything (from the cost of staff to the incidence of products, etc.) allowing you to make an investment in peace of mind.

As for the suggestions not knowing anything about your structure I can not go down in details, with the only reference in my possession (spa), I can tell you that a year ago I was in charge of consulting on behalf of the body that ran a famous spa, and that like many others was trying to move from a typically curative image to a more linked to well-being; the hardest obstacle in achieving the goal was to convince hoteliers in the area that they were part of a single team, and that with the only individuality they would hardly have won the challenge of the market.