Forbes Travel Guide always takes a deep interest in the evolution of the luxury hospitality market to ensure our standards stay current with this incredible industry. Our standards advisory committee made up of respected hoteliers, wellness enthusiasts and food and beverage professionals takes its role very seriously, and each year standards are adjusted as needed.
In our 2024 rating season, the new Guest Experience Score is an exciting and important part of our updates. For spa evaluations, four were added to our standards. These are different from most, where a spa will either hit or miss the standard resulting in a yes or no, rather they are more subjective to allow us an opportunity to share an overall feeling for our visit to the spa. With a possible rating from Strongly Agree to Strongly Disagree, these standards evaluate overall personalization, cleanliness and condition, and a sense of place. It’s important to consider the entire guest experience and ensure people feel they are having a tailored and luxurious visit, engaging in all five senses in a thoughtful and special way.
With that, it’s vital to remember that your staff and the service it provides account for about 70% of your overall evaluation. Your team members should be passionate about thoughtful service and how they represent your spa. This includes being exceedingly knowledgeable in your offerings, actively listening to your guests to ensure they are assisted at all touchpoints and being a great reflection of your spa. Appearance is certainly one aspect of that, which includes looking professional through apparel, posture and grooming. Uniforms should always be clean, well fitted and complement the spa environment.
Sustainability is also something we care deeply about. We are excited to announce our new Responsible Hospitality program this year! Please consider when you are working with all of your vendors to inquire about their sustainability practices as well. Partnerships should be synergistic in goals to protect our precious resources. We encourage spas to think about ways to reduce their carbon footprint using recyclable items, digital options and healthy, sustainable products, of course, while keeping luxury in mind. For more information, please visit https://www.forbestravelguide.com/landing/press-release-sustainability-forbes-travel-guide-responsible-hospitality.
Michael Conte
Senior Executive Trainer
Forbes Travel Guide mconte@forbestravelguide.com
