As the hospitality industry came out of the pandemic, two areas seemed to come into focus—health and wellness and the labor shortage.
Guests want to make sure that they are focusing on themselves and their bodies, whether by working out or focusing on ways to deal with the toll that stress can put on their bodies.
HydroMassage has found a way to help hotel guests do this—without the need for the specialized staff that may not be easy to find—but with the added benefit of being able to offer guests to more revenue-producing amenities.
The company produces a number of products from water massage beds and chairs to its CryoLounge+, which provides an advanced recovery experience, and RelaxSpace Wellness Pods, which focus on relaxation and mindfulness.
“Even before COVID, we saw that there was a shortage of therapists, and obviously that program was exacerbated during the pandemic because you couldn’t touch anyone, making it difficult for the massage therapy schools,” said Kevin Conaway, president, HydroMassage. “You couldn’t graduate new therapists and a lot of therapists found alternate work because they couldn’t make a living at the time. A lot of the massage therapy schools closed. We are hopeful that products like these can fill that need and provide that wellness and recovery, especially now that people are more hyper-focused on the importance of taking care of yourself.”
Jeff Josephson, director of hospitality, multifamily and senior living, said that the company’s products are used in two ways in most hotels. “One is how to augment where they just can’t get enough therapists,” he said.
While this is not the main focus, it helps resorts that have trouble finding therapists continue to offer their guests a chance to get a massage.
The company has found a great deal of success when it is able to offer its products as an extra amenity. The Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City added HydroMassage units in a former business center space. “They give their loyalty guests a code when they check in for a free three-minute massage,” he said. “If they want more, they can pay for more—and they are probably selling 20 massages a day. At this big property of say 500 rooms, they are giving out about 200 free massages a day. So, roughly 10% are converting. It is really pleasurable to walk by and you see people just getting a massage before they have even gotten to their room.”
That amenity will have an effect on the guests’ enjoyment of their stay, with 85% of those surveyed after their massages indicating that it will encourage them to stay at the property again.
