Spas offer cost-saving options in slow economy

By Colleen Long

Published: September 7, 2008

NEW YORK — With the economy slumping and fuel prices soaring, facials and massages may not be a top priority for consumers on a budget.

But representatives of America's top spas, gathered in New York for the annual meeting of the International Spa Association, say they are trying to make it as easy as possible for visitors to indulge without using up their gasoline money or breaking into the piggy bank.

"You can still go and have a spa experience without spending a ton of money,” said Veronica Cole of the Ojai Valley Inn and Spa in Ojai, Calif. "Many spas, like ours, offer use of our facilities with one treatment, so you can come spend hours relaxing.”

So, if you can't afford a weekend or overnight stay, consider booking one massage or scrub at a destination spa, which usually entitles you to use the pool, steam room and other facilities for the day.

The Ojai Valley Inn, not far from Los Angeles, is a destination spa known for its blooming lavender gardens and an approach that draws on American Indian traditions. Cole said carving out an hour or two and hanging out at the spa can be relaxing enough to make you feel like you're on a mini-vacation.

Jaime Huffman of the Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa in Asheville, N.C., said more 50-minute massages have been made available recently instead of more expensive 80-minute massages. The Cliff House Resort and Spa in Ogunquit, Maine, offers a $99 spa sampler on Sundays.

Booking midweek is usually cheaper than weekend trips, and spa owners suggest asking about specials such as a mother-daughter discount or a family discount. Most spas have them but don't necessarily talk them up.

Spas are growing despite a slow economy: 138 million people visited spas across the country in 2007, according to the most recent figures from the International Spa Association. And spa revenue in 2007 was $10 billion, the organization said, up from just more than $9 billion the year before. Data for 2008 shows that spas continue to grow, the association said.

Spa operators also suggest considering a spa vacation as an alternative to going to Europe or taking some other big trip. There's rarely a need to drive once you're at a destination spa, so you won't be spending money on fuel. And an all-inclusive booking means that lodging, food, pools, the locker room and other amenities and facilities such as hot tubs and steam rooms are included in the cost.

"You can really retreat to a spa, and there are no unaccounted costs because you pay upfront,” said Lola Roeh, general manager of the Osthoff Resort, which is home to the Aspira Spa in Elkhart Lake, Wis. "You can choose to add on costs, like additional treatments, but that's up to you.”

Destination spas can be pricey — $500 or more for a weekend — but it's possible to cut other costs if you decide to vacation at one. The Lodge at Woodloch, about two hours outside of New York in Hawley, Pa., is far enough away from the city that visitors can feel as if they're on a real vacation, but close enough to take a bus or train from Manhattan and save on fuel. And you don't have to stay a week or five days — many spas offer two-night stays.

Many other spas are located outside major metro areas, such as Kohler's newest day spa in Burr Ridge, Ill., outside Chicago. The company, known for its faucets, paired a showroom with the spa so clients can sit in whirlpools or fancy tubs and shop for remodeling, too.

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