A spa experience without water is almost impossible. It would mean no steams, soaks, hydrotherapy, cooling experiences—not even a simple pre- or post-treatment shower. The essence of spa is water, specifically health by water, from “solus per aqua” in Latin. Because it’s simply not feasible to operate a spa without water, we need to help save it.
One way to save water, is through better laundry practices. Guests use a lot of towels at a spa during each visit, resulting in a great deal of water use. Reducing linen use in general is important for both water conservation and linen costs.
- Give each guest one towel in their locker to start their spa experience explaining that the spa is trying to conserve water. If they would like additional towels, they are readily available by asking.
- Supply one extra-long luxury pool towel for guests to prevent them from taking more than one spa towel to cover their lounge chair.
- Big plush terry robes are wonderful, but they take up more space in the laundry requiring multiple loads. Consider using robes and towels made from alternative textiles like bamboo and even recycled water bottles. These fabrics are thinner and use less water. Your guests might not notice the difference until you tell them, giving you the opportunity to tout your use of sustainably sourced robes and towels, and that they are available in your retail boutique!
- Use high efficiency washing machines for different load types.
- Outsource laundry since these services launder linens for multiple facilities at once. In some regions of the country, outsourcing can also be less cost than laundering in-house.
Lynn Curry, CMC, ISHC, has been a Spa Consultant since 1997. She has provided financial feasibility, guest use projections, design development, concept direction, equipment specifications, and pre-opening consulting services to dozens of upscale and luxury resorts, casinos, hotels, residential community spas, and wellbeing hospitality properties. She launched Curry Spa Consulting, Inc. in 2011, which quickly became a global spa consulting firm with clients worldwide. She was named American Spa Magazine's Favorite Spa Consultant for the 2018 Professional Choice Awards and was runner up to the industry's Women In Wellness Spa Consultant of the Year. She is a proud member of the International Society of Hospitality Consultants (the leading source for global hospitality expertise) and a Certified Management Consultant™ (CMC®) with the Institute of Management Consultants (an ISO/IEC 17024 Certifying Body).
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