And for some of the clients of these tony resorts, pampering is just a start -- they're hoping spa treatments will help them elude the doctor.
"People are extremely conscious about avoiding [plastic] surgery and are very interested in antiaging treatments," says Wendy Schnee, director of public relations at the Beverly Hills Hotel, where facials can cost from $130 to $280. "For our clients, price is no object. The only issue is whether they can get the time slot they want."
Someone's getting a raise
IF the rising salaries of top spa personnel are any indication, there's lots of money being made inside those gilded treatment rooms. This year, spa directors are expected to see their average salaries jump at least by $10,000 to $85,000 a year, according to the International Spa Assn. and WageWatch.
Spa trade groups such as the International Spa Assn. say they are trying to address the issue of perception and value by instituting standardized business practices that will help unify the industry. Yet consumers have few ways to determine if the $220, 90-minute Carita Extreme Softness Renovateur facial at the Ritz-Carlton in Half Moon Bay is more effective or pleasurable than the $165, 50-minute Extreme Softness facial at Le Spa at Sofitel in Los Angeles.
Meanwhile, customers are pretty much left in the dark when it comes to choosing services and guessing at the level of treatment quality they might receive. They're left with scrolling the Internet for reviews, getting recommendations from friends, or, says McNees of ISPA, getting on the phone with the spa. There's no reason you can't call and ask exactly what a particular treatment includes. And don't forget to look for specials.
"You will continue to see value opportunities," says McNees, noting off-season or bundled packages that offer discounts. "But more likely, it is whatever the market will bear."
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valli.herman@latimes.com
