‘It’s not just a spa break anymore’: Wellness facilities increasingly important to hotel guests

Affluent guests are increasingly likely to book a hotel based on the availability of wellness facilities such as a spa or yoga classes, according to a survey by PoB Hotels.

 

Half of respondents said wellness facilities were ‘somewhat or very important’ to them when booking a hotel.

 

Almost one in four (24%) emerging and high-net-worth (HNW) individuals, defined as people with investible assets worth more than £500,000, said these services were ‘very important’.

 

The findings were published in PoB’s first whitepaper, which was based on a survey of 3,100 people, including 200 affluent and HNWI, by wealth insights brand Altiant in September. A further 2,900 UK respondents were sampled from PoB’s database.

 

Kalindi Juneja, chief executive officer of PoB, told The Caterer the broader definition of wellness in recent years had opened up more opportunities for hotels to diversify their guest experiences.

 

“I don’t think it’s [just] a spa break anymore,” she said.

 

“Wellness is also quite personal. For example, we’ve got hotels that do forest bathing, yoga mats in bedrooms, or that take people foraging. At some properties it’s eating or drinking a particular dish, at another it is having a particular treatment. Wellness can be achieved with whatever space you have. There are so many variations.”

 

Roughly 70% of PoB’s 54 hotels have a spa.

 

“A key element that people are hoping for out of a UK break is that even when they are going for one night, they want to be able to switch off immediately,” Juneja added.

 

“It’s been challenging for hoteliers over the last couple of years to staff the spas, but we’re in a much better place now across the board and the demand for wellness and treatments has remained really high.”

 

Juneja said spas also offered hotels a chance to attract local clientele through membership programmes.

 

“Lucknam Park and Calcot Spa all have external memberships as well. It’s a key element for a hotel, particularly during quieter periods.”

 

The report found guests preferred to take UK staycations in spring and autumn compared to summer and winter, with only 4% of those surveyed describing winter as their favourite season for booking trips.

 

It showed the demand for staycations remained strong, with 97% of respondents planning to take at least one UK holiday in the next year, while 54% said they were taking three or more.

 

The south-west of England was top region of choice for travellers in 2024, with 59% planning trips to the area, followed by the north-east of England (46%) and Scotland (45%).

 

Some 82% of respondents said they chose where to book based on the food and drink options.

 

“Across the board, 60% of our hotels have a second restaurant,” said Juneja. “There has been quite a shift in the last couple of years where hotels feel they want to have two offerings: one that tends to be a find dining element and then the other slightly more brasserie feel. In some cases where the guests have been staying for longer, our hotels have partnerships with local restaurants and they would actively recommend as well."

 

Pride of Britain Hotels relaunched as PoB Hotels in February this year. The consortium was founded in 1982 to offer properties marketing support in return for an annual membership fee.