Talking Spa Design With The Owners of Blu Spas
*The original article appeared in GoodLifeReport.com. We are including more of the conversation about wellness and spa design with Blu Spas principals, Cary Collier and Doug Chambers.
This is part one of a two-part series.
Designing Wellness – Spa Design
Out of all the buzzy trends that go in and out of popularity every year, here’s one that we’re thrilled to see sticking—wellness. Sticking doesn’t even quite do it justice, though, as reports from the Global Wellness Institute estimate that the wellness economy is worth an estimated $3.7 trillion. So, how does this sector continue to not only bask but also boom?
Well, for one, it addresses the basic human desire to improve upon one’s circumstances—to be happier, healthier, more well-rested, more energetic, and the list goes on. But perhaps even more importantly—and like most other success stories—this industry simply has the right people at its helm.
Exhibit A: Cary Collier and Doug Chambers. This unlikely pair—a Texan cowboy and a lawyer from the OC—joined forces in 2001 to create Blu Spas Inc., a design, consulting and management company for international spas, salons, fitness, and wellness. They may have started from scratch, but their rise has been one to watch; Blu Spas now boasts more than 400 spas in over 35 countries. And this duo not only preaches about enriching the quality of life, but they’re also practicing parishioners.
Need your daily dose of positive vibes? Below we chat with Collier and Chambers about their passion for the industry, what makes the Blu Spa experience unique, and their most helpful tips for would-be wellness seekers.
What is it about the wellness (and specifically spa) industry that initially drew you in? Have you always been passionate about health and wellness?
CARY: My life is and always will be active. I owned an aerobic studio and gym in the early 80s and that is when I first heard of “spa”. This led me to Dallas, where I was on the opening team as a fitness trainer and instructor for one of the first hotel spas in the country, The Spa at The Crescent, Hotel Crescent Court – Rosewood.
The immersion into spa and wellness was a life game-changer. Because of the visionary leadership of Robert Zimmer and Toni Beck and the superb facilities and services, The Spa at The Crescent would be on trend today, but this was 1986. It became apparent that this was a life direction I could not ignore. It is also where I met my wife, Kim. In 1990, we lived, worked and were married in Hong Kong and then moved to Bali, Indonesia, where we lived a dream life and were able to work around Asia, India and Dubai, and be introduced to many wonderful cultures. We were pioneers in a new industry that was raging to flourish. Health and wellness awakened and filled my karmic punch bowl—and still does.
DOUG: I’ve been very active for most of my life, but was ignorant, to be generous, about health and wellness for nearly the first half of my life. Whether by sheer happenstance or just good fortune, I was introduced to the wellness / spa industry as a result of a family business venture. The timing was right for several reasons, including that I had been slowly exploring and learning about a wide variety of wellness-related issues, so my interest was primed, and I was receptive to becoming more fully immersed.
I was drawn to the industry, in part, because it seemed such a stark contrast to the law industry, the industry in which I’d spent the first portion of my adulthood. I was drawn to the opportunity to be involved in projects demanding both creativity and business skills. The chance to participate in projects that promised positive experiences for people, that introduced wellness in a variety of easily-embraced ways, appealed to me.
Four Seasons Hotel – Kyoto, Japan
Locality plays a big part in your designs. What is your process for getting a true feel for a project’s city?
CARY: We learned many great lessons living in Bali and traveling and working around Asia about how important it is to respect the culture, heritage and traditions. Our preference is to have the time to immerse into a location, as there are a wondrous variety of questions, concepts and crafting to be sorted out. However, we do not always have this opportunity or time. So, then the design is refined by research and talking with locals, marketers and operators in-country. The discovery process guides us to tell the story for the project and stakeholders.
DOUG: It’s a fluid hybrid of research and immersion. As a practical matter, we don’t always get the chance for the level of immersion we may prefer, so we often rely on solid research, which includes informal interviews with people that have been immersed in the location’s culture. Our team has always had the good fortune in balancing our approach to find key themes to help drive our concepts.
You mention on your site that your team “breathes soul” into spas. What are the aspects of a space that convey that sense of depth and tangible feeling to a guest?
CARY: My mantra has always been to create a “sensory sanctuary” for our projects. Nature is the main act wherever possible. Our role is to orchestrate layers of detail so the end results are memorable guest experiences. The flow, site lines, crafting of indoor and outdoor spaces, the lighting, the sounds, the aromas, the art. and the preponderance of texture—these are all treasured and need a happy ending. More and more. sacred architecture, biophilic design, and sustainable everything [are used as well]. All and more are becoming our north star for planning or must-haves to achieve authentic definitions for wellness developments in hospitality, residential and community projects. It takes a village of architects, designers, hoteliers, spa directors and, of course, the best of our planet Earth, to plan, and design and operate a knock-out wellness spa and fitness concept—one that is a “feel good” place.
DOUG: I’m a firm believer that it starts with the concept and then it’s the coordination of, and attention to, all the nuances that together infuses the “soul” into spas. Our team is fortunate to have a very cohesive and complementary sense of the direction for a spa and we’ve had the good fortune of collaborating with extraordinary architects and interior designers.
A connection to nature / the outdoors, including the thoughtful use of natural elements, is a strong variable in creating this sensation. Additionally, it’s the deliberate and mindful attention to all the senses and when all the elements of the spa align seamlessly that help to create a cohesive and compelling space for the guest.
Loma de Vida Spa & Wellness at La Cantera Hillcountry Resort & Spa
What specific projects/spaces that your team has created have connected the most with you?
CARY: The original design of The Spa at Nusa Dua Beach Hotel, in 1995, was the first free-standing spa villa on the planet. Thereafter, everything about the original design of The Spa at Four Seasons at Jimbaran Bay, Bali, was extraordinary. [For example,] the use of local artists for all furniture, fixtures, fabrics, and products, including the “Jamu Bar”. These Bali Spas were the most feel-good, happy places and spaces in my memory, even 20 years later.
Alvadora Spa at Royal Palms Resort in Phoenix, Arizona, was a similar experience as Bali; we had the right people at the right time to make magic happen. Others to come were Salishan Spa in Oregon, as well as Green Valley Ranch & Red Rock in Las Vegas. SilverLeaf in Scottsdale [and] Kakui’ula in Kauai bring back fond memories. We have been most fortunate to work on numerous Four Seasons projects: Istanbul, on the Bosphorus, Kyoto, Hong Kong, Marrakech, Bahrain, Kuwait, and—opening in 2018—Greece, Brazil and Tunisia.
Most recent is the Loma de Vida Spa at La Cantera Resort & Spa, a Destination Hotel in San Antonio, Texas. As a native Texan, this was a project that I really wanted and worked to get. And I had the pleasure to work with a respected friend, Maggy Dunphy of Two Roads Hospitality. My favorite spaces at Loma de Vida are the “Sky Lofts”. They overlook the Texas Hill Country, with interiors for treatments (and the views!) plus outdoor decks with “cowboy bathtubs,” showers, and lounging (and more views!).
We are launching a new wellness concept that is in design and believes will shine bright for lodging, residential, community, and hot springs projects. Can’t talk about it yet; we really want to, but the wait is almost over!
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