TREATMENTS AND NATURAL COSMETICS REACH FOR THE STARS AT AWARD-WINNING SPA

THE CHEDI SPA

Treatments and natural cosmetics at the highest level. That’s what The Spa & Health Club at The Chedi Andermatt stands for. As the flagship of the futureorientated project Andermatt Swiss Alps, it has already earned itself awards for its culinary repertoire and just recently JeanYves Blatt was named Hotelier of the Year. It comes as no surprise that The Spa is a repeat award-winner with its harmonious ambience throughout and unique alpineAsiatic architecture exuding an almost intoxicating fragrance. Sabine Lange, the Chedi Spa Manager, takes us on our own discovery tour.

What makes The Spa award-winning? The described ambience makes an impression on guests and employees alike. As the new spa manager what has been important to me, was formulating a longterm product strategy. Future trends have to be taken into account, since one wouldn’t want to have to change products every year.

How was the product of choice selected? Vegan or organically certified was not necessarily a priority. The important thing was that the product had to be natural and comprised a complete line, so guests could be offered an ample selection. It also had to be of high quality, exclusive and effective.

Which products ultimately came into contention? On the one hand, Tata Harper from the United States. It’s only been on the market for ten years, but is already a living legend. Dissatisfied with the existing natural skin care products available, Tata decided to develop her own, elevating natural cosmetics to a new level. They are as green inside as the packaging they come in. She felt that certification in the United States did not meet the mark so she had hers organically certified in Europe. On the other hand, there was Omorovicza, which has a wonderful family history behind it of Hungarian hot thermal baths built around Budapest. Already used during the time of the Romans, for centuries these baths had made a name for themselves for their healing properties. Omorovicza developed her own cosmetics line by dispensing with all artificial ingredients.

What has been the reaction of the guests? It has been overwhelming. The sale of the products multiplied within a short space of time. When guests buy a product after a treatment, it’s always a good sign. The clients came to realise that the effect of a facial for example, would last for days and not only hours. They soon develop a passion for what we offer, and that’s important for the spa team.

Training is part of all this? That’s right the staff carries on receiving training on both products every year.

How does a preference for the one or the other brand come about? Most guests don’t know the brands when they get here. However, Tata Harper is a star among the stars, that is to say in Hollywood with creations like Organic Gold – massage oil that got its name from the high-quality organic substances it was created from. In the case of Omorovicza mineral lovers are drawn to it, as they also are by the complex reviving facial massaging techniques handed down for generations using just the right pressure.

Is all the spa staff proficient in this? They all have to be proficient in the most diverse of techniques. Either they’re trained aestheticians who also learned body treatments or visa versa. We also have trained physiotherapists and wellness masseuses on board who offer a wide range of massages, be it a sports or energising massage. To add to the repertoire are our signature treatments – the exclusive Chedi treatments. Among these are four hand massages with elements from the Hawaiian Lomi-Lomi and from Thai or Balinese massages. The challenge here is complete synchronicity. The therapists need to understand one another implicitly on a nonverbal almost blind level. That takes special training.

So does it mean that guests have become more aware of their use of cosmetics? Definitely. They want to know what they’re using on their skin since it is after all our largest sensory organ. Just as in the culinary world, people have become very discerning in the world of cosmetics. This includes total transparency. In the case of both brands, all the ingredients have been documented and are verifiable.

The spa plays a role in guests loyalty? Certainly. Many guests already book the treatments when they book their room – all thanks to favourable experiences and implicit confidence.

WWW.THECHEDIANDERMATT.COM

6490 Andermatt | Switzerland

Interview/Words: Daniel Chardon