INTERVIEW
Tammy Pahel
A
s a resort where wellness is deep, varied and the heartbeat of operations, Carillon Miami should be well-placed as consumers emerge out of the pandemic with health at the forefront of their minds. Whatever the wellness treatment, Carillon will most likely offer it and was probably one of the first to do so – from kung fu healing and executive coaching to IV therapies and Tibetan bowl rituals. While the property opened in 1959 as an example of modern Miami style, it’s possibly best known in spa circles as home to Canyon Ranch Living, which took over the property in 2008 and added residential towers and a sizeable David Rockwell-designed, 6,500sq m spa. However, it was unfortunate timing and the global economic downturn made success a challenge. It was acquired by private equity group Z Capital Partners in 2015 for a reported US$21.6m (€17.7m, £15.2m) and spa industry veteran and visionary
74 spabusiness.com issue 2 2021
Tammy Pahel joined as VP of spa and wellness in May 2018. “If you really want to lose weight, eat healthier, whatever improvements clients want, we have options that provide for people to have more wellness in their life,” comments Pahel. “And when you go somewhere and you have a great experience, you want to go back and try new things.” Reopening a hotel, residence and the largest spa on the eastern seaboard in the aftermath of COVID-19 has been a long, slow journey. Between human fears and mandated restrictions, there are many limitations on operations, but Pahel keeps pushing forward. She’s used the downtime to do minor renovations, bring in new equipment and begin fresh partnerships, such as bringing the integrative medicine company BioStation to operate the medical arm of the resort, and finding new suppliers with cutting-edge technology to sanitise and clean both the facility and equipment. She candidly shares some of the challenges of the past year with Spa Business.
PHOTO: CARILLON MIAMI WELLNESS RESORT
Are customers really pursuing wellness like never before? Or wary of even stepping into a hotel (let alone a spa) ? Lisa Starr asks Carillon’s Tammy Pahel and shares her own first-hand experience
