THOMAS J. WALTER  and DAVID M. SANFORD
Owners

Crowne Pointe Historic Inn & Spa
Provincetown, Cape Cod, Massachusetts
http://www.crownepointe.com/
http://www.shuispa.com/
508-487-6767 Phone
 

January 2006

Thomas J. Walter is an MBA, with an undergraduate in Finance and Accounting, and is the General Manager of Crowne Pointe Historic Inn & Spa in Provincetown, Cape Cod, MA.  His Partner,  David M. Sanford is an engineer and is the Operations Manager.  

The Crowne Pointe Historic Inn & Spa has earned American Automobile Association's coveted Four Diamond Rating three years in a row, is a member of the National Trust Historic Hotels of America, and combines luxurious accommodations with fireplaces, whirlpool tubs, a bath butler, in ground heated swimming pool, Jacuzzi tubs, indoor hot tub, gourmet cuisine,  and a true full-service spa, the Asian-inspired Shui Spa.

How long has your spa been in operation?

We've owned and operated the Inn and Spa since 1999.

What was the inspiration for starting your spa, and what the inspiration for the name of your spa or group of spas?

Regarding "starting" the spa, it is our opinion that any hotel looking to operate at the 4 or 5 star level will find that an onsite spa is a "must have" service amenity. 

Regarding the name of the spa -- Shui Spa -- it is inspired by the concepts of Feng Shui.  Thomas traveled a lot in his earlier business development career and studied and practices the concept.  "Shui" means running water in Chinese.  The entire spa is built around that theme. In fact, our guests enter the spa by crossing an 18' bridge which spans a 4,000 gallon Koi pond.

What was your biggest challenge getting the spa opened?

In our area of Cape Cod, space is very limited.  We needed to find and create just the right location within the property.  Ultimately it involved purchasing another building to really make it work the way we wanted it to work.   We didn't want to stick the spa in some corner of a basement -- it had to be a clear, dedicated "important" yet private location on the resort property.

What is your signature or most popular treatment?

Hot Stone treatments (all are 90 minutes) and Couples Massage.  We're amazed at the number of Couples Massage services we perform.  More recently, we've been finding that our combination massage / body treatment services are very popular.

What are your personnel policies, issues, or training challenges? 

We work hard to keep the treatment and experience consistent with the appropriate therapists.  In addition, we are located in a very remote location of Cape Cod, but run a year round business in what can be a somewhat seasonal area.  We look for people who believe and are dedicated to the long term, year-round success of the business.

What is a pet peeve in operating your spa?

Noise. We work hard to create a Zen experience.  We have dedicated as much space to the common areas of the spa as we did to the treatment rooms.  We have a large indoor mineral tub, steam room and sauna area.  There are large lounge chairs and relaxing materials to read.  We don't allow loud conversation or clutter of any kind, and that includes newspapers.  You may laugh at that -- but newspapers are not allowed in our spa.

What has been the most rewarding or enjoyable experience with your spa? 

Watching our guests cross the bridge as they leave our spa, in a completely different state of mind then when they arrived.

What trends do you see coming, or, what has been the biggest change in the spa industry for you?

Keeping costs down while keeping our treatments current, new and cutting edge.  We really see facials and body treatments as a future source of growth for us.

What would you most like to add to, change, or improve in your spa?

We'd love more space.  One of the biggest successes of our spa is that we have dedicated more space to the common areas / relaxation areas than we did to treatment rooms.  We think a vital aspect of the overall experience is that people don't end the treatment experience the minute the therapist walks out the door.  We have a large steam room, sauna and soaking tub.  We have many lounge chairs -- both inside and out, but for us, there's never enough.  Tom:  "I know when I come out of a treatment all I want is to Zen out, in my own little world.  So if I had my way, I'd add even more places to hide, relax and do absolutely nothing!"

What favorite tip, words of wisdom, or advice would you like to share with your spa and wellness peers?

Research, research, and more research.  The wheel has already been invented, so don't try to do it again by yourself.  Also, get a few good partners (vendors) who will work with you towards the success of your business.

Shui Spa Relaxation Area

 

Interested in being spotlighted on SpaWire and in our SpaWire newsletter?
Participate in our Questionnaire