April 2021, Spa, Spa of the Month

The Trellis Spa at the Houstonian

April 1, 2021 | by LNE Magazine

The largest spa retreat in Texas

Rediscover the famed Trellis Spa at the Houstonian as it reopens as the largest spa retreat in Texas. You can relax for a few hours or an entire day, experiencing all that it has to offer, from the Soaking Pools & Gardens to the deeply relaxing head-to-toe spa treatments. The Trellis Spa is an oasis like no other, offering a wide array of services for you to indulge in, including custom services for men, mothers-to-be, and teens. You can start your day with breakfast in the new treetop dining room while overlooking the majestic oaks and end it with a fine wine and dining experience on the dining terrace and first-level patio. General Manager Renae Cassam is sharing all that makes the Trellis Spa a four-star awarded spa by Forbes Travel Guide, including the spa’s signature treatment and state-of-the-art amenities.

A LOOK INSIDE

The Trellis Spa offers an expansive 21 treatment rooms, four manicure stations, six pedicure chairs, two styling stations, and two makeup stations. Not to mention, an incredible water circuit experience in the outdoor Soaking Pools & Garden. After a shower in the locker rooms, guests are encouraged to begin their soaking experience in the hot outdoor Vitality Pool followed by the warm Ambient Pool and a cold shower in the outdoor water
circuit area.

“We encourage guests to rest in the Soaking Pools & Garden area after their cold shower on a lounge chair, by one of the fire pits or in a private open-air cabana (available for rent), and walk around for a few minutes to complete the circuit,” says Cassam. The Trellis Spa also has a steam room, jetted tub, co-ed Reflection Pool inside, a quiet Tranquility Room, Relaxation Area, and dining at its newly expanded dining terrace where breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served daily.

“We pride ourselves in making every guest feel welcome, and our dedicated spa concierge assists in facilitating memorable spa experiences.”

SIGNATURE TREATMENT

The spa’s signature treatment is the Diamond White Facial, a revolutionary treatment that provides glowing results for hyperpigmented skin. “It is formulated with high concentrations of effective whitening and lightening active ingredients that achieve astonishing results after the first session,” says Cassam. The treatment evens out skin tone and minimizes pores to reveal an utterly even complexion. The treatment is suitable for all skin types and is offered for 50 minutes, $230, and 80 minutes, $310.

MARKETING

“The largest percentage of Trellis guests are locals who love the oasis we offer in the heart of the bustling Galleria area of Houston. We pride ourselves in making every guest feel welcome, and our dedicated spa concierge assists in facilitating memorable spa experiences,” says Cassam. Many Houstonians’ private fitness club members visit the spa for spa or salon services and invite their friends.
The spa keeps its marketing efforts minimal and instead focuses on offering the best treatments and guest experiences. “Through our dedicated staff who have focused on servicing our guests, we’ve been able to create demand for the unique experience offered at Trellis,” Cassam explains.

TRAINING

All staff are trained upon being hired, but the spa also has training and refresher training throughout the year to keep service standards exceptional. The spa hosts quarterly departmental staff meetings and two pre-shift meetings every day, one for service providers and the other for guest service staff. “During pre-shift, we review the number of services and lunches scheduled, groups in house, a guest service focus of the day, and opportunities of available appointments for team members to cross-promote one another,” explains Cassam.

Staff performance is reviewed throughout the year, and department goals are shared consistently. Employees are also offered gratis retail and prizes to meet retail sales goals and increase bookings during incentive periods, such as when a new service is launched or when the spa is highlighting a specific treatment.

SPECIAL EVENTS AND PROMOTION

The Trellis Spa loves to create its own events and participate in events with local vendors to highlight the products it offers in its treatments. Marketing efforts are prepared a few months in advance for promotions, and the spa will typically send emails or post on its website to promote.

“We’ve participated in Beauty Lover’s Day by Natura Bissé for several years. Beauty Lover’s Day celebrates St. Jordi, Catalonia’s (a city in Spain) version of Valentine’s Day. St. Jordi’s Day is a one-day festival of romance, roses, and books inspired by the legend of St. George. The legend is that Saint George slew a dragon to save a princess and then plucked a red rose for the princess from a rose bush, which sprouted on the exact spot where the dragon’s blood had spilled. So – the men, the knights – in Barcelona and Catalonia give their sweetheart – the princess – a red rose, and in recent years a new St. Jordi tradition is that ladies give men a book,” says Cassam.

Natura Bissé offers a retail product gift with purchase and value-size product for this special holiday in the Spring. On St. Jordi’s Day, the spa team wears red accents, hands out roses to guests, and puts Ricardo Fisa’s, the founder of Natura Bissé, book on display.

REVENUE AND RETAIL

When it comes to choosing retail products, the spa keeps all of the staff and guests involved, having conversations with the estheticians, massage therapists, and other service providers on what they believe will work well and translate into a home care solution.

“One of our massage therapists met one of the co-founders of Lacuna Botanicals, the line we use in our CBD massage at a conference in Colorado. We had been searching for a high efficacy CBD for some time, which offered luxury retail packaging and scent, and knew Lacuna would be the perfect fit for Trellis,” explains Cassam.

In addition to the skincare lines mentioned, the Trellis Spa also offers ORVEDA, Kérastase, Phytomer, LONDONTOWN, NuFace, and Déesse. The spa’s revenue composition is 35% massage/body treatments, 22% facials/waxing, 13% hair, 10% nails, 2% makeup, and 18% retail.