The Spa at the Woodstock Inn & Resort

December 1, 2020 | by LNE Magazine

Celebrating 10 years of light, nature, and harmony

From hiking and garden classes to culinary classes and cross-country skiing, there is plenty of adventure to experience in and around the Woodstock Inn & Resort located in Woodstock, Vermont. Guests are promised a classic resort experience for timeless elegance, and what would that be without a luxurious spa? The LEED-certified, 10,000 square-foot Forbes 4-Star Spa is designed to bring tranquility and rejuvenation to every guest’s stay so that they leave with the feeling of being pampered. This year the Woodstock Inn & Resort celebrates the 10th anniversary of its spa. “Since the spa first opened its doors in 2010, the treatments and amenities have remained at the forefront of industry technology to continually provide elevated experiences to guests,” says Spa Director Khim Neang.

Signature Treatment

The spa’s most popular treatment is the Body Melt Back Therapy. It begins with an opening ritual of inhalation breath with arnica oil, and then an invigorating deep tissue massage using Russian sports tech niques. The massage is performed with Naturopathica’s arnica oil and gel to reduce inflammation. A heat pack is placed on the guest’s back to further relax the muscles, while the legs are massaged with arnica oil to induce a deeper state of relaxation. Guests are then turned over to enjoy a therapeutic neck massage. “After the neck massage, a warm neck wrap is placed under their neck and an eye pillow for their eyes while the rest of the full body massage is completed,” says Neang. The experience ends with hot towels on the feet, as guests melt away on the treatment table.

“Since the spa first opened its doors in 2010, the treatments and amenities have remained at the forefront of industry technology to continually provide elevated experiences to guests.”

Marketing

The Woodstock Inn & Resort is positioned as Vermont’s most beautiful address online. The charming destination is showcased for its elegance and natural beauty, with lush and vibrant trees surrounding the white picket property. The spa has it’s very own Instagram featuring its chic decor, organic skincare products, delicious lunches, inviting pool, and last but certainly not least, the Vermont-inspired treatments.

“The spa is part of the Woodstock Inn & Resort where we have a database of travelers that wish to and have traveled to Vermont. We market to this list with spa packages and spa experiences so when they are dreaming of a Vermont getaway, they can also dream of a spa experience,” says Neang. The spa has an aggressive digital marketing campaign, as well as social media, print, and other PR initiatives that target people interested in high-end travel and spa experiences.

Training

At the Spa at the Woodstock Inn & Resort, new staff members go through thorough training. “Staff are trained on new treatments and required to be checked off on new services before they can perform on guests. We have standard operating procedures for pretty much everything to ensure that our training and message are consistent,” says Neang.

Staff members’ performance are reviewed annually, and individualized goals are set depending on the therapist. Every staff member receives discounts for both retail and spa treatments. “Our compensation program is very competitive. It’s a great environment to work in. We support and take care of each other,” says Neang.

Special Events and Promotions

The spa offers seasonal treatments to reflect the changing seasons of Vermont and hosts an annual open house event every year to set the mood for the Holiday season. While the event is unable to happen this year due to the virus, the spa will still be celebrating its 10th anniversary by offering featured treatment and services, monthly Instagram giveaways, and special events from now through August 2021. The spa will also be partnering with vendors in mini-events.

The spa also captures the essence of Vermont by partnering with local vendors in both the interior design and retail of the spa. “For interior design, we partner with Simon Pearce, world-renowned Vermont-based glassmaker who created hand-blown lights for the Spa’s Great Room designed by Asfour Guzy Architects. We also partner with Farmhouse Pottery, based in Woodstock, VT. They custom-built the farmhouse table in the great room from New England Ash and handmade pottery bowls throughout the spa,” explains Neang.

Revenue and Retail

As for retail, the spa sells candles from Farmhouse Pottery and other local vendors like Flourish Natural Body Care and Pick Herbals. “The spa is committed to using products with responsible environmental ethics: recycled materials used for packaging and organic ingredients. All products are free of parabens, dyes, and synthetic fragrances,” says Neang. Some of the spa’s retail lines include a vitamin-based facial line called EmerginC, and a facial line using pure plant-based products called Naturopathica. FarmHouse Fresh is also used for the spa’s body treatments an oversized couples massage suite, and an outdoor courtyard designed for meditation.

Spa Director Spotlight

Khim Neang is a highly effective management professional with more than fifteen years of experience in Human Resources and Wellness. Most recently, she was the Spa and Health Club Director at the Heritage Hotel Golf, Spa, and Conference Center in Southbury, CT. Before that, she was the Spa and Salon Director at Green Tangerine Spa and Salon in Canton, CT. Neang also spent five years as the Spa Operations Manager at the Mayflower Inn and Spa in Washington, CT, and six years as a Massage Manager at Canyon Ranch in Lenox, MA.

“Always serve and lead from your heart and everything else will organically work itself out. Find meaningful work and do it with passion. Everyone can use the gift of touch,” she says.