Despite boasting the world’s biggest hotel spa portfolio, Marriott has been
relatively quiet on the ‘wellness’ front… but that’s about to change. The group’s
new global leader of spa, fitness and wellness talks candidly to Katie Barnes
Suzanne Holbrook is Marriott's new global leader of spa, fitness and wellness / photo: Marriott International
How did it all start for you? It’s actually quite boring! I come from London but moved to the countryside in Suffolk, where I went to school. Like most teenagers, I didn’t know what I wanted to do. Sat in the career’s office, I noticed a poster with a pair of scissors and a comb and thought ‘that seems interesting, I think I’d like that’.
So it wasn’t a calling. But I think sometimes things are put in front of you at the right time. I started as a hairdresser and went on to run my own business. My love of travel led me on board Steiner as a hair stylist for six months. I learned about aesthetics and just wanted to have some fun, but within a few months, I was drawn back into leadership again and managed Steiner spas for five wonderful years.
Where are you based? I call Orlando, Florida, my home. I joined Ritz-Carlton [a Marriott brand] in 2,000 and oversaw spas in a bunch of different places for them – Puerto Rico, Atlanta and Miami.
What does wellness mean to you? I’ve always enjoyed working out and have a huge passion for the beauty and wellness industry. But over the past few years, mental wellbeing has become most important for me.
I lost my husband four years ago when he was just 51. Living in a country I didn’t grow up in, with no nearby family and a young daughter to raise, brought its share of challenges – especially with a career that involves frequent travel. But today, I’m proud of my amazing daughter and all that I’ve accomplished with the support of kind, loving friends and family.
Working out most days has been a lifeline. I’m competitive, so I’m drawn to group classes and I’m also learning pickleball along with the rest of the world. I enjoy contrast bathing, even with my strong dislike for cold water! Despite being sceptical at first, I began practising daily affirmations and meditation a year ago and they’ve been life-changing. My emotional mindset is more positive and I’m genuinely happier and more at peace.
What does getting the lead spa role at Marriott mean to you? Like a dream come true! I sometimes find myself wondering how I got here, a hairdresser from a small town in England. But it’s been a path paved with hard work, growth and resilience. I have ADHD, which brings its own challenges, but it also means I have a flair for innovation and embrace different ways of thinking.
Steiner was a highly results-focused environment and learning how to drive performance metrics has been key in my development.
In my most recent position, overseeing spa operations in North and South America for Marriott, we developed a comprehensive education platform covering the A-Z of spa leadership. This included virtual training, podcasts, bi-monthly coaching sessions, as well as an annual in-person gathering. Education is a true passion of mine and developing these amazing spa leaders also got me noticed, I think.
How is this job different from your last? It’s far more strategic, with a goal of shaping our long-term visions for wellness, spa and fitness. I’m no longer involved in day-to-day operations – that’s led by spa continent leaders.
I report into the global headquarters in Maryland and focus on design, development and innovation across our execution pillars – guest service, loyalty (the Marriott Bonvoy programme is very important), educating and growing people, sustainability and financials.
Kenneth Ryan’s title was VP of global operations of spa, fitness and retail… yours includes wellness but doesn’t mention retail. Is that strategic? Marriott had a big reorg in late 2024 [an overhaul to save US$80 million (€70 million, £60 million) in annual costs]. That changed a few areas, but I still have spa retail and now wellness – which is very significant.
So, is Marriott going to be staking its claim in the wellness hotel arena? Yes! We currently have 667 spas and 75-plus in the pipeline across iconic brands such as Ritz-Carlton, Edition, St Regis and JW Marriott. While we’re widely recognised for delivering exceptional service, we plan to establish a strong voice in the wellness market.
Spa and fitness will be the linchpin to bringing this vision to life. I also work closely with Sarah Rayner, VP of global luxury operations, to seamlessly integrate spa and wellness into the overall hotel experience. While spa is the cornerstone of wellness, our ambition is to deliver a more comprehensive, property-wide approach.
Marriott’s net revenues grew by 7 per cent last year. How do spa revenues compare? Results are very encouraging. Last year, spa revenues grew by 8 per cent globally, generating close to half a billion dollars. That’s a lot of massages and treatments and 2025 is already shaping up to be another strong year.
Marriott has always had a strong foundation in rooms and food & beverage. But the days of viewing spas as mere amenities or outlets are behind us. Today, 75 per cent of travellers consider wellness offerings when choosing a property and 43 per cent specifically look for a quality spa or wellness facility. Spas are no longer just a service – they’re a strategic business driver that elevate ADR and occupancy.
What are your most important spa KPIs? I focus on guest engagement, associate satisfaction and strong financial performance. I also closely monitor spa occupancy and market share. I’m constantly asking, ‘how do we drive more guests to our spas?’
I believe the luxury spa industry, particularly in the US, has priced itself out of reach for many in recent years. One of the challenges and opportunities we face is rethinking our pricing models to make luxury spa experiences more inclusive and accessible, without compromising on quality or brand integrity.
So you’ll create a spa membership? In the US, it’s nearly impossible to get a massage in a hotel for under US$250 (€218, £185), which is, frankly, unsustainable. To be competitive and drive volume, we need to rethink our approach.
Luxury must remain at the core, but that doesn’t mean we can’t be innovative. We should be looking to introduce dynamic pricing models, tiered offerings and membership programmes that can help us increase spa occupancy to between 70-80 per cent because that’s where it should be. It’s about making luxury wellness more accessible, while still delivering exceptional value and experience.”
What other core strategies will you bring in? We’re working on a few, including associate wellness. When employees well and truly understand wellness, it not only enhances their quality of life but also drives productivity and positively impacts financial performance.
This September, we’re planning a Wellness Week at headquarters, where all associates will be invited to experience wellness firsthand and engage with the strategic direction of the Marriott Spa Division.
What else are you working on? Another initiative is to reimagine underutilised spaces. Many of our hotels have large hair and nail salons, but with increasing competition from high street providers, that business is in decline. We’re now working with owners to repurpose these areas in more innovative and profitable ways.
One concept we’re exploring is wellness recovery rooms – dedicated spaces offering touchless therapies that require minimal staffing. These offerings are not intended to replace the power of human touch, but rather to complement it. They align with evolving guest expectations and allow us to deliver a new and differentiated wellness experience.
We’re already piloting AI automated massage in three properties (see p98), as well as water massage and LED beds and cold plunge dry floats.
Having the opportunity to shape big-picture vision and strategy is the pinnacle of my career and I’m incredibly grateful for it.
Suzanne Holbrook: Favourites
Treatment: Massage, preferably deep-tissue. Even better, a massage and facial by the same therapist in the same sitting
Spa: Ritz-Carlton Reserves are hard to beat. But outside of Marriott, I love the spa at Corinthia London
Film:The Sixth Sense
Book: I’ve just finished Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara. It gives such powerful insights into crafting truly memorable customer experiences
Season: Late autumn in Florida. However, there’s nowhere more beautiful than the UK in summer (on a warm day!)
Place: Anywhere where the ocean is
Advice: My first leader in my corporate role 13 years ago, Jeff Wolff, taught me not to see ADHD as a limitation
Who do you admire? My mother. I watched her manage a family and a successful business in the male-dominated farming/hauling and construction industry long before the days of female empowerment
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
View contents of Spa Business 2025 issue 2
Editor’s letter: The Gen Z effect
With young adults reshaping our industry, affordable, community-based models are thriving, while traditional spas risk being left behind
Spa people: Novak Djokovic
Game, set, spa. The tennis star is poised to launch a biohacking pod while also entering a multi-year ambassador partnership with Aman
Spa people: Peter Attia
One of the most respected names in longevity medicine has co-founded preventative health clinic, Biograph
Spa people: Alexis Dean
The founder of Soak is on a mission to deliver social wellness without the hefty price tag across Australia
News report: Young influencers
Millennials and Gen Zers are redefining the wellness landscape according to new research by McKinsey
News report: Double vision
Fresh data from RLA Global reveals that hotels delivering wellness earn twice as much as those that don’t
Project preview: Laugarás Lagoon
Contrast bathing and fine dining are two USPs of a new geothermal destination in Iceland’s Golden Circle
Interview: Suzanne Holbrook
Marriott’s new global leader of spa, fitness and wellness talks candidly to Katie Barnes about her plans for the world’s largest hotel spa portfolio
Ask an expert: Vagus nerve
Insider insights into why this critical nerve is a key to wellbeing and how supportive treatments are set to shake up spa menus. Kath Hudson reports
Research: Marginally speaking
CBRE’s latest numbers show that spa revenues in US hotels have edged upward, profits have slipped slightly and costs are down
Investigation: Dealing with death
With a new openness emerging around the subject of end-of-life care, Julie Cramer investigates whether spas could offer death doula services
Trend: Head first
Judy Chapman tries out brain mapping at Gwinganna to see why it’s become so popular
First person: Relaxation rebooted
Does AI massage have a place in luxury spas? Cassandra Cavanah heads to The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara to find out
Le Atelier by C.O.D.E. doesn't offer a standard bespoke service, it provides a highly
customised approach to designing massage beds and loungers in high-end wellness
environments. [more...]
In today’s premium spa environment, every detail shapes the guest experience – right down to
the softness of towels and the freshness of linens. [more...]
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Despite boasting the world’s biggest hotel spa portfolio, Marriott has been
relatively quiet on the ‘wellness’ front… but that’s about to change. The group’s
new global leader of spa, fitness and wellness talks candidly to Katie Barnes
Suzanne Holbrook is Marriott's new global leader of spa, fitness and wellness / photo: Marriott International
How did it all start for you? It’s actually quite boring! I come from London but moved to the countryside in Suffolk, where I went to school. Like most teenagers, I didn’t know what I wanted to do. Sat in the career’s office, I noticed a poster with a pair of scissors and a comb and thought ‘that seems interesting, I think I’d like that’.
So it wasn’t a calling. But I think sometimes things are put in front of you at the right time. I started as a hairdresser and went on to run my own business. My love of travel led me on board Steiner as a hair stylist for six months. I learned about aesthetics and just wanted to have some fun, but within a few months, I was drawn back into leadership again and managed Steiner spas for five wonderful years.
Where are you based? I call Orlando, Florida, my home. I joined Ritz-Carlton [a Marriott brand] in 2,000 and oversaw spas in a bunch of different places for them – Puerto Rico, Atlanta and Miami.
What does wellness mean to you? I’ve always enjoyed working out and have a huge passion for the beauty and wellness industry. But over the past few years, mental wellbeing has become most important for me.
I lost my husband four years ago when he was just 51. Living in a country I didn’t grow up in, with no nearby family and a young daughter to raise, brought its share of challenges – especially with a career that involves frequent travel. But today, I’m proud of my amazing daughter and all that I’ve accomplished with the support of kind, loving friends and family.
Working out most days has been a lifeline. I’m competitive, so I’m drawn to group classes and I’m also learning pickleball along with the rest of the world. I enjoy contrast bathing, even with my strong dislike for cold water! Despite being sceptical at first, I began practising daily affirmations and meditation a year ago and they’ve been life-changing. My emotional mindset is more positive and I’m genuinely happier and more at peace.
What does getting the lead spa role at Marriott mean to you? Like a dream come true! I sometimes find myself wondering how I got here, a hairdresser from a small town in England. But it’s been a path paved with hard work, growth and resilience. I have ADHD, which brings its own challenges, but it also means I have a flair for innovation and embrace different ways of thinking.
Steiner was a highly results-focused environment and learning how to drive performance metrics has been key in my development.
In my most recent position, overseeing spa operations in North and South America for Marriott, we developed a comprehensive education platform covering the A-Z of spa leadership. This included virtual training, podcasts, bi-monthly coaching sessions, as well as an annual in-person gathering. Education is a true passion of mine and developing these amazing spa leaders also got me noticed, I think.
How is this job different from your last? It’s far more strategic, with a goal of shaping our long-term visions for wellness, spa and fitness. I’m no longer involved in day-to-day operations – that’s led by spa continent leaders.
I report into the global headquarters in Maryland and focus on design, development and innovation across our execution pillars – guest service, loyalty (the Marriott Bonvoy programme is very important), educating and growing people, sustainability and financials.
Kenneth Ryan’s title was VP of global operations of spa, fitness and retail… yours includes wellness but doesn’t mention retail. Is that strategic? Marriott had a big reorg in late 2024 [an overhaul to save US$80 million (€70 million, £60 million) in annual costs]. That changed a few areas, but I still have spa retail and now wellness – which is very significant.
So, is Marriott going to be staking its claim in the wellness hotel arena? Yes! We currently have 667 spas and 75-plus in the pipeline across iconic brands such as Ritz-Carlton, Edition, St Regis and JW Marriott. While we’re widely recognised for delivering exceptional service, we plan to establish a strong voice in the wellness market.
Spa and fitness will be the linchpin to bringing this vision to life. I also work closely with Sarah Rayner, VP of global luxury operations, to seamlessly integrate spa and wellness into the overall hotel experience. While spa is the cornerstone of wellness, our ambition is to deliver a more comprehensive, property-wide approach.
Marriott’s net revenues grew by 7 per cent last year. How do spa revenues compare? Results are very encouraging. Last year, spa revenues grew by 8 per cent globally, generating close to half a billion dollars. That’s a lot of massages and treatments and 2025 is already shaping up to be another strong year.
Marriott has always had a strong foundation in rooms and food & beverage. But the days of viewing spas as mere amenities or outlets are behind us. Today, 75 per cent of travellers consider wellness offerings when choosing a property and 43 per cent specifically look for a quality spa or wellness facility. Spas are no longer just a service – they’re a strategic business driver that elevate ADR and occupancy.
What are your most important spa KPIs? I focus on guest engagement, associate satisfaction and strong financial performance. I also closely monitor spa occupancy and market share. I’m constantly asking, ‘how do we drive more guests to our spas?’
I believe the luxury spa industry, particularly in the US, has priced itself out of reach for many in recent years. One of the challenges and opportunities we face is rethinking our pricing models to make luxury spa experiences more inclusive and accessible, without compromising on quality or brand integrity.
So you’ll create a spa membership? In the US, it’s nearly impossible to get a massage in a hotel for under US$250 (€218, £185), which is, frankly, unsustainable. To be competitive and drive volume, we need to rethink our approach.
Luxury must remain at the core, but that doesn’t mean we can’t be innovative. We should be looking to introduce dynamic pricing models, tiered offerings and membership programmes that can help us increase spa occupancy to between 70-80 per cent because that’s where it should be. It’s about making luxury wellness more accessible, while still delivering exceptional value and experience.”
What other core strategies will you bring in? We’re working on a few, including associate wellness. When employees well and truly understand wellness, it not only enhances their quality of life but also drives productivity and positively impacts financial performance.
This September, we’re planning a Wellness Week at headquarters, where all associates will be invited to experience wellness firsthand and engage with the strategic direction of the Marriott Spa Division.
What else are you working on? Another initiative is to reimagine underutilised spaces. Many of our hotels have large hair and nail salons, but with increasing competition from high street providers, that business is in decline. We’re now working with owners to repurpose these areas in more innovative and profitable ways.
One concept we’re exploring is wellness recovery rooms – dedicated spaces offering touchless therapies that require minimal staffing. These offerings are not intended to replace the power of human touch, but rather to complement it. They align with evolving guest expectations and allow us to deliver a new and differentiated wellness experience.
We’re already piloting AI automated massage in three properties (see p98), as well as water massage and LED beds and cold plunge dry floats.
Having the opportunity to shape big-picture vision and strategy is the pinnacle of my career and I’m incredibly grateful for it.
Suzanne Holbrook: Favourites
Treatment: Massage, preferably deep-tissue. Even better, a massage and facial by the same therapist in the same sitting
Spa: Ritz-Carlton Reserves are hard to beat. But outside of Marriott, I love the spa at Corinthia London
Film:The Sixth Sense
Book: I’ve just finished Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara. It gives such powerful insights into crafting truly memorable customer experiences
Season: Late autumn in Florida. However, there’s nowhere more beautiful than the UK in summer (on a warm day!)
Place: Anywhere where the ocean is
Advice: My first leader in my corporate role 13 years ago, Jeff Wolff, taught me not to see ADHD as a limitation
Who do you admire? My mother. I watched her manage a family and a successful business in the male-dominated farming/hauling and construction industry long before the days of female empowerment
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
View contents of Spa Business 2025 issue 2
Editor’s letter: The Gen Z effect
With young adults reshaping our industry, affordable, community-based models are thriving, while traditional spas risk being left behind
Spa people: Novak Djokovic
Game, set, spa. The tennis star is poised to launch a biohacking pod while also entering a multi-year ambassador partnership with Aman
Spa people: Peter Attia
One of the most respected names in longevity medicine has co-founded preventative health clinic, Biograph
Spa people: Alexis Dean
The founder of Soak is on a mission to deliver social wellness without the hefty price tag across Australia
News report: Young influencers
Millennials and Gen Zers are redefining the wellness landscape according to new research by McKinsey
News report: Double vision
Fresh data from RLA Global reveals that hotels delivering wellness earn twice as much as those that don’t
Project preview: Laugarás Lagoon
Contrast bathing and fine dining are two USPs of a new geothermal destination in Iceland’s Golden Circle
Interview: Suzanne Holbrook
Marriott’s new global leader of spa, fitness and wellness talks candidly to Katie Barnes about her plans for the world’s largest hotel spa portfolio
Ask an expert: Vagus nerve
Insider insights into why this critical nerve is a key to wellbeing and how supportive treatments are set to shake up spa menus. Kath Hudson reports
Research: Marginally speaking
CBRE’s latest numbers show that spa revenues in US hotels have edged upward, profits have slipped slightly and costs are down
Investigation: Dealing with death
With a new openness emerging around the subject of end-of-life care, Julie Cramer investigates whether spas could offer death doula services
Trend: Head first
Judy Chapman tries out brain mapping at Gwinganna to see why it’s become so popular
First person: Relaxation rebooted
Does AI massage have a place in luxury spas? Cassandra Cavanah heads to The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara to find out
Global Wellness Day (GWD) will mark its 15th anniversary on Saturday 13 June 2026, with the
theme: #JoyMagenta – a celebration of the healing qualities of simple gestures and activities
that spark joy.
Global luxury hospitality brand, Six Senses, has partnered with longevity healthcare provider,
HUM2N, to launch a clinic at Six Senses London, at The Whiteley.
As part of its first hotel partnership, Mayrlife – the medical health resort company known for its
site in Altaussee, Austria – has launched a day clinic at the Rosewood Vienna.
Premium London health club, KX Chelsea, will imminently unveil its most significant
redevelopment since its launch in 2002 to create an integrated wellness model combining
training, recovery and relaxation.
Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth, on the northeast coast of Saint Barthélemy in the French
West Indies, is offering a programme of ocean-inspired yoga classes between 8-14 June to
celebrate Global Wellness Day (GWD).
Hotel de France, located on the British Isle of Jersey, has created a wellness retreat package
that includes a hot yoga session that will take place in Jersey Zoo’s butterfly sanctuary.
The Ritz-Carlton, Langkawi, in Malaysia, has revealed a schedule for Global Wellness Day
(GWD) that includes guided rainforest walks, mindful movement and guided coastal meditation
experiences.
Longevitix, a clinical platform for preventive and longevity medicine, has launched its AI-
powered intelligence system to help physicians deliver continuous, personalised longevity-
focused care at scale.
Atmantan Wellness Centre, an integrative wellness destination in Mulshi, near Pune in India, is
expanding its portfolio by adding a new centre in Hyderabad that will launch between 2028 and
2029.
A recent survey by the UK Spa Association (UKSA) into the industry’s approach to cancer care
has revealed that almost half of participating respondents (46 per cent) are unaware that
cancer is a disability and guests with a cancer diagnosis must be given
Le Atelier by C.O.D.E. doesn't offer a standard bespoke service, it provides a highly
customised approach to designing massage beds and loungers in high-end wellness
environments. [more...]
In today’s premium spa environment, every detail shapes the guest experience – right down to
the softness of towels and the freshness of linens. [more...]
+ More featured suppliers
COMPANY PROFILES
Power Plate Power Plate is owned, manufactured and distributed by Northbrook, Ill.-based Performance Health Syst [more...]
