Newcombe says the aim is to create a whole floor of well rooms in Los Angeles
"My role is to bring spa and wellness from an amenity to a core pillar,” says Michael Newcombe of his new appointment as vice president spa & wellness for Four Seasons. Alongside his main post as general manager of Four Seasons Los Angeles, Newcombe has been chair of the group’s spa task force – representing some 106 facilities worldwide – for just over a year.
"The global wellness economy, as defined by the Global Wellness Institute, is a US$3.7tn industry – twice the dollar spend of the global pharmaceutical industry,” he says. “This is a trend about prevention rather than cure. People want to avoid getting sick rather than fixing themselves. It’s about mindfulness, lifestyle and life balance and any brand has to contemplate its global positioning very carefully and that’s what we’re doing.
“Above all, we’re listening to our guests,” he adds, explaining that web click throughs for spa in the business is growing by 50-75 per cent. “There’s a big, big focus internally on wellness.”
Well rooms One obvious step towards wellness is Four Seasons’ collaboration with Delos to launch Wellness Rooms at Newcombe’s Beverly Hills site in Los Angeles. Five guestrooms and three suites, located on the fourth floor spa level, have been created to optimise physical and emotional wellbeing with features such as circadian lighting and air and water purification systems.
"I suffer a bit from allergens, dust, hay fever and asthma and when I slept in the room I really did feel a greater sense of purity when I woke up," testifies Newcombe.
“We’re only two months into the pilot, but we’re tracking sales and so far we’ve seen a 35 per cent increase on the suites and 50 per cent increase on regular rooms.” On top of this, the hotel can charge a premium for the rooms.
Typical customers include the busy executive who wants to have wellness options on the road, he says, and those coming to town for minor non-invasive procedures (like dermatology work) who want downtime pre- and post-treatment.
Guests in the well rooms have access to sleep and nutrition programmes developed by the Cleveland Clinic, guided meditation videos by Deepak Chopra, exercise equipment and yoga mats, as well as healthy in-room snack options.
“We partnered with Delos because its elements are all based on scientific evidence – they even have a sleep lab at the Mayo Clinic,” says Newcombe, adding that Four Seasons put its own look and design on the rooms.
Another personal touch has been to emphasise spa collateral. Well room guests get an 80-minute treatment for the price of 50 minutes and a special Surrender therapy has been designed costing US$210 (€170, £150) for 50 minutes or US$280 (€230, £200) for 80 minutes. “Jean-Guy de Gabriac of Tip Touch International worked with our senior therapists to create it. He asked them what move or stroke they felt best benefited different muscle groups. They came up with the word ‘surrender’ to define it because they want guests to surrender a bit of their time in their busy schedules.”
Newcombe confirms all of this is having a very positive impact on the spa itself as the capture rate is up by an impressive 30 per cent.
The new norm Moving forward, Newcombe says to watch out for more in the Four Seasons Los Angeles wellness sphere. The idea is to eventually convert the remaining eight guestrooms on the fourth floor into Wellness Rooms to create a ‘spa floor’ for the hotel.
But when it comes to global plans, he’s not giving much away and won’t confirm whether the concept will roll out across the group. “We’ll be interacting closely with our guests to gauge the success of the pilot and then review further options,” he says.
He’s also keen to point out that even if there is a rollout, well rooms “will not uniquely define us. Four Seasons has multi-segment hotels and wellness is a strong option but it’s not the only option. It’s about increasing choices but not forcing a concept on a guest.”
That said, he does see well rooms becoming the ‘new norm’ in the industry. “I go back to when non-smoking became the norm,” concludes Newcombe. “Now you’ll hardly find a smoking room anywhere. And I suspect wellness features will also be absorbed into regular guestrooms.
“At the same time you’ll also see advancements. As science progresses and the traveller becomes more discerning, wellness features will become more customisable – mood lighting will follow the guest’s waking itinerary, foods will match specific [weight or health] objectives. The bar will rise from guests expecting a ‘feel good’ stay, to demanding a ‘feel great’ one. And that’s exciting.”
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Newcombe says the aim is to create a whole floor of well rooms in Los Angeles
"My role is to bring spa and wellness from an amenity to a core pillar,” says Michael Newcombe of his new appointment as vice president spa & wellness for Four Seasons. Alongside his main post as general manager of Four Seasons Los Angeles, Newcombe has been chair of the group’s spa task force – representing some 106 facilities worldwide – for just over a year.
"The global wellness economy, as defined by the Global Wellness Institute, is a US$3.7tn industry – twice the dollar spend of the global pharmaceutical industry,” he says. “This is a trend about prevention rather than cure. People want to avoid getting sick rather than fixing themselves. It’s about mindfulness, lifestyle and life balance and any brand has to contemplate its global positioning very carefully and that’s what we’re doing.
“Above all, we’re listening to our guests,” he adds, explaining that web click throughs for spa in the business is growing by 50-75 per cent. “There’s a big, big focus internally on wellness.”
Well rooms One obvious step towards wellness is Four Seasons’ collaboration with Delos to launch Wellness Rooms at Newcombe’s Beverly Hills site in Los Angeles. Five guestrooms and three suites, located on the fourth floor spa level, have been created to optimise physical and emotional wellbeing with features such as circadian lighting and air and water purification systems.
"I suffer a bit from allergens, dust, hay fever and asthma and when I slept in the room I really did feel a greater sense of purity when I woke up," testifies Newcombe.
“We’re only two months into the pilot, but we’re tracking sales and so far we’ve seen a 35 per cent increase on the suites and 50 per cent increase on regular rooms.” On top of this, the hotel can charge a premium for the rooms.
Typical customers include the busy executive who wants to have wellness options on the road, he says, and those coming to town for minor non-invasive procedures (like dermatology work) who want downtime pre- and post-treatment.
Guests in the well rooms have access to sleep and nutrition programmes developed by the Cleveland Clinic, guided meditation videos by Deepak Chopra, exercise equipment and yoga mats, as well as healthy in-room snack options.
“We partnered with Delos because its elements are all based on scientific evidence – they even have a sleep lab at the Mayo Clinic,” says Newcombe, adding that Four Seasons put its own look and design on the rooms.
Another personal touch has been to emphasise spa collateral. Well room guests get an 80-minute treatment for the price of 50 minutes and a special Surrender therapy has been designed costing US$210 (€170, £150) for 50 minutes or US$280 (€230, £200) for 80 minutes. “Jean-Guy de Gabriac of Tip Touch International worked with our senior therapists to create it. He asked them what move or stroke they felt best benefited different muscle groups. They came up with the word ‘surrender’ to define it because they want guests to surrender a bit of their time in their busy schedules.”
Newcombe confirms all of this is having a very positive impact on the spa itself as the capture rate is up by an impressive 30 per cent.
The new norm Moving forward, Newcombe says to watch out for more in the Four Seasons Los Angeles wellness sphere. The idea is to eventually convert the remaining eight guestrooms on the fourth floor into Wellness Rooms to create a ‘spa floor’ for the hotel.
But when it comes to global plans, he’s not giving much away and won’t confirm whether the concept will roll out across the group. “We’ll be interacting closely with our guests to gauge the success of the pilot and then review further options,” he says.
He’s also keen to point out that even if there is a rollout, well rooms “will not uniquely define us. Four Seasons has multi-segment hotels and wellness is a strong option but it’s not the only option. It’s about increasing choices but not forcing a concept on a guest.”
That said, he does see well rooms becoming the ‘new norm’ in the industry. “I go back to when non-smoking became the norm,” concludes Newcombe. “Now you’ll hardly find a smoking room anywhere. And I suspect wellness features will also be absorbed into regular guestrooms.
“At the same time you’ll also see advancements. As science progresses and the traveller becomes more discerning, wellness features will become more customisable – mood lighting will follow the guest’s waking itinerary, foods will match specific [weight or health] objectives. The bar will rise from guests expecting a ‘feel good’ stay, to demanding a ‘feel great’ one. And that’s exciting.”
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
People profile: Garrett Mersberger
Garrett Mersberger on the overhaul of Kohler Waters’ flagship spa in Europe, plus his vision for ISPA following his appointment as chair of the association
Spa programmes: On the menu
Underwater yoga, healing breathwork and genetics all feature in Spa Business’ brand new series revealing the latest treatments, programmes and retreats in spas
Promotional feature: Zimmer MedizinSysteme
Cold therapy is suddenly all the rage, but Zimmer MedizinSysteme’s icelab takes it a step further, creating a cold sauna for the whole body. Rainer Bolsinger explains more about this cutting-edge therapy
Promotional feature: The Tides: pure Dutch nature inside
Modern living might be tough on our minds and bodies, but newly-launched Dutch wellness and self-care brand The Tides offers just the antidote with a new class of pure, raw products and treatments
Eighty-four per cent of consumers now say wellness is a top priority in their lives, with this
percentage increasing year on year, according to a preview presentation of McKinsey’s Future of
Wellness 2026 research report.
Mass protests have been taking place since Monday 1 June in Albania over the development of
a luxury resort by Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner.
Global Wellness Day (GWD) marked 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.
In the fast-paced world of fitness and wellness, where high-intensity workouts push us to
our limits and the sweat pours, the importance of efficient recovery cannot be overstated. [more...]
+ More featured suppliers
COMPANY PROFILES
TechnoAlpin Indoor TechnoAlpin is the world leader for snowmaking systems. With the Indoor snow division, TechnoAlpin c [more...]
