Roche is a trained naturopath, ayurvedic specialist and spa therapist
With a background as a naturopath, ayurvedic specialist, and spa therapist, Nichola Roche, Aman’s new group director of spa, has big plans for the luxury hotel’s wellness offering. She plans to make it more comprehensive, by adopting a 360-degree approach to health, and to develop a lifestyle brand – incorporating herbal teas, spa products and cookbooks – to “enable our guests to take a piece of Aman home with them,” she says.
“I want to create a more integrative approach at all Aman spas, which means ensuring all our health services and spa therapies are holistic, allowing a more in-depth and longer-lasting healing,” says Roche.
Roche was previously regional spa director for Akasha, and before that was spa director for flagship spa ESPA Life at The Corinthia Hotel in London.
Having experienced a variety of cultures throughout her career, Roche says she’s able to extract elements from her background and draw on healing methods from around the world, in order to position Aman as a true wellness brand. “Traditionally, Aman has been known for its incredible destinations, where guests can relax and rejuvenate. I want to create a more serious wellness offering, by building on and strengthening what’s gone before,” she says.
Retreats and wellness immersions – such as the new spa houses and immersions at coastal retreat Amanoi in Vietnam – will be a focus, as well as a new take on Aman’s spa offerings. “I want to make our treatments more results-focused, so they deeply nourish, ground and purify our guests. We’ll focus on providing health benefits rather than simply relaxation,” Roche explains.
One of Aman’s core concepts is that each location is different, and Roche plans to focus on that in developing spa programming, incorporating the local culture into offerings and focusing on indigenous healing. “We never repeat a concept; every property is individual, and we start with a blank canvas for each,” she says.
Later this year, Roche will also concentrate on key destinations that are renowned for healing, such as Bhutan, drawing inspiration from the country’s renowned measure of prosperity through happiness to create a ten-day Pursuit of Happiness retreat that will include oracle reading, meditation and yoga.
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
Interview: Jeremy McCarthy
Mandarin Oriental’s group director
of spa and wellness discusses mental
wellness, spas and technology
Promotional feature: Beautyworld Middle East
Set to take place May 14-16, 2017 in Dubai, Beautyworld Middle East is billed as “three days to rediscover wellness and shake up the industry.”
Promotional feature: ESPA
ESPA has been a leader in the field of therapeutic skincare and luxury spa design and management for 25 years. Founder Susan Harmsworth explains how the company’s recent brand evolution will make ESPA even more relevant to the future of wellness
Promotional feature: Riceforce
Rice Force is set to make further inroads into the spa market in 2017 with the
launch of its new aromatic oils and treatment protocol
Promotional feature: Oakworks
Oakworks’ new Masters’ Collection range, which will consist of over 15 models by the end of 2017, has been designed to offer spa operators the ultimate in modern styling, with solutions and functionality that address each spa’s practical needs
Contrast therapy, based on the alternation of hot and cold rituals, has become one of the
most valued practices in the fields of wellness and recovery. [more...]
The MSpa Oslo series is a perennial bestseller in global markets. With innovative
engineering and premium performance, this completely portable spa line-up is expertly
designed to meet the needs of customers worldwide. [more...]
Roche is a trained naturopath, ayurvedic specialist and spa therapist
With a background as a naturopath, ayurvedic specialist, and spa therapist, Nichola Roche, Aman’s new group director of spa, has big plans for the luxury hotel’s wellness offering. She plans to make it more comprehensive, by adopting a 360-degree approach to health, and to develop a lifestyle brand – incorporating herbal teas, spa products and cookbooks – to “enable our guests to take a piece of Aman home with them,” she says.
“I want to create a more integrative approach at all Aman spas, which means ensuring all our health services and spa therapies are holistic, allowing a more in-depth and longer-lasting healing,” says Roche.
Roche was previously regional spa director for Akasha, and before that was spa director for flagship spa ESPA Life at The Corinthia Hotel in London.
Having experienced a variety of cultures throughout her career, Roche says she’s able to extract elements from her background and draw on healing methods from around the world, in order to position Aman as a true wellness brand. “Traditionally, Aman has been known for its incredible destinations, where guests can relax and rejuvenate. I want to create a more serious wellness offering, by building on and strengthening what’s gone before,” she says.
Retreats and wellness immersions – such as the new spa houses and immersions at coastal retreat Amanoi in Vietnam – will be a focus, as well as a new take on Aman’s spa offerings. “I want to make our treatments more results-focused, so they deeply nourish, ground and purify our guests. We’ll focus on providing health benefits rather than simply relaxation,” Roche explains.
One of Aman’s core concepts is that each location is different, and Roche plans to focus on that in developing spa programming, incorporating the local culture into offerings and focusing on indigenous healing. “We never repeat a concept; every property is individual, and we start with a blank canvas for each,” she says.
Later this year, Roche will also concentrate on key destinations that are renowned for healing, such as Bhutan, drawing inspiration from the country’s renowned measure of prosperity through happiness to create a ten-day Pursuit of Happiness retreat that will include oracle reading, meditation and yoga.
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
Interview: Jeremy McCarthy
Mandarin Oriental’s group director
of spa and wellness discusses mental
wellness, spas and technology
Promotional feature: Beautyworld Middle East
Set to take place May 14-16, 2017 in Dubai, Beautyworld Middle East is billed as “three days to rediscover wellness and shake up the industry.”
Promotional feature: ESPA
ESPA has been a leader in the field of therapeutic skincare and luxury spa design and management for 25 years. Founder Susan Harmsworth explains how the company’s recent brand evolution will make ESPA even more relevant to the future of wellness
Promotional feature: Riceforce
Rice Force is set to make further inroads into the spa market in 2017 with the
launch of its new aromatic oils and treatment protocol
Promotional feature: Oakworks
Oakworks’ new Masters’ Collection range, which will consist of over 15 models by the end of 2017, has been designed to offer spa operators the ultimate in modern styling, with solutions and functionality that address each spa’s practical needs
Gran Hotel Taoro in northern Tenerife, Spain, has completed the final phase of its three-year
renovation with the debut of its Sandára Wellness Centre.
Hand and Stone Massage and Facial Spa, the spa business with more than 650 locations across
the US and Canada, has appointed franchise expert Carrie Walsh as CEO as the company plans
to expand.
Synergy – The Retreat Show, the global trade show for retreats, has launched a global research
initiative that will provide insights into the retreat sector from both consumer and industry
perspectives.
The Wellness Tourism Association (WTA) has published a non-regulatory global industry
framework designed to ensure the retreat market offers responsible experiences.
A new survey of UK and international spa practitioners shows that stress, burnout and
wellbeing concerns have caused one in three respondents to consider leaving the industry.
The UK's four Chief Medical Officers have published a refreshed edition of Physical activity
guidelines: UK Chief Medical Officers' report, updating the evidence that underpins the nation's
physical activity recommendations and placing greater emphasis on strength, balance, reducing
sedentary behaviour and, for the first time, supporting people taking weight loss medications.
Anna Bjurstam has left her role as Wellness Pioneer at Six Senses Hotels and Resorts and
launched a new wellness, longevity and “consciousness consultancy” called Wahayla.
Contrast therapy, based on the alternation of hot and cold rituals, has become one of the
most valued practices in the fields of wellness and recovery. [more...]
The MSpa Oslo series is a perennial bestseller in global markets. With innovative
engineering and premium performance, this completely portable spa line-up is expertly
designed to meet the needs of customers worldwide. [more...]
