The coronavirus has sparked much interest in spa services which minimise human contact. Megan Whitby takes a look at the innovations which could add a much-needed boost to treatment menus
Zerobody is a multi-purpose dry floatation bed which guests can customise
It’s great to see spas starting to reopen following COVID-19 lockdowns. However, the majority of facilities will be offering a pared-down menu and some guests may be keen to return, but uncomfortable with high-touch therapies.
Experts suggest that now is the time to explore new innovations and Spa Business predicts that as trade picks up once more, many owners will be looking at ‘touchless experiences’ – services which require less labour, minimise guest’s exposure to other people and which could add a real point of difference. They typically require a big up-front investment, but providers say there’s potential to increase profit margins in the long-run.
Although the role of therapists in a spa could never be replaced or over-exaggerated, touchless experiences are piquing people’s interest and we’ve rounded up some of the different types of equipment on offer.
Starpool
Zerobody
• Italian wellness supplier Starpool offers Zerobody – a multi-purpose dry floatation bed which guests can customise with chromotherapy, a lumbar massage and mindfulness experience via a touchscreen tablet.
• The touchless treatment typically lasts 20-30 minutes and is claimed to ease muscle and joint pain, decrease stress, improve circulation and encourage relaxation.
• Starpool recommends charging a rate of €1 per minute for treatments.
• Zerobody is designed with an eco-leather outfit suitable for deep cleaning and all disinfectant strengths. Added hygiene measures include disposable hygiene sheets for the bed and supplied headphones to be changed between treatments. Combined with preparation, cleaning time adds 15 minutes to treatments.
• If a spa opened for nine hours, Starpool believes 12 treatments could be sold daily and could be packaged with sauna or cryotherapy sessions.
• Cost: €15,000 (US$17,155, £13,694) to €22,000 (US$25,165, £20,082).
Starpool’s Zerobody floatation can be customised with a lumbar massage and chromatherapy / Photos: STARPOOL
Sensync
Vessel
• Created by immersive wellness company Sensync, the Vessel offers a programmable touchless VR experience delivered in a pod to displace guests from the burdens of their mind.
•
During the treatment, guests lie in the pod and use a VR headset to see, hear, smell and feel sensations of nature.
•
Proposed benefits include improved attention, stress reduction and mood enhancement.
•
Cleaning takes two minutes and requires replacement of disposable face inserts on the headset and all contact surfaces being wiped with disinfectant wipes. The pod is capable of withstanding hospital-grade disinfectant.
•
The Vessel offers one 40-minute programme priced at US$135 (€118, £108) or two 20-minute programmes costing US$75 (€65, £60) each.
•
Sensync estimates spas could offer eight to 16 treatments per unit per day
•
Price: US$98,000 (€85,801, £78,183).
The Vessel offers programmable VR experiences and a 40-minute session costs US$135
Unbescheiden
Hydrotherapy Tub Caracalla
• Unbescheiden, based in Germany, makes the Hydrotherapy Tub Caracalla which provides an underwater massage.
•
Operated via touchscreen, guests select from a menu of 10 pre-set treatments, with the option to adjust pressure settings.
•
Benefits include muscle relaxation, enhanced in the warm water, and reduction in tension.
•
The tub has built-in hygiene options including automatic rinsing or disinfection functions which take five minutes each.
•
Treatments last between 20-30 minutes and can range between €30 (US$34, £27) to €80 (US$91, £73) in price.
•
Assuming a spa is open for eight hours, approximately 15 treatments can be carried out per day.
•
Unbescheiden recommends combining treatments with face and body modalities of all types, for example, shower experiences or further massage and facials.
•
Starting price: €20,000 (US$22,866, £18,232).
Users can select from a menu of 10 pre-set underwater massages
ARTOFCRYO.COM
Vaultz
• The Vaultz series by artofcryo.com includes three different types of whole-body cryotherapy chambers. Treatment times are individually set via a unique software system and usually last around three minutes.
• Benefits include enhancing immunity, anti-ageing, muscle rehabilitation and stress relief.
• It’s considered a COVID-safe treatment as it’s touchless and guests can wear protective masks and gloves and are provided with shoes so they don’t come into contact with surfaces.
• What’s more, viruses do not like the extreme cold temperatures (-110˚C) of cryotherapy.
• The stainless steel floor of the chambers are capable of withstanding hospital-grade disinfectant.
• Sessions cost £80 (€89, US$101), but guests can have up to five daily and artofcryo.com estimates spas could offer 50 treatments a day in a single chamber under corona-friendly restrictions. Or it says up to 200 sessions could take place a day in its multi-room vario Vaultz model under normal circumstances.
• The single chamber has a base-line price of £100,000 (€110,886, US$126,869).
Gharieni
MLX i³Dome
• Gharieni’s new MLX i³Dome combines three therapies – far infrared (FIR) with plasma- and light-therapies (PLT) – to offer a touchless experience.
•
Clients lie underneath the dome which exposes them to long-wave infrared rays while the PLT device rests above their head acting on the skin.
•
Benefits include revitalised skin, increased collagen production and boosted metabolism.
•
Gharieni recommends offering 30- or 60-minute treatments, costing €30 (US$34, £27) and €50 (US$57, £45) respectively.
•
The company calculates 15 minutes for cleaning which involves disinfecting the dome, head device and lying surface.
•
Gharieni also suggests incorporating an extra 15 minutes for seating and programming, meaning 30-minute treatments require between 45 minutes to an hour. In this case, if a spa was open for nine hours, it could offer 10 treatments a day.
•
The cost of a MLX i³Dome, including the PLT device, begins at €31,890 (US$36,494, £28,840).
The dome combines FIR, plasma- and light-therapies to revitalise the skin and boost metabolism / PHOTO: Gharieni
Himalayan Source
Private halotherapy experience
• Himalayan Source says treatment rooms can be transformed into private halotherapy experiences by installing a glowing Himalayan salt wall and halogenerator.
•
It suggests spas charge US$60 (€39, £36) for a 45-minute treatment where guests relax on a massage table while breathing in the salt particles.
•
Studies show halotherapy can relieve symptoms of upper and lower respiratory conditions and improve the skin.
•
It also has anti-microbial and anti-bacterial properties which Himalayan Source claims will help protect treatment rooms from viruses.
•
Cleaning takes 15 minutes and requires massage tables to be disinfected and disposable sheets on the bed to be replaced between sessions.
•
The company estimates that if a spa opened for nine hours a day, it could book nine treatments which could be topped up with yoga, chromotherapy, far-infrared heat mats or cryofacials.
•
A full wall and a halogenerator for a medium-size treatment room costs US$10,000 (€8,730, £7,943) to US$14,000 (€12,222, £11,119), dependant on size.
Rooms can be turned into private halotherapy experiences with a salt wall and halogenerator / PHOTO: Himalayan Source - Del-Ray
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
View contents of Spa Business 2020 issue 3
Editor's letter: The fight ahead
There’s a huge job of work to do to build our reputation and win support in the corridors of power, says Katie Barnes
Spa people: Patrick Huey
The vice-president of spa and retail at Montage talks about his new role as ISPA chair, Black Lives Matter and how his spas are fighting back against COVID-19
Spa people: Rianna Riego
Wellness consultant Rianna Riego speaks out about racial discrimination in the global spa industry
Spa people: Anna Teal
The CEO of Aromatherapy Associates outlines the online innovations it's using to connect with customers in exciting new ways
Spa programmes: On the menu
How are spas changing their treatments and services now they’re staring to reopen again?
Interview: Lee Woon Hoe
Banyan Tree’s executive director of wellbeing tells Spa Business magazine why now is the right time for the group to launch its new wellness concept
Ask an expert: Spa design 2030
Spa Business magazine asks leading designers and architects to give their predictions about pandemic-proof spa models
Promotion: Trendsetting
Design specialists, The Wellness, worked with in-house engineers for Jumeirah to create a state-of-the-art gym for Talise Fitness at the Jumeirah Al Naseem in Dubai
Research: Manner of speaking
ISPA’s latest study reveals consumer attitudes in the aftermath of COVID-19. Josh Corman picks out the key details
Research: New perspectives
Two surveys in the UK highlight both spa operator and spa-goer insights as facilities across the country begin to welcome guests back
Promotion: The power of touchless
Spa and wellness innovator, Sammy Gharieni, reveals how his on-trend products are perfect for delivering high-value touchless treatments
Country focus: Best of British
We take a look at the standout concepts offered in the world-class spas that have opened in the UK over the last three years
Promotion: Sustain and regenerate
Sustainable skincare brand, Comfort Zone, has radically reinvented its entire Sacred Nature line, driven by the ambition to create some of the world’s first carbon-negative products
Interview: Emma Darby
Despite closing during in lockdown, some Resense spas still hit revenue targets. Its COO tells Spa Business magazine how
Promotion: Redefining the snowroom
Italian snowroom expert, TechnoAlpin, has collaborated with groundbreaking architectural practice, Snøhetta, to create a snowroom like no other
Medi-wellness: On good termes
Italy’s Long Life clinic, which offers anti-ageing science alongside water cures, is gaining greater attention post-lockdown. Sophie Benge pays a visit
Supplier showcase: Premium Fitness
Dormy House has partnered with Matrix Fitness to create two fully-connected fitness suites to take its offering to a new and more sophisticated level @DormyHouse @MatrixFitnessUK
Promotion: Sothys
Sothys’ beauty treatment designer, Séverine Monjanel, and training director, Isabelle Villey, talk to Spa Business about the company’s new authentic ancestral Indonesian treatment
The Spa Life UK Convention returns from 21–23 June 2026 at Whittlebury Park Hotel, Spa &
Golf Resort, bringing together spa managers, directors and owners for two days of focused
education, meaningful connection and commercial insight. [more...]
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COMPANY PROFILES
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The coronavirus has sparked much interest in spa services which minimise human contact. Megan Whitby takes a look at the innovations which could add a much-needed boost to treatment menus
Zerobody is a multi-purpose dry floatation bed which guests can customise
It’s great to see spas starting to reopen following COVID-19 lockdowns. However, the majority of facilities will be offering a pared-down menu and some guests may be keen to return, but uncomfortable with high-touch therapies.
Experts suggest that now is the time to explore new innovations and Spa Business predicts that as trade picks up once more, many owners will be looking at ‘touchless experiences’ – services which require less labour, minimise guest’s exposure to other people and which could add a real point of difference. They typically require a big up-front investment, but providers say there’s potential to increase profit margins in the long-run.
Although the role of therapists in a spa could never be replaced or over-exaggerated, touchless experiences are piquing people’s interest and we’ve rounded up some of the different types of equipment on offer.
Starpool
Zerobody
• Italian wellness supplier Starpool offers Zerobody – a multi-purpose dry floatation bed which guests can customise with chromotherapy, a lumbar massage and mindfulness experience via a touchscreen tablet.
• The touchless treatment typically lasts 20-30 minutes and is claimed to ease muscle and joint pain, decrease stress, improve circulation and encourage relaxation.
• Starpool recommends charging a rate of €1 per minute for treatments.
• Zerobody is designed with an eco-leather outfit suitable for deep cleaning and all disinfectant strengths. Added hygiene measures include disposable hygiene sheets for the bed and supplied headphones to be changed between treatments. Combined with preparation, cleaning time adds 15 minutes to treatments.
• If a spa opened for nine hours, Starpool believes 12 treatments could be sold daily and could be packaged with sauna or cryotherapy sessions.
• Cost: €15,000 (US$17,155, £13,694) to €22,000 (US$25,165, £20,082).
Starpool’s Zerobody floatation can be customised with a lumbar massage and chromatherapy / Photos: STARPOOL
Sensync
Vessel
• Created by immersive wellness company Sensync, the Vessel offers a programmable touchless VR experience delivered in a pod to displace guests from the burdens of their mind.
•
During the treatment, guests lie in the pod and use a VR headset to see, hear, smell and feel sensations of nature.
•
Proposed benefits include improved attention, stress reduction and mood enhancement.
•
Cleaning takes two minutes and requires replacement of disposable face inserts on the headset and all contact surfaces being wiped with disinfectant wipes. The pod is capable of withstanding hospital-grade disinfectant.
•
The Vessel offers one 40-minute programme priced at US$135 (€118, £108) or two 20-minute programmes costing US$75 (€65, £60) each.
•
Sensync estimates spas could offer eight to 16 treatments per unit per day
•
Price: US$98,000 (€85,801, £78,183).
The Vessel offers programmable VR experiences and a 40-minute session costs US$135
Unbescheiden
Hydrotherapy Tub Caracalla
• Unbescheiden, based in Germany, makes the Hydrotherapy Tub Caracalla which provides an underwater massage.
•
Operated via touchscreen, guests select from a menu of 10 pre-set treatments, with the option to adjust pressure settings.
•
Benefits include muscle relaxation, enhanced in the warm water, and reduction in tension.
•
The tub has built-in hygiene options including automatic rinsing or disinfection functions which take five minutes each.
•
Treatments last between 20-30 minutes and can range between €30 (US$34, £27) to €80 (US$91, £73) in price.
•
Assuming a spa is open for eight hours, approximately 15 treatments can be carried out per day.
•
Unbescheiden recommends combining treatments with face and body modalities of all types, for example, shower experiences or further massage and facials.
•
Starting price: €20,000 (US$22,866, £18,232).
Users can select from a menu of 10 pre-set underwater massages
ARTOFCRYO.COM
Vaultz
• The Vaultz series by artofcryo.com includes three different types of whole-body cryotherapy chambers. Treatment times are individually set via a unique software system and usually last around three minutes.
• Benefits include enhancing immunity, anti-ageing, muscle rehabilitation and stress relief.
• It’s considered a COVID-safe treatment as it’s touchless and guests can wear protective masks and gloves and are provided with shoes so they don’t come into contact with surfaces.
• What’s more, viruses do not like the extreme cold temperatures (-110˚C) of cryotherapy.
• The stainless steel floor of the chambers are capable of withstanding hospital-grade disinfectant.
• Sessions cost £80 (€89, US$101), but guests can have up to five daily and artofcryo.com estimates spas could offer 50 treatments a day in a single chamber under corona-friendly restrictions. Or it says up to 200 sessions could take place a day in its multi-room vario Vaultz model under normal circumstances.
• The single chamber has a base-line price of £100,000 (€110,886, US$126,869).
Gharieni
MLX i³Dome
• Gharieni’s new MLX i³Dome combines three therapies – far infrared (FIR) with plasma- and light-therapies (PLT) – to offer a touchless experience.
•
Clients lie underneath the dome which exposes them to long-wave infrared rays while the PLT device rests above their head acting on the skin.
•
Benefits include revitalised skin, increased collagen production and boosted metabolism.
•
Gharieni recommends offering 30- or 60-minute treatments, costing €30 (US$34, £27) and €50 (US$57, £45) respectively.
•
The company calculates 15 minutes for cleaning which involves disinfecting the dome, head device and lying surface.
•
Gharieni also suggests incorporating an extra 15 minutes for seating and programming, meaning 30-minute treatments require between 45 minutes to an hour. In this case, if a spa was open for nine hours, it could offer 10 treatments a day.
•
The cost of a MLX i³Dome, including the PLT device, begins at €31,890 (US$36,494, £28,840).
The dome combines FIR, plasma- and light-therapies to revitalise the skin and boost metabolism / PHOTO: Gharieni
Himalayan Source
Private halotherapy experience
• Himalayan Source says treatment rooms can be transformed into private halotherapy experiences by installing a glowing Himalayan salt wall and halogenerator.
•
It suggests spas charge US$60 (€39, £36) for a 45-minute treatment where guests relax on a massage table while breathing in the salt particles.
•
Studies show halotherapy can relieve symptoms of upper and lower respiratory conditions and improve the skin.
•
It also has anti-microbial and anti-bacterial properties which Himalayan Source claims will help protect treatment rooms from viruses.
•
Cleaning takes 15 minutes and requires massage tables to be disinfected and disposable sheets on the bed to be replaced between sessions.
•
The company estimates that if a spa opened for nine hours a day, it could book nine treatments which could be topped up with yoga, chromotherapy, far-infrared heat mats or cryofacials.
•
A full wall and a halogenerator for a medium-size treatment room costs US$10,000 (€8,730, £7,943) to US$14,000 (€12,222, £11,119), dependant on size.
Rooms can be turned into private halotherapy experiences with a salt wall and halogenerator / PHOTO: Himalayan Source - Del-Ray
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
View contents of Spa Business 2020 issue 3
Editor's letter: The fight ahead
There’s a huge job of work to do to build our reputation and win support in the corridors of power, says Katie Barnes
Spa people: Patrick Huey
The vice-president of spa and retail at Montage talks about his new role as ISPA chair, Black Lives Matter and how his spas are fighting back against COVID-19
Spa people: Rianna Riego
Wellness consultant Rianna Riego speaks out about racial discrimination in the global spa industry
Spa people: Anna Teal
The CEO of Aromatherapy Associates outlines the online innovations it's using to connect with customers in exciting new ways
Spa programmes: On the menu
How are spas changing their treatments and services now they’re staring to reopen again?
Interview: Lee Woon Hoe
Banyan Tree’s executive director of wellbeing tells Spa Business magazine why now is the right time for the group to launch its new wellness concept
Ask an expert: Spa design 2030
Spa Business magazine asks leading designers and architects to give their predictions about pandemic-proof spa models
Promotion: Trendsetting
Design specialists, The Wellness, worked with in-house engineers for Jumeirah to create a state-of-the-art gym for Talise Fitness at the Jumeirah Al Naseem in Dubai
Research: Manner of speaking
ISPA’s latest study reveals consumer attitudes in the aftermath of COVID-19. Josh Corman picks out the key details
Research: New perspectives
Two surveys in the UK highlight both spa operator and spa-goer insights as facilities across the country begin to welcome guests back
Promotion: The power of touchless
Spa and wellness innovator, Sammy Gharieni, reveals how his on-trend products are perfect for delivering high-value touchless treatments
Country focus: Best of British
We take a look at the standout concepts offered in the world-class spas that have opened in the UK over the last three years
Promotion: Sustain and regenerate
Sustainable skincare brand, Comfort Zone, has radically reinvented its entire Sacred Nature line, driven by the ambition to create some of the world’s first carbon-negative products
Interview: Emma Darby
Despite closing during in lockdown, some Resense spas still hit revenue targets. Its COO tells Spa Business magazine how
Promotion: Redefining the snowroom
Italian snowroom expert, TechnoAlpin, has collaborated with groundbreaking architectural practice, Snøhetta, to create a snowroom like no other
Medi-wellness: On good termes
Italy’s Long Life clinic, which offers anti-ageing science alongside water cures, is gaining greater attention post-lockdown. Sophie Benge pays a visit
Supplier showcase: Premium Fitness
Dormy House has partnered with Matrix Fitness to create two fully-connected fitness suites to take its offering to a new and more sophisticated level @DormyHouse @MatrixFitnessUK
Promotion: Sothys
Sothys’ beauty treatment designer, Séverine Monjanel, and training director, Isabelle Villey, talk to Spa Business about the company’s new authentic ancestral Indonesian treatment
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
Mexican operator, Solmar Hotels and Resorts, is hosting a series of events in celebration of
Global Wellness Day, including a Temazcal ceremony at its Playa Grande Resort and Spa in Los
Cabos.
Mandarin Oriental has announced a standalone residence brand, Mansions, which will debut at
Emirates Palace, Mandarin Oriental Mansions, Abu Dhabi, in 2029.
Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai in Hoi An, Vietnam, has put together a Global Wellness Day
(GWD) agenda with activations rooted in nature and shaped by four pillars of Joy – in
alignment with the day’s theme #JoyMagenta.
The Spa Life UK Convention returns from 21–23 June 2026 at Whittlebury Park Hotel, Spa &
Golf Resort, bringing together spa managers, directors and owners for two days of focused
education, meaningful connection and commercial insight. [more...]
+ More featured suppliers
COMPANY PROFILES
FIBO FIBO is the international platform for fitness, wellness and health. During four days, FIBO connects [more...]
