Marriott has unveiled a new spa concept for its luxury Ritz-Carlton brand, set to roll out across 60 existing properties and more than 25 pipeline projects, and to take the spas “from excellent to exceptional,” Kenneth Ryan, senior director of global spa operations for Marriott International, told Spa Business in an exclusive interview.

“We’re putting a flag in the ground saying that we’ll have the world’s best luxury spas – that’s our goal and we’re claiming that space,” said Ryan. “...What we’re doing will be game-changing for the industry.”

The new concept – which is outlined in more than 400 documents – will include, among other things, redesigning the menu and developing a global collection of treatments and oils.

A big part of the Ritz-Carlton Spa concept involves raising therapists’ skill-sets through a new training programme called Masters of Massage.

“We do 2 million treatments globally each year and 65 per cent are massage, yet this is the one area that has the least amount of focus in the industry,” said Ryan. He hopes the new programme will “put the energy back into our therapists to take their craft up several levels.”

The programme will be delivered by ‘spa ambassador trainers,’ a newly-created position for 12 specialists. In addition, Ritz-Carlton will introduce up to eight ‘spa ambassadors’ globally who will visit each site every six months to conduct a full evaluation and audit of the business.

“We have the best spa directors, but when you have a fresh pair of eyes, it’s easier to find more ways to enhance the business,” said Ryan.

Marriott has partnered with spa skincare and consultancy firm ESPA on the launch, with Marriott taking the lead and ESPA working behind the scenes. Over the last 18 months the two companies have joined forces to develop Ritz-Carlton Spa's new treatments, standard operating procedures and training programmes for the spa ambassadors and spa ambassador trainers. The ambassadors will be ESPA employees working on behalf of Ritz-Carlton.

Michael Harmsworth, CEO of ESPA said: "Designing the new Ritz-Carlton Spa concept was very much a collaboration between us and both the Ritz-Carlton and Marriott design teams... The concept will be implemented using our operational expertise and training, and we have nine people at our UK headquarters leading the project our side."

A 70-page brochure, tool kit and video introducing the concept has already hit the desks of Ritz-Carlton GMs, and Ryan expects nine conversions to be completed by the end of this month. He’s aiming to finish all the Ritz-Carlton Spa conversions in the next 18 months to two years.

“This is our biggest, most revenue-driving brand, so we’ll keep very close to it,” he said.

To read the full details of the Ritz-Carlton Spa concept, along with interviews from Marriott’s Spa Global Leadership Team, see the latest Spa Business magazine online.