Suzanne Holbrook, global leader of spa, fitness and wellness operations for Marriott International, has told Spa Business the company plans to establish a strong voice in the wellness market, beyond its luxury spas.

While spa and fitness deliver the majority of Marriott’s wellness offerings, the company aims to deliver a more comprehensive, property-wide approach.

“Marriott has always had a strong foundation in rooms and food and beverage,” said Holbrook. “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.”

Read the full interview with Suzanne Holbrook in the latest edition of Spa Business.

Holbrook will work closely with Sarah Rayner, VP of global luxury operations, to seamlessly integrate spa and wellness into the overall hotel experience.

Marriott is also looking to reimagine underutilised spaces to incorporate more wellness for guests.

“Many of our hotels have large hair and nail salons, but with increasing competition from high street providers, that business is in decline,” added Holbrook. “We’re now working with owners to repurpose these areas in more innovative and profitable ways.”

One initiative is to create wellness recovery rooms for touchless therapies that require minimal staffing – to complement treatments that do involve touch. Holbrook says these recovery spaces align with evolving guest expectations and allow Marriott to deliver a new and differentiated wellness experience.

Marriott is already piloting AI automated massage in three properties as well as water massage, LED beds and cold plunge dry floats.