The striking new spa development at Gloucester’s Hatherley Manor plans to turn a profit via memberships and a strong day spa market. EVE OXBERRY pays a visit

Launch Analysis

When the four-star Hatherley Manor opened its spa in June, the plan was to bring some affordable luxury to the local area. Although the hotel is within half an hour’s drive of the Cotswolds and all its boutique spa offerings, its location just outside Gloucester means its closest competitors have fairly basic treatment rooms. “There are a lot of hotels like your Holiday Inns and Hiltons in the area so it was nice to be able to be a part of a more serious spa”, says spa manager Will Wellon, who joined the hotel just under a year ago to work on the launch, having previously worked as spa and leisure manager at nearby Cheltenham Chase, part of the Q Hotels group.

In contrast, The Spa at Hatherley Manor has six large treatment rooms (one of which can be used as a double), a 12m pool and comprehensive thermal area. Designed using local Cotswolds stone and natural wood beams, the space creates a sense of theatre with its high ceilings and dramatic ice fountain that “rains” ice continuously, creating a focal point in the heat experience zone.

Other facilities include a sauna and tepidarium, both of which have windows to give guests a peek out at the walled gardens outside, plus heated loungers positioned to face the ice fountain, a large steam room, raised vitality pool alongside the swimming pool, male and female changing rooms and a spa cafe leading out from the reception area to a patio.

In development

Plans for the spa began towards the end of 2016 and took approximately 18 months to come to fruition. Spa consultant Debi Green advised on the project, which was fulfilled by a mix of spa specialists and local companies including interior designer Susie Evans, architect Edge Design and Bristol-based builder Dry Build.

Wellon says the budget for the project was £3 million but adds, “We’re closer to four now.” The opening was slated for early this year but, as is common in spa projects, it experienced some initial delays.

“When I speak to other spa managers who have just gone through an opening, they always say, ‘yeah, you get used to delays after a while’. I had the team in from the start of February, which turned out well because I could do a lot of training, and that’s now showing through in the great customer feedback we’re getting”, he adds.

Wellon brought his operations manager and three therapists with him from his previous spa and says that helped create the foundations for a strong team. “We were lucky too as we had a lot of applications from therapists working at all the different spas in the area, because they wanted the opportunity to work in a newer, larger spa”, he says.

The spa opens out onto a patio space, which is only accessible from the cafe or pool area, so is exclusively for spa guests. It’s currently furnished with tables and chairs but Wellon says the next phase will be to install a fire pit and loungers to make it more of a spa garden. “We’ve been lucky so far because we’ve had nice weather so people have been spending time outside, but as it gets colder, I think we’ll see more people poolside on the loungers, which could mean it starts to feel too busy”, says Wellon. “With the addition of the fire pit, and some nice fleece blankets that have the spa logo on, we’re hoping that people will still make the most of it in winter.”

The 9,118sq ft spa was built as an extension to the main hotel and sits in a space that was previously part of the gardens. Designed all on one floor at ground level, it is directly accessible from five new bedrooms that have been built above and were finished in time for the spa launch to create new residential packages. The new rooms have a far more modern interior design than the rest of the hotel, with a slate grey and white finish that complements the spa, rather than a classic country house feel.

Finding capacity

“They’re not spa bedrooms specifically, but spa access does come with all of them”, says Wellon. Access to the spa is also included for residential guests taking a specific spa package but staying in a standard room. Otherwise it costs £25 a day.

“If we didn’t have that additional charge it would be too busy”, adds Wellon. The highest number the spa has held at any one time so far is approximately 30. “We’re still learning what we can cope with and how many guests we can take in a day but I wouldn’t want any more than that”, he adds.

The spa has just over 100 members so far and Wellon says numbers will be capped at 300. “With the membership, you get full access to the facilities, including the gym, plus a discount on treatments and retail”, he adds.

Wellon is confident the spa will attract a slightly older market. “Especially with the membership”, he adds. “We’re finding it’s older people with more secondary spend, who use the spa more as a place to relax. They’ve not really been gym-goers – they tend to use the pool and come in and meet friends for a coffee.” So far, the spa days have attracted a local market of mixed ages. “It’s people who used to travel to Birmingham or Oxford for a proper spa day and are really happy we’re on their doorstep”, says Wellon.

Wellon is confident that the memberships and a strong local interest for day packages will see the spa turn a comfortable profit in its own right, rather than being used as a loss-leader to attract more hotel guests – as can often be the case for hotel spas. “We’re definitely looking to make money ourselves and run it almost as a separate business. I think our biggest income will come from the spa days”, he adds.

As well as the new fire pit, Wellon says future plans include landscaping to create more of a feature garden around the patio, plus the potential addition of further facilities. “We were going to have a Jacuzzi upstairs on the balcony, but we had to take that out due to cost”, says Wellon. “I think it’s something we might add in three years’ time. If we turn over the estimate, we can invest again and improve the facilities eve more. That’s what I’d really like to see.”

HATHERLEY MANOR IN NUMBERS

Opened: May 2018

Budget: £3.5 million

Size: 9,118sq ft

Treatment rooms: Six

Staff: 20 including therapists and reception team

Brands: Elemis, Made For Life, CND