Gervi advises on small-scale wellness solutions

Is there a simple way to make your hotel more attractive or increase the price of your rooms? Small-scale wellness upgrades are the answer. With a sauna, infrared or steam room or access to private fitness and wellness facilities in your boutique hotel, for example. "We advise hotels on how to still offer a luxurious experience to their customers with limited space," says Marjolein Nijs, managing director at Gervi. 

Coming 'home' to your hotel room after a lovely city tour or a busy day of meetings and jumping into the sauna: a customer will go the extra mile for that. Suites with wellness equipment and boutique hotels with private spa facilities therefore do well. Fortunately, you don't have to make major changes to your hotel for that. "Upgrading a large room to a suite with sauna, steam or infrared cabin or a vacant pool with massage options is easy. You place the unit in or next to the bathroom. This way, you can increase the room rate and soon notice that the number of reservations for your premium rooms increases," Marjolein Nijs, managing director at Gervi, confides in us.

Welfare in all its forms

Another option is a compact spa space that your guests can reserve. "A spa that is used continuously brings some disadvantages. For example, it already needs to be a larger space with several pieces of equipment," Marjolein lists. "Moreover, there is more legislation involved. For example, if you want to install a swimming pool, it has to comply with the environmental provisions of VLAREM. For saunas, steam and infrared cabins or a combination of those appliances, this does not apply."

These types of small-scale spa facilities are often combined with a gym, shower and changing rooms. "More and more boutique hotels are investing in this. Physical exercise and relaxation together form one wellness story. Hoteliers can turn to Gervi for the complete design of their wellness. Because make no mistake, appliances produced for the private market don't just install in hotels." Not only are they not made for continuous use, it is also important to shield the control and technical area from guests. Only staff are allowed to touch these. Additional features such as automatic make-up in a sauna are nice. This way, you don't have to have a staff member ready to pour the sauna, but water and aromas are automatically atomised on the furnace.

From advice to maintenance

Gervi has specialised in home and professional wellness products since 1985. You can come to them for advice, installation and its after-sales service. Marjolein: "Together with the owners, we look at what space is available and how we can set it up in the best possible way. We realise unique sauna creations and always design something that fits the style of the hotel. For fitness, we have relied on Technogym's expertise for years. We draw out the space and also take into account ventilation and the right temperature, both for the spa and gym. Our designers pour that into a 2D and 3D visualisation before we proceed with installation." 

Even when your spa facilities are in use, Gervi is still there for you. Both maintenance and repairs are carried out by the specialist. "A breakdown in a hotel has a high urgency: your customers count on your wellness. That's why they are always given priority in our planning. That way, as a hotel owner, you can sleep on both your ears and your wellness doesn't give you any extra stress."