Spa Menu Hits and Misses: 7 Lessons Learned
By Sabrina Antoine, Award-Winning Former Spa Director
Over my years as a spa director, I’ve created services that took off instantly… and others that barely sold at all. The truth is, I learned just as much from the misses as I did from the successes.
Here are seven real-world examples from my own career—the wins, the ones that didn’t quite land, and the lessons I hope will save you time, stress, and budget as you design your own spa menu.
1. Don’t Assume Shorter Means More Appealing
Example: At a hotel spa, I designed 30-minute express services for busy conference guests. We marketed them everywhere—QR codes in rooms, signage by the pool, even elevator wraps. Two weeks later, we had booked exactly one service.
What I hadn’t considered was that conference guests didn’t want to give up a full half-hour of their short lunch breaks. Once we switched to 15-minute teaser services (mini facials, scalp massages, quick polish changes), bookings finally started coming in.
Lesson Learned: It’s not just about how long a treatment looks on paper—it’s about how much time guests realistically want to spend.
2. Instant Results Often Win Over Long-Term Promises
Example: I once launched a 120-minute holistic slimming ritual as a natural alternative to med spa services. In six months, we sold only seven of them. Guests in that market weren’t interested in slow, holistic changes. They wanted results they could see immediately.
Lesson Learned: Be honest about what your clientele values. Sometimes wellness-focused services sound great in theory, but immediate results drive real bookings.
3. Look to Your Environment for Inspiration
Example: At a ranch spa in Wyoming, I was walking the property and noticed smooth stones in a nearby creek. That observation turned into one of our most popular treatments: a Riverstone massage where guests could collect, polish, and use the stones in their service—then take one home.
Lesson Learned: You don’t always need a new product line to design something memorable. Sometimes the best ideas are already in your backyard.
4. Tie Services to Local Identity
Example: In Charlotte—the Queen City—we wanted a signature treatment that connected to the area. After some brainstorming (and a sunset on the rooftop), we created the “Goddess of the Sun Ritual.” It honored the city’s queenly theme and quickly became a guest favorite.
Lesson Learned: When a treatment reflects your local culture or story, it stands out. Guests remember it, and it becomes easier to market.
5. Use Software Reports to Spot Gaps
Example: For a long time, I only used the same handful of reports in our spa software. But once I dug deeper, I noticed something surprising: body treatments were thriving while massage bookings lagged—the opposite of industry norms. That discovery shaped how I rebalanced our menu.
Lesson Learned: Data tells you where the gaps are. Don’t just guess or rely on instinct—use your software to guide your service design.
6. Ask Staff for Ideas
Example: Some of my best menu concepts came from simply talking with my team. Many of them had creative protocols they’d experimented with outside of work, and a few of those ideas made it onto the menu.
Lesson Learned: Your staff are a built-in source of inspiration. When they help shape a service, they’re also more motivated to promote it.
7. Price With Both Guests and Costs in Mind
Example: I’ve seen great ideas fall flat simply because pricing wasn’t aligned with reality. The service either cost too much for the market or didn’t account for labor and facility use. Over time, I learned to ask myself:
- What’s the labor cost?
- Does the local median income support this price?
- Am I including facility use?
- Is this service meant to drive profit, or build loyalty?
Lesson Learned: Even the most creative treatment won’t succeed if the pricing doesn’t work for both your spa and your guests.
Final Thought
Not every new idea will be a runaway success, and that’s okay. What matters is that you learn from both the wins and the missteps.
By paying attention to guest behavior, drawing inspiration from your environment, listening to your staff, and pricing realistically, you can design services that are not only creative—but also bookable and profitable.
Universal Companies is proud to have a team of experienced spa advisors on staff and welcomes you to consult with our professionals about spa products and supplies, including ingredients, equipment, and retail. Dedicated to the success of spa professionals everywhere, we're grateful to be recognized with multiple industry awards (thank you!) and proud to support the spa industry through mentorship and sponsorship.