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BERKELEY SPRINGS, WEST VIRGINIA:

GEORGE WASHINGTON BATHED HERE

“We have three times as many massage therapists here as we do lawyers,” says Jeanne Mozier, vice president of Travel Berkeley Springs. Any court would rule that her statement under oath makes this West Virginia town a dayspa Mecca.

With a wide variety of spa services available throughout the town at stand-alone spas, as well as spas at resorts, the success story of Berkeley Springs as a spa town has a long history with a modern twist. From George Washington’s frequent visits to record crowds at the Winter Festival of the Waters, it’s a success story steeped in water, hard work, and creative marketing.

WASHINGTON BATHED HERE

As with many historic spa towns throughout the nation, Berkeley Springs was first a destination of Native Americans. They frequented the area to enjoy the healing mineral- and gas-laden spring water, which flowed at a rate of 1,500 gallons per minute and at a constant temperature of 74.3 degrees Fahrenheit (as it generally does today).

This led to early settlers and surveyors visiting the area in the 1700s and, in 1776, the granting of a charter as the town of Bath (named after the health- and tourism-oriented Bath, England). The town quickly grew in popularity with both visitors and land speculators.

One of Bath’s earliest proponents was George Washington, who surveyed the land early in his career and later visited the town often as a retreat before and after the Revolution. Modern Berkeley Springs has taken full advantage of publicizing that not only did Washington sleep here (a common tourism plug in the region), but that he also enjoyed the famed waters--thus, ‘George Washington Bathed Here.’

The popularity of the water led to the construction of the Roman Bath and the Shower Bath Building in the 1780s. The Gentleman’s Drinking Spring was added in 1815. In the 1920s, the administration building, bandstand, swimming pool, and bathhouse complex were added. Incredibly, all or parts of these structures are still standing and in use!

These facilities continued to be popular throughout the 20th century, operating under mostly public stewardship. However, in 1970, Berkeley Springs State Park was formed to preserve both the buildings and experience of this national dayspa treasure. In fact, in 1976, Berkeley Springs State Park was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

But a spa town can’t survive on history alone. The 1990s led to a revival of the town of ‘Bath’ as a destination honoring its past and embracing the present and future, with tourism efforts that are anything but all wet.

DEVELOPING A DAYSPA MECCA

”There are two key reasons for our success as a spa town,” says Jeanne Mozier, whose efforts for the town are legendary with spa owners and others in town. “First is the presence of the springs and the history of the town as it relates to the water. Second is the focus of Travel Berkeley Springs on being a spa town and the various businesses that have grown to support that theme.”

Much of the success of Travel Berkeley Springs in the 1990s is thanks to the creation of the “Winter Festival of the Waters” in 1991--a three-month umbrella event to alert the world that Berkeley Springs was a year-round resort. Winter had previously been a dead time for tourism business in the town.

“The original motivation for the Winter Festival of the Waters was to satisfy the need for winter business of those who were lobbying hard for a ski slope at nearby Cacapon State Park,” says Mozier. “The ecological implications were too disastrous for me to contemplate, so I was among those defeating the plan. However, I felt a responsibility to meet the need, so devised the Winter Festival.”

Time has proven Mozier correct, since the weather for the past decade would have doomed any expensive ski resort project to catastrophe and the Winter Festival has boosted winter business dramatically--at a virtually negligible cost (less than $20,000 a year, including all paid advertising, special production fees, etc.). Now, bed tax revenues are higher in winter than in spring.

Along with Mozier, credit for the ideas and early success must go to Becky Kimmons, who Travel Berkeley Springs had hired as a consultant to help them get their promotion operation on its feet. Kimmons is a long-time public relations guru in the state and has many tourism-related clients.

Kimmons and Mozier created a multi-pronged plan around the Winter Festival of the Waters:

*They decided it was best to feature their prime resource--the water--hence, the name. Every time the name was mentioned it would be reinforcing their claim to fame.

*They decided there should be three special events--one each month--to ground the season-long festival and give press hooks.

For January, Travel Berkeley Springs created “Spa Feast.” It is always held the weekend after Martin Luther King long weekend and has always followed the same format--a free Saturday morning fair that brings all the spa and health-related businesses together to offer samples of their wares.

There are typically long lines for free 15-minute treatments--massages, facials, pedicures, manicures, and more. They also give away a lot of door prizes, such as products and free treatments. Local companies, like Tari's (a popular restaurant) and Coolfont (a nearby health-oriented resort and spa featured below) offer spa food specials. The local shops also have health-related sales.

In recent years, local dayspa owners report there have been throngs of visitors roaming the streets after the Saturday morning event, seeking out further treatments at the spas. Another recent development has been the increase in guests to the events who are local, trying to find out what this spa stuff is all about.

Local tourism officials say Spa Feast means great press and a magnet to draw folks there on an otherwise dead weekend. Another success indicator is that it is increasingly

difficult to get the spa people to commit staff for the event because they are so busy. Fortunately, Mozier says spa owners are among the most responsive and grateful of the town’s tourism segments.

For February, they created the Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting (which just finished its 12th year). This phenomenal event has grown from 24 waters in 1991 to 91 waters this past year. There are now five categories, including municipal, sparkling, bottled, purified waters, as well as one for packaging.

When Kimmons first related the competition idea to the Travel Berkeley Springs board, many scoffed. But she also introduced the town to water expert Arthur von Wiesenberger, arranged the initial press judges, and devised the first year's press mailings. Slowly, but surely, this event grew in stature and media coverage.

Initially, a panel of media judges did all the tasting (Mozier and Kimmons were always looking for coverage!). There are now way too many waters, so the judging of flights now starts on Thursday, narrowing the field before the media judges arrive.

By the third year, Travel Berkeley Springs hired JW and Jill Rone as producers. JW had been the event's emcee from the beginning (and still is), while Jill handles the myriad of logistical matters.

Except for two years when von Wiesenberg was unavailable, he has been with them from the beginning--and Mozier says they could not have done it without his prestige, knowledge, and connections in the water industry and the media. “He claims Berkeley Springs is now one of his two favorite places, along with Maui,” says Mozier.

One additional development (and yet another publicity opportunity) was the introduction of the “water rush” finale. After all of the winners are announced, spectators are given the opportunity to rush up and take all the water they can carry (ranging from small plastic bottles to huge glass jugs). Initially created as a way for organizers to avoid lugging all of the water away, it now makes for great coverage on the likes of CNN!

This event is held on the weekend after President's Day--again, chosen as a way of perking up a dead time. Initially devised almost exclusively as a press event, Mozier and Kimmons say it has definitely been the success they wanted in terms of coverage, with an incredible array of print and television exposure.

But local officials say the amazing development has been its significance as a water industry event. They caught the wave of water industry development in the 1990s, with the success of their event mirroring the explosive growth of water as a beverage in that same time. It also has the benefit of bringing lots of folks in the industry here as a getaway. Although not directly a spa event, it does tout the town’s water, which is the foundation for the spa industry.

The March weekend went through several permutations, until Mozier created George Washington's Bathtub Celebration in the mid-1990s. The weekend basically celebrates Washington’s love affair with the area through a variety of events and activities. Again, the pattern worked. Mozier says, “We targeted one of our strengths--history--and especially George Washington's relationship to the town as a spa.”

This focus lets spa owners promote the long history of Berkeley Springs as a place people can come to take the waters, reinforcing that this is not a trendy industry for the town--they've been a dayspa town for centuries! It also was wacky enough that the media paid attention. They’ve gotten additional coverage from being the country's only outdoor monument to presidential bathing, as well as $1 sales that show George Washington's face still means something in Berkeley Springs.

The events on this weekend include readings from George Washington's diaries about his time in Berkeley Springs, sales and specials, and Tari's traditional White House dinner. This is less elaborate that the other two weekends, but they continue to get great coverage.

Each of the three events now has its own brochure of what is happening around that event and all three are packaged into a Winter Festival three-month calendar (along with other activities on the non-prime weekends). It’s been an amazing success story, with an ongoing happy ending for the dayspas and many other businesses in town, including shops of all sorts, restaurants, and accommodations options.

Mozier says there have been other factors contributing to the success of the town as a dayspa Mecca. Travel Berkeley Springs developed a logo promoting the area as the ‘country’s first spa,’ the first non-general brochure they did was specifically about spas, they contracted to get excellent spa and town photography done to use for promotion and publication requests, and they created a great website. All of this comes back to the original concept of consistently promoting the town’s waters and spas--according to the dayspas in the area, it’s working!

TODAY’S DAYSPAS

George Washington wouldn’t recognize today’s town. Mozier’s comment about three times as many massage therapists as lawyers is obvious the minute any visitor arrives. The town square features the varied facilities of the Berkeley Springs State Park, a health-oriented shop and full-service spa (The Bath House), a homeopathy museum, shop, and producer (Homeopathy Works), and a hotel and attached spa (Country Inn). Nearby, options like Atasia Spa and Coolfont Resort, Conference Center, Spa & Wellness Center round out the health-oriented options of this long-time healthy getaway.

Berkeley Springs State Park is frequently the first stop for many visitors and it’s also often their first spa experience in town. The park’s current superintendent, Chris Hansroth, says visitors are drawn to the spa because it’s a state facility.

“I’m a native of Berkeley Springs, so I know how important the history of this special park and spa is to this town,” says Hansroth. “It’s the only state park spa I know of in the country.”

Hansroth has been superintendent of the park for five years and he says it’s unique in that it’s located in a town, rather than out in the country like most parks. However, he says it’s very similar, in that the park serves as a destination for recreation and relaxation. Rather than going for a hike, his visitors get a massage (and, typically, more).

Most visitors opt for a ‘package’ that includes a 15- to 20-minute soak in either a walk-in 750 gallon ceramic tub or a Victorian-style bathtub, a shower, and a 30- or 60-massage. Each of these options are available separately, as are a heat cabinet, steam, and infrared heat.

Hansroth says that about 80-90% of the park’s visitors are from out of town and that visitation has been strong since September 11th. “We saw a dropoff right after the terrible attacks, but we’ve been as good or better in every month since,” he says.

Repeat business is also incredibly strong, with children and even grandchildren visiting the park as their parents and grandparents had done. There are also several veteran employees, including Mary Stuckey, who has been with the state park for 35 years and is often requested by repeat visitors for massage.

The state park is part of a competitive, yet cooperative, atmosphere of dayspas in Berkeley Springs. “We even give the names of other spas in the area right on our brochure!” says Hansroth.

In fact, just across the town square, The Bath House offers a very different alternative to the atmosphere of the historic park and spa. “We started ten years ago as a shop, with a ton of spa-oriented items,” says owner Maria Spencer, who used a similar store in Eureka Springs, Arkansas as a model.

They added six treatment rooms eight years ago, ironically taking over space next door once occupied by attorneys. “When the state park got ready to renovate the Roman Bath House, we added Softubs(TM) to package with our various treatments,” she says. “Today, our spa business is 80-90% out-of-town visitors, while our shop’s business still has 30% from locals.”

Like many dayspas, Spencer’s five ‘full-time’ massage therapists, two ‘part-time’ massage therapists, and one skin care specialist are independent contractors. “We operate a bit differently, in that I generally provide the lotions and they pay for linens, get to decorate their own rooms, and don’t have to meet appointment minimums,” says Spencer. “It’s more like a cooperative and I believe that’s why we’ve had virtually no turnover since I started.”

Evelyn Garcia is one of those long-time therapists. She has been with The Bath House from the start and also teaches yoga classes at Coolfont. Garcia has seen an increase in both repeat and new business since 9/11. “People, especially those from the cities, are looking for ways to reduce stress,” she says. She can relate, having moved to Berkeley Springs from nearby Baltimore.

Garcia says the LaStone Therapy has done very well, as has the addition of the AromaSpa(TM) and the Softtub(TM) as part of packages. Other options at The Bath House include botanical facials, salt glows, and many other skin care offerings. Garcia and Spencer relate that many visitors leave their appointments and head straight into the shop to purchase items used during their treatment.

Just a block away, Malaysian-born and Thailand-trained Frankie Tan started Atasia Spa four years ago. He had worked at the Country Inn’s Renaissance Spa for 10 years, where he provided more than 10,000 massages. To pursue his dream of owning his own dayspa, Tan gutted an historic building that had grown dilapidated (friends helped him haul out ten tons of trash). Thanks to Tan’s business acumen, an interior design background, and lots of local help, Atasia has grown into a successful full-service spa with a wide variety of treatments and facilities.

Tan is a huge fan of Dayspa, with two subscriptions (one for the spa and one to read at home). He says, “I use the magazine often to incorporate ideas for my business.” This has included adding a pedicure chair (he just added a second, thanks to its popularity), a steam room, post-treatment relaxation areas, and even a hair salon just down the street (he wanted to keep the noise and smells separate from the spa).

About 90% of Atasia’s clients are from out of town, but the local business is growing (90% are currently females, but this figure is dropping, as more local and visiting males make appointments). Tan’s Thai massage is extremely popular, as is LaStone. Atasia’s massage tables were custom-made by Tan, using solid oak from Mennonites in Pennsylvania and weighing in at 100 pounds each (without a squeak).

The room where scrubs and other ‘wet’ treatments are done includes a custom-made stainless steel table with its own drain. This is where their new Nikali Liquid Sugar scrub is offered, which has garnered great reviews from clients.

Tan has plans for further expansion on the back of his historic building. “I’d like to add several more treatment rooms, as well as another post-treatment relaxation space, which my clients really enjoy,” he says. He adds that he’ll probably get some of his ideas from Dayspa.

As mentioned, there’s also another spa in town. Popular with both guests of the Country Inn and others visiting the area, the Renaissance Spa is currently undergoing ownership changes along with the hotel. Therefore, it’s impossible to get a read on their current and future business.

Just outside of town, there’s yet another dayspa and much, much more. Coolfont Resort, Conference, Spa & Wellness Center was founded by the Ashelman family back in 1968. Patriarch Sam Ashelman, who is still very active at 83, is a testimony to his premise of creating a retreat for relaxation, recreation, and improved fitness and health. He and his family have obviously succeeded.

Coolfont consists of 1,300 wooded acres just above Berkeley Springs. The sprawling facilities include: a lodge with 19 hotel-style rooms; a variety of popular A-frame cabins set in the woods; vacation home rentals; the popular Treetop House Restaurant (all meals are typically included in a package stay); a lake; lots of hiking trails; horseback riding; tennis (the new spa manager’s husband is the pro); a snow tubing hill in winter; and an incredibly successful spa facility that now includes an indoor heated pool, hot tubs, sauna, a huge aerobics room, a Cybex fitness circuit; a meditation room, lots of treatment rooms, and a full-service salon.

“The spa is a big part of what makes Coolfont such a special place,” says Mara Ashelman, wife of the resort’s president, who served as spa director and is now director of public relations. “The original spa building, which now houses the aerobics studio, classroom, and salon, was built back in 1965.”

“In those days,” she continues, “the first vestiges of a spa were a sauna and later a hot tub in another building. In 1987, the pool complex and nine massage rooms, comprising the main Spa building, were constructed, and the aerobics studio and classroom and salon were created. Eight more massage rooms were added in 1994, bringing the total to 17.” They’ve since done major renovation of the popular pool area and added lots of little touches to the entire spa experience.

Most of Coolfont’s spa business is made up of visitors--perhaps 85%--but they make fitness club memberships (pool & exercise room) available to the community and currently have more than 175 members. They also offer locals reduced prices on their exercise classes and have several regulars. Many spa visitors also come from other Berkeley Springs hotels and B&Bs. In addition, the salon does a good "Spa-for-a-Day" business, drawing people within driving distance. Spa treatments are also popular gifts for the local market.

Ashelman says spa business has been strong post-9/11. “It's hard to dissociate Coolfont Resort and Conference Center from the Spa,” she says. “Immediately, we lost a lot of conference business, some of which avails itself of spa treatments and classes. But, at the same time, we found some folks arriving with suitcases that had been packed for Italy and Spain who decided to venture instead to a nearby location via car. We clearly noticed that people who came for whatever reasons--many from Washington, D.C--were deeply affected and really needed calming and healing. They were seeking relaxation and meaning, and we noticed an increase in private meditation sessions, yoga, and the like.”

“People are taking more time for themselves, staying closer to home to do so and seeking what we have to offer,” she continues. “At the same time, we are building programs that will meet their needs, such as the new "Odyssey of the Soul" program.” Coolfont’s health-oriented packages have been extremely popular--this new one will feature a Sunday-to-Thursday package including exercise, healthy eating, varied topical lectures, a full body massage, and more.

As for specific treatments, Ashelman says massage of various kinds (Swedish, Chinese, Shiatsu, sports, pregnancy, etc.) are their most popular choices. They often give more than 300 a week. “I would say that facials are next, including the popular Aveda facials as well as the "dry, mature" Repacharge facials,” she says. “If we could duplicate our acupuncturist, Dr. Lin Wang, I'm sure that Chinese medicine--acupuncture and Chinese herbs--would be among the most popular. Because of her amazing success with chronic, as well as acute, ailments, she is quite booked!”

Ashelman says the shop does very well with both visitors and locals. “We currently sell quite a bit of Aveda and Repacharge products for skin and hair,” she confirms. “We also sell a number of other items for massage, swim accessories, and some clothing. We sell a great deal of golden flax and flax (coffee) grinders, as well as the Omega 3 Diet Book, since we promote the "Coolfont Omega Ancestral Diet." They are in the process of greatly expanding their retail items to include more clothing, appliances for clean air and water, essential oils, homeopathics, and more. “We have also just imported a line of belly dancing products to share the sensuous, playful frequency we've discovered in our ongoing belly dancing classes and our popular ‘Wild Women Weekends,’” she says.

Coolfont just hired a new Spa Director from Colorado. “We couldn't be more happy with Lacy Jack,” says Ashelman. “She has already instituted some exciting new programs, from corporate wellness to birthday parties for kids, and everyone--wellness package guests, yoga and aerobics classes, and staff--have fallen in love with her. She's just what the Coolfont Spa needs to lead us over the top and take our program to its next level.”

PRE- AND POST-SPA

As Travel Berkeley Springs developed events around the town’s waters and spas, other businesses sprouted to enhance and support the effort. Thus, visitors now have more to see and do before and after their spa appointments--and a reason to stay in town longer.

Along with resorts like Coolfont and the Country Inn, where there are a range of activities, health-oriented businesses have also opened. Located right on the town square, Homeopathic Works provides a perfect example. An expansion of Washington Homeopathic Products, which started in Washington, D.C. in 1873 and moved to Bethesda in the 1960s, this Berkeley Springs ‘branch’ opened in the early-1990s.

Owner Joe Lillard says Berkeley Springs is an ideal place for his business, which has a great homeopathy museum, shop, and lab for visitors, locals, and mail order customers. He says, “The synergies are great. We often refer our visitors to area spas and many therapists refer their clients to us for specific ailments with which we can help.”

Other area businesses also support health-oriented visitors. From healthy food offerings at Tari’s to whirlpool tubs filled with mineral water at many lodging establishments, Berkeley Springs has grown into a spa getaway that would make George Washington want an appointment.