Westin Diplomat Focuses on Health and Wellness With New Spa

As more meeting attendees demand healthier options when it comes to food and beverage, meeting activities, and fitness and spa facilities, it makes sense that more meeting-centric properties follow suit, and offer healthful options for guests. That line of thinking certainly holds true at The Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa in Hollywood, FL, located on the beach between Fort Lauderdale and Miami. 

In June, the 998-room beachfront resort, which houses its own 200,000-square-foot convention center, debuted a new 14,000-square-foot spa and fitness center, specially designed with both meetings and leisure travelers in mind. The Heavenly Spa by Westin underwent a year-long renovation and now offers 10 treatment rooms, a Halotherapy salt steam room, a Vichy shower room, manicure-and-pedicure stations, a two-story fitness studio (WestinWORKOUT), and a spa café.

The Westin Diplomat is no stranger to hosting meetings groups and now, with its new spa, it hopes to offer even more health- and wellness-focused amenities for attendees. For meetings groups, the new spa is available for buyouts and spa staff can also accommodate brief treatments between meetings, says Allicyn Hughes, spa director. Hughes says that she has seen more and more groups request health- and wellness-minded activities such as chair massages or mini yoga sessions during breakouts, morning yoga classes, and having doctors as guest speakers to talk about health and nutrition. 

“We’re a convention hotel, and we want to cater to [groups],” Hughes says. “ We like to make their meeting experiences a relaxing one, too.”

The spa facility itself is large and serene. Design firm Garcia Stromberg used nautical influences throughout, and some treatment rooms, like the 726-square-foot couples treatment room, called the Duet Room, even overlook the ocean. The level of customization for each client is high; guests can change the color of the mood lighting in their treatment room and depending on their treatments, they can pick their preferred essential oils from Aromatherapy Associates. The co-ed relaxation area uses water elements (a wall of “rain” divides the room) and has private chaise lounges for guests.

Treatments offered at the spa include massages, body treatments, facials, anti-aging enhancements, manicures, pedicures, and waxing services. Meeting attendees who might be pressed for time, but still want a full spa experience can opt to purchase Heavenly Spa packages like the 75-minute Hope Package, which includes an aromatic scrub followed by a relaxing Swedish massage. There’s even a 25-minute reflexology treatment available, as well as a 25-minute Renewal Ritual, which includes an aromatic scalp and shoulder massage and a conditioning oil hair treatment.

Meeting attendees who want to squeeze in a workout during their meetings can also do so easily at the high-tech WestinWORKOUT facility, which is open 24 hours a day. It has an elevated cardio deck with Life Fitness elliptical machines, treadmills, and stationary bikes — all with docking stations — as well as free weights, medicine balls, yoga mats, and complimentary ear buds. The spa also offers a seasonal fitness schedule that includes yoga classes, guided runs three times per week. Guests who forget their workout gear can also borrow athletic shoes and apparel as part of Westin’s New Balance Gear Lending program for a $5 fee.