Stay at Spa, an Estonia based travel company, has launched an online booking platform focused on spa and wellness hotels. The company is headquartered in Tallinn and is initially targeting European destinations, where spa hotels, thermal resorts and wellness tourism form an established part of the hospitality sector.
The launch marks the company’s transition from platform development to commercial operations. The website provides information about participating hotels, including their accommodation and spa and wellness facilities, and enables users to make accommodation bookings through the platform.
Stay at Spa is entering a hotel booking market that includes large international online travel agencies as well as specialist platforms serving particular types of accommodation and travel. Its initial business model concentrates on properties where spa and wellness facilities are a significant component of the overall hotel offering.
The platform includes hotels offering facilities and services such as spas, thermal pools, saunas, wellness treatments and other leisure and wellbeing amenities. The company plans to expand its hotel inventory and geographic coverage as it develops relationships with additional properties.
“Spa and wellness represents an established segment within the hospitality market,” said Taavi Tammpere, founder of Stay at Spa. “The launch allows us to begin operating the platform commercially and to develop the business based on traveller demand and participation from hotels.”
Focus on the European spa market
Stay at Spa is initially concentrating on Europe, a region with a long-established spa and thermal tourism industry. European spa destinations range from historic thermal towns in Central Europe to Nordic markets with established sauna and bathing traditions and resort destinations in Southern Europe.
The sector includes a broad range of accommodation models. These range from hotels operating their own spa facilities to larger thermal resorts and properties built around wellness programmes and treatments.
For Stay at Spa, the European market provides the initial geographic base from which to develop its hotel inventory and establish relationships with accommodation providers. The company expects to add properties and destinations as its operations expand.
Development and commercial launch
The launch follows a development period during which the company built the website and booking infrastructure required to operate the platform.
The move into commercial operations gives Stay at Spa the opportunity to test its business model in the live market and assess demand for a booking service focused specifically on spa and wellness accommodation.
The company will monitor booking activity and traveller interest across different destinations and property types as it develops the platform. This will include assessing which markets generate demand, which types of spa accommodation attract travellers and how hotel partners use the platform.
The initial operating phase will also involve expanding the number of properties available through the service and establishing further relationships with hotels in European spa destinations.
A growing area of hospitality
Spa and wellness has become an established component of the hospitality industry, with hotels increasingly incorporating wellness facilities and services into their accommodation offering.
The broader category includes traditional spa treatments as well as thermal bathing, saunas, hydrotherapy, fitness facilities, wellness programmes and other services associated with health and relaxation.
This creates a diverse market covering everything from urban hotels with dedicated spa facilities to destination resorts where wellness is a central component of the property.
Stay at Spa is focusing its initial operations on this intersection between accommodation and spa and wellness services rather than attempting to cover the wider hotel market.
Next stage of development
Following the launch, the company will focus on expanding its hotel selection and developing its presence across European markets. The longer-term geographic scope of the platform will depend on the development of the business and demand from travellers and participating accommodation providers.
The company will also continue developing the technical and operational infrastructure supporting hotel listings, booking and customer use of the platform.
The launch therefore represents the first commercial stage of Stay at Spa’s development, with further expansion expected as the company builds its hotel network and gathers operating experience.
Stay at Spa is headquartered in Tallinn, Estonia, and its booking platform is now operational at stayatspa.com.
