Not Your Typical Coffee Break

The focus on mind-body well-being

has never been greater, and resorts and hotels are taking note. In response to travelers who take their healthy habits on the road, savvy properties have made wellness a priority, especially for visiting professionals who need to be at the top of their game. Conferences, brainstorming sessions, and meeting planning can be particularly challenging, and the environment and activities that seem to play only a supporting role can actually make or break a successful outcome.

Customized wellness options, from fitness and massage to mood-altering aromas, are now part of the package for meeting planners looking beyond the basics of the typical coffee break. "People want healthy choices," says Melanie Campbell, CMP, Director of Catering for Hotel ZaZa in Dallas, Texas. "They're looking for food and activities that stimulate their minds and bodies naturally." ZaZa answers the call with snacks that boost energy like fresh fruits, smoothies, and green tea. To break up the day, group yoga and stretching sessions loosen chair-bound muscles, and hand and chair massage relieve tension during 10-minute breaks. Yoga and massage are also on the agenda during meetings at Omni Hotels, but they are just the tipi of the iceberg of a program that orchestrates every aspect of the meeting environment. "We looked at how sensory input, like color and scent, can have an influence on how people feel and think," says Steven Rosenstock, Senior Vice President of Brands and Standards. The result was the Sensational Meetings program, which customizes the decor, lighting, music, food and room fragrance to influence the mood of a meeting. Groups engaged in planning and training, for example, are served high-energy snacks like wheat grass shots, while mood-lifting scents such as peppermint infuse the room. Challenging meetings that involve negotiation benefit from calming lavender scents and jasmine tea. Color accents in the room are relaxing blues instead of stimulating reds and oranges, and brackground music plays at a slower tempo. Healthy carbohydrates, like popcorn, pretzels, and rice cakes, can have a calming effect, and they're strategically served mid-day to boost concentration and alleviate tension. "Meetings can be a great business tool," notes Rosenstock, "but to be really successful, they need to be conducted in an environment that supports the goals and creativity of the attendees."

Mind-Body Balance

Montage Resort & Spa Laguna Beach in California, takes a holistic approach when addressing the neds of its business clientele. "We focus on the cornerstones of wellness - physical condition, nutrition and stress management," says David Dorian Ross, the spa's wellness manager. "When these elements are in balance, people are able to connect and they interact better in a group - thoughts are clicking." A wellness break can include a stress-relieving yoga or tai chi session or a postural assessment that finds weaknesses in the body and teaches how to correct them through the customized exercise programs. After these assessments, nutritious spa smooties can be formulated to address the needs of each individual's mind and body type. A unique program called the Three Enchantments takes a look at the archetypal stories from different cultures to examine the obstacles that keep people from getting what they want in life. "We designed these experiences to be something our visitors can take with them," notes Ross. "We wanted to create a place where you can come and transform your life."

Back to Nature

The great outdoors can undoubtedly affect people's outlooks, wich is why the guided hikes at Sundance Resort in Utah are such an itegral part of the business meeting experience. "Groups use the hikes as an opportunity to unwind between meetings," says Jessie Walthers, a naturalist and the environmental education directory for the resort. "They also find that connecting with nature helps them gain a beter perspective on the work they're doing while they're here." The trails around Mount Timpanogos cater to a range of different fitness levels. Gentle walks around the mountain's base and more physical climbs up its face take hikers through spruce and fir forests, past waterfalls and along mountain streams. Perfect for cardiovascular conditioning, these excursions also raise energy levels and bring clarity of mind to business at hand. Morning hikes up Camelback Mountain in Scottsdale, Arizona, are also a popular teambuilding option at the Phoenician. The trek up the steep red sandstone trail can be strenuous, but the breathtaking view at the top makes it worth the effort. Also at the Phoenician, the Centre for Well-Being spa stimulates mind and body with 10-minute meditation breaks, a Yoga at Your Desk seminar that teaches simple but effective postures designed for confined spaces, and consultations with a naturopathic doctor who discusses nutrition and optimal aging. High-tech business may be first and foremost in the minds of visitors to Silicon Valley's CordeValle, A Rosewood Resort, new San Jose, California, but golf is a very close second. With a Robert Trent Jones, Jr.-designed championship course just steps from the meeting rooms, it's easy to take your business onto the fairway for a day of teambuilding or to seal a deal. When you can't be on the greens, personal trainers will lead 15-minute stretching breaks using golf clubs as tools, or a massage therapist will work out tension with a relaxing nech massage or hand reflexology.

Creative Solutions

Ojai Resort & Spa in Ojai, California, helps visitors tap into their creative potential through artwork. Classes led by local artists take place at the new Artists Cottage and Apothecary, where sunlight, art supplies, and inspiration are abundant. "Our Mixed Media classes seem to be the most freeing medium for groups," says Activities Manager Juliana Sproles. "The session leaves participants with a unique sense of empowerment, and it's definitely a tension-release outlet." Combining paints, pastels, paper fragments and found materials, students let go of their inhibitions and allow creativity to flow. The experience can be used to set the tone of the meetings to come, leading to a more cohesive team dynamic, creative solutions to problems, and a higher level of productivity at the end of the day.