Jan 1st, 2007

San Diego, CA
Nestled between the Columbia/Little Italy Districts of downtown San Diego, directly across from The W Hotel, Spa Velia opened in late 2005. The Spa is owned by a team of three entrepreneurs, who shared a vision to create an intimate, old world luxury spa, unlike any other spa destination available in America's Finest City. The Spa caters equally to both men and women clientele, offers an expertly educated staff and features several one-of-a-kind amenities including the contemplative relaxation lounge, Swiss seven-head showers and the immensely popular Couples Suite. Since their Grand Opening last October, Spa Velia's business has continued to grow steadily, as city dwellers, business types and downtown hotel guests alike discover this unique, old world escape from the stress of daily life. Spa Velia is located at 401 West A Street, Suite 180 in San Diego (619.235.0000).

Settling for no less than "sensory perfection," Spa Velia's owners designed every unique detail from the ground up -- gently curving architecture, earthy colors, low lighting and carefully selected furnishings -- with the spa guest's sensory experience in mind. The resulting space is reminiscent of ancient Italy, a comforting sanctuary. "I felt as though I'd entered a secret medieval lair. Perfectly-suited music, tunnel-like hallways, sounds from a waterfall...all combined to further lull me (almost immediately) into a long-forgotten state of relaxation," (Concierge Connection Magazine). Spa-goers are encouraged to spend as much time as they want in the steam room and relaxation lounge. In the lounge, books are available on meditation, creativity and philosophy, and guests can sip on a complimentary glass of wine, warm herbal tea or fruit infused water while they read or just unwind.

"Everything about the way this came together was magic," says founding partner Dana Stallings. Together with founding partner, Jody Rogers, Stallings spent over ten years planning to create the perfect day spa in San Diego while gaining valuable experience managing other high-end area spas. "We were introduced to our third founding partner, Chris [Guimond] in October of 2004 by a commercial real estate agent. He was independently looking for space to open a luxury spa at the same time we were, and the agent sensed there would be chemistry between us. It has been a perfect match." Stallings' and Rogers' sixteen plus years in the spa industry, expertise in education and spa services, and their flair for aesthetic details were a perfect compliment to Guimond's background in marketing and strategic business planning, as well as his passion for the transformative powers of massage and the spa experience. "I spent many years as a spa connoisseur," says Guimond. "I traveled to Indonesia, Thailand, Greece, Mexico and Canada, really studying what makes the spa experience special and unique. We have applied many of these concepts in creating Spa Velia." The trio thought they had coined a new word when they came up with the moniker Spa Velia (chosen for its soothing sound), only to find out in a subsequent Google search, that Velia was actually an ancient Italian city that sat high on a hilltop and was a center for culture and philosophy. "Just one more perfect coincidence," says Rogers.

The balance of male and female energy in the owners' partnership has helped them to create a spa experience that is equally attractive to both men and women, says Guimond. "Spa Velia's clients are about 40% men and 60% women and almost 90% of our male clientele become regular customers, which is really unique," he says. "I think the way the Spa is designed for privacy with low lighting is appealing to men. They don?t feel like they are in the spotlight because we've tried to create serene spaces for people to relax with their own thoughts. We've also tried to keep the decor very balanced," he adds. All treatments offered for women at Spa Velia are also offered for men -- many other area spas only offer men facials and massage. The steam room and relaxation lounge are both co-ed. Also, the Spa's Couples Suite offers side-by-side treatments for a shared spa experience. "Our Couples Suite is incredibly popular, with couples, mothers and daughters, sisters and best friends enjoying treatments side-by-side," says Stallings.

Spa Velia's top-notch staff are selected for exceptional expertise and held to high educational standards. "We only employ therapists who are truly experts in the industry," says Rogers. All of the Spa's massage therapists are nationally certified, and most also are Holistic Health Practitioners, a credential that requires 1000 hours of training. New staff members receive intensive training with Spa Velia directors and all staff must meet on-going off-site educational requirements annually. "Education is critically important," Rogers adds. "That's one of the things that differentiates the quality of treatments our guests receive here." Spa Velia's mantra of "attention to detail" also applies to customizing treatments for guests. Every therapist takes notes at the end of a treatment session about a client's preferences or even physical injuries. "These all get entered into a huge database so that when a repeat customer comes in, the therapist already knows how to customize their treatment," says Guimond. "That level of personal attention and service is rare in most spas."

Treatments at Spa Velia are priced to make regular indulgences an accessible luxury for most. Downtown residents and those who work in Spa Velia's building receive a "Friends of Velia" membership card, which entitles them to a discount of 10% on services over $50.

"A lot of thought and planning went into creating this world of perfect relaxation," says Stallings. The difference is in the details -- People say they feel it immediately when they step through the door between the lobby and the spa. Customers tell us that once they come in, they never want to leave, and that is very satisfying to hear!"

For more information on Spa Velia, services, pricing and special events please call 619-235-0000, or visit: www.spavelia.com, where photos are available for download.

To schedule a private tour of the Spa or to schedule an interview with a spokesperson from Spa Velia, please contact: Marti Amado at MEDIA ARTS, 760.877.0619.