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Gymnasium For The Mind At The Independent Hotel Show

Gymnasium for the Mind at the Independent Hotel Show
Written by Amy

Mindfulness and wellbeing will be front-of-minds at this year’s Independent Hotel Show, 17 & 18 October, presented by James Hallam, with the arrival of brand new and innovative feature Gymnasium for The Mind by Shape.

Located in the Show’s dedicated spa and wellness area – The Sanctuary – hoteliers will be encouraged to enter Gymnasium for The Mind’s workshop space, remove their shoes and take their seat upon a Technogym wellness ball.  The aim is to exercise minds in a calm and focused setting, where it’s possible to forget about what’s going on outside.

Design is of fundamental importance to the Independent Hotel Show and is underlined in the Gymnasium for the Mind, with an old school boxing gym feel mixed with brass details and Farrow & Ball’s Hague Blue casting a luxe feel across the space. 

Over the course of the event at Olympia on 17 and 18 October, Gymnasium for The Mind by Shape will host 11 talks and workshops covering the multiple dimensions of mindfulness and wellbeing.

Tuesday’s sessions include Minds on Mindfulness with speakers suggesting how hotels can ‘live in the moment’ and embrace mindfulness through simple pleasures like walking, cognitive activities and spiritual techniques while Alistair Johnson, managing director of Spa Creators and Mark Smith, The Spa Guy, will give tips on providing tailored spa treatments for the growing number of men seeking them in Relax Guys: Spas for Men.

On Wednesday Kevin Duffey of Cyber Rescue Alliance talks through how businesses can protect themselves from cyber-crime before a panel of experts discusses how to make a hotel spa appeal to all generations in Ageless Wellbeing.

Event Director Miranda Martin said: “Mindfulness is a huge consumer trend and so we were keen to integrate it into the Independent Hotel Show this year.  Not only does it inspire those creating luxury spas in their hotels, but we hope it will help give everyone a fresh perspective. Hoteliers lead such busy lives we wanted to give them a chance to focus on the here and now while also being able to take away some valuable information that can be used in their businesses.” 

Lizzie Webster, Design Director at Shape, describes the process used to design Gymnasium for The Mind. She said: “We wanted to challenge visitors and provide a unique workshop environment, based on the processes of entering a spa: removing external clothing like shoes and coats, to relax the body and mind ahead of the workshop. Users will then enter the workshop space with a sense of ownership , as well as a mental commitment to the task  that they are about to take part in. ‘Leave your baggage outside…’ literally and focus the mind.”

The Sanctuary is also host to a number of exhibitors dedicated to providing services and products to hotel spas, such as interior specialists Fit Interiors (stand SPA6) and designers Spa Creators (stand SPA9) and Rigo Spa (stand SPA1)

Visitors will also be able to find out about some of the latest therapy and beauty products for spas, including Optiat’s invigorating scrubs and face masks made with used Arabica coffee grounds (stand SPA14) and Aromatherapy Associates’ (stand SPA3) range of products and services, including bath and shower oils.

To register to attend the Independent Hotel Show 2017 visit www.independenthotelshow.co.uk

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Amy