Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Long.
Sarah, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I received my elementary education degree and wanted to be a teacher but moved back from college late in the summer and was having a hard time finding a teaching job. A friend of mine had told me that she was working with Red Door Spas to open a spa in Willow Bend and asked if I wanted to work there with them until I found a teaching job. Sounded like something I would enjoy so I went for it. I quickly fell in love with the Wellness and Spa world and was promoted into management within about 6 months.
I knew that this was an industry that I felt passionate about and decided that Instead of teaching I wanted to make Spa my long-term career. I worked with Red Door for about 6 or 7 years in several different management and GM roles. In 2008 I was given the opportunity to work for Hilton as a Spa Director and open the new V Spa at the Hilton Anatole. It has been an amazing property and team to work with. We will be celebrating 10 years this year and still going strong!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
There are always ups and downs. Blows to the economy are rough and can cause struggles for any business. We opened Red Door at Willow Bend only a couple months before 9/11 happened. The US economy was already suffering through a moderate recession so the terrorist attack only made it harder on the struggling business community. People were not spending money on luxury services so it made for an uphill struggle to get the business off the ground and stable.
Luckily the economy bounced back pretty quickly and we were able to build a very strong business there. I again dealt with this same struggle in my next position at Hilton. We opened the V Spa during the great recession of 2008. Again people were not spending money on luxury services and it was a struggle to start up a new business at that time. It took several years to push through that and get to where we needed to be financially. Moral of the story is – Never open a new spa during a recession.
V Spa at the Hilton Anatole – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
We are a luxury Spa located within the Hilton Anatole. The hotel itself is legendary in Dallas and the property is beautiful and unique. An Urban Resort with an incredible art collection, several great dining options, shops, and a new Resort Pool complex JadeWaters.
The V Spa is a hidden gem located within the Health Club complex. We specialize in relaxation and we are an escape for not only our hotel guests but also our Health Club members and locals. All Spa treatments include access to the full facility for the day which offers steam rooms, sauna, whirlpool, lap pool, gym, and fitness area, You can easily spend all day with us.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success in financial terms is ever changing. I define success more within the environment and relationships that have been created. Some questions I would ask myself is have I created a place in which I can be happy to go to work every day? Are my team members happy to come to work every day? Have we created a space/energy /environment in which our guests feel at home and well-taken care? I could go on and on but these are the types of markers that I personally look for.
Pricing:
- Massages starting at $125 (50 min)
- Facials starting at $125 (50 min)
- Nail treatments starting at $30 (25 min)
Contact Info:
- Address: 2201 N Stemmons Freeway
Dallas TX 75207 - Website: www.vspadallas.com
- Phone: 214-761-7800
- Facebook: facebook.com/VerandahClubAndSpa
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
