A year to transform to a wellness destination

Health & Fitness: Riverhills Health Club and Spa

It’s that ethos of creating a friendly sense of belonging and a quality welcoming environment, that were the driving forces behind our transformation of Riverhills Health Club and Spa in Ipswich in 2021. Established as a family-run health club and day spa in the mid-90s, Riverhills was well known in the area. But, with its last refurbishment in 2016, the club was in real need of an overhaul, both aesthetically and from a business perspective.

Health clubs are so much more than somewhere to work out and go for a swim. They’re social spaces, somewhere to catch up with friends, chill out and, since lockdown and the transition to hybrid working, somewhere to catch up on work.

That is exactly what we’ve created through our renovations so far.

In the health club…

…we’ve completely reconfigured the reception area, adding a coffee and smoothie bar and seating areas. This has transformed it from a simple thoroughfare to a space for our community, a vibrant member-focused hub right in the heart of the club. We’ve extended the social feel outdoors with an outdoor fire pit area. Built with socialisation in mind, it offers an all-year round space for members and spa guests.

In the spa…

…we’ve added a stunning relaxation room, upgraded our treatment rooms, and increased our treatment offering thanks to our new mud treatment room. With every detail upgraded to the highest specifications, we’ve taken the spa from being a regular feature on online discount deals websites, to a luxury boutique spa experience, where you have the freedom to pay for time, not treatments.

However, the club’s transformation has gone far beyond the physical upgrades; we have put a strong focus on staff development. We ensure that every member of staff has the skills they need to do their job to the highest level, feel engaged within their role and empowered to develop.

Trained to the highest standards

This upskilling has ensured that our team is trained to the very highest standard. It extends throughout the club, from our PTs and our spa therapists to our front of house staff, maintaining a consistently high level of service throughout. We’ve also implemented new computer systems to bring processes bang up-to-date, and improved our policies to make both our memberships and our day spa treatment menu completely personalised to each individual.

Just over 12 months in and half a million pounds invested so far, we’ve come a long way, something that is evident in our rating which has shot up from three-star to four-star. But with many more exciting plans in the pipeline, we’re certainly not done yet and the transformation continues with upgrades to the pool, steam room and sauna areas on the way for 2023, all of which will make Riverhills the premier luxury health club and spa in the region.