Well-being is a concept that means different things to different people, and it's TJ Abrams' job to translate those different meanings into hotel experience.
Abrams, the vice president of global well-being for Hyatt Hotels Corporation, said to each individual, the meaning of well-being "is very personal."
"But at Hyatt, we define well-being as helping our guests and customers feel healthy, happy and fulfilled," he said on the Hotel News Now podcast. "We're thinking about this holistic aspect of how does your physical, mental and emotional well-being become supported through travel?"
Hyatt has for years been an industry leader in focusing on wellness for both guests and employees, which Abrams said is a point of pride for the company. In recent history, the company has made even more progress in the space, including the launch of the new Wellbeing Collective, a collection of more than 30 hotels that offer "thoughtfully crafted well-being experiences," and through partnerships, like the new collaboration with Headpsace to offer in-room meditative sounds.
And wellness experiences aren't just yoga or what you might assume, being as unique as a program at the Miraval Berkshires Resort and Spa that focuses on teaching guests how to light a fire without matches.
"There's a real fulfillment that comes from learning things like that," he said.
Abrams said Hyatt makes a conscious effort to turn its well-being focus inward, along with its long-standing philosophy of taking care of colleagues so they can better take care of guests.
"One of the things that I think is really interesting about where we are today is that with the experiences that we're delivering, in many cases we're actually seeing our colleagues actually contribute and facilitate some of these experiences," he said. "They're able to bring their own unique stories, their experiences with their families growing up into the actual hotel and brand experience. And there's so much fulfillment from us as a company, seeing our colleagues actually being able to bring a different side of their full selves to our properties and brands, and the guests feel it. It makes a difference."
For all of HNN's conversation with TJ Abrams, listen to the podcast above, and subscribe to the Hotel News Now podcast on Apple, Spotify or wherever you find podcasts.