Spa Spotlight – December 2019

Ashley Spurlock, Director of Spa & Fitness, Heavenly Spa at the Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort

A charismatic result-oriented hospitality executive with a passion for sales, marketing and retail buying in the hotel and resort spa environment is what defines Ashley, the Director of Spa and Fitness for Heavenly Spa at the Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort. Ashley has worked at Heavenly Spa since 2016 and continues to lead her Spa Team to maintain professional development and growth. Ashley has helped to develop and manage new resort programming to enhance the Westin Guest Experience, making it a “wow” factor by improving operations and employee satisfaction while increasing revenue growth and profitability. Ashley also works alongside her HR team and lead service training for all new hires in addition to assisting her GM and department leaders within Westin Brand Standards, BSA Compliance, and GSS (Guest Service Satisfaction).

Ashley’s background includes hotel operations, direct selling to GM’s and Spa Directors at prestigious hotel brands, non-profit fundraising and event planning for fortune 500 CPG companies as well as broadcast news producing and reporting. “I love getting to know our guests and being the “special projects” go-to-person that my GM’s know they can count on to get important jobs accomplished. These projects allow me the opportunity to gain more knowledge and direct involvement with other hotel ops areas.”

Prior to joining the resort, Ashley held positions such as group sales manager with PGA National, National Sales Manager for Sun Coast Salts and was the opening Spa Director for Spa Evangeline at the Epicurean Hotel in Tampa. Prior to moving to Florida in 2013, Ashley began her spa career in Arkansas, where she served as Business Development Manager for a Medical Spa and later spent five years as Spa Director for Spa Botanica at Embassy Suites, the regions only hotel with a spa!

Ashley holds a bachelors degree in broadcast journalism, and spent her early career years working in television news as well as non-profit fundraising, PR and event planning. Her career passions are marketing, sales and retail buying.

Ashley loves making new friends and socializing with people in the industry. Her ultimate passion is spending time with her 14-year-old son Grayson who lives with his Dad in Arkansas. She enjoys reading beach novels and mysteries, live music and dancing as well as shopping and dining in old downtown areas. Ashley met her boyfriend John in Fort Lauderdale at a Marriott golf tournament 4 years ago, while living 1400 miles apart. Today they are inseparable and enjoy exploring South Florida together when they are not spending time with John’s 10-year-old daughter Riley.

Ashley’s contribution and dedication to spa and wellness is an inspiration for our spa community.