Spa Spotlight – July 2018

Vanessa Carter, Spa Director
Boca Raton Resort & Club, A Waldorf Astoria Resort

Vanessa Carter, Spa Director at the award winning Waldorf Astoria Spa at Boca Raton Resort & Club, has over 16 years in the luxury resort, spa and wellness industry. Experienced in all phases of spa leadership including pre-opening, opening, new-build, renovation and ongoing operational and facility management, she is passionate and results driven.

Vanessa started her spa journey in 2006 as Assistant Spa Director leading the opening team for 12 treatment rooms and 26,000 square feet at the new Golden Door Spa in Naples, Florida.  She was promoted to Spa Director in 2008, where despite an economic downturn, she implemented innovative and profitable solutions to drive financial performance.

In 2012, Vanessa relocated to Spa Palazzo (now Waldorf Astoria Spa) at the Boca Raton Resort & Club, where she became Assistant Spa Director at the 44 treatment rooms, 54,000 square feet facility. During her tenure, the Forbes 4 Star spa experienced rebranding through collaborative vendor partnerships to develop a complete spa experience. Recognized as a leader in the industry, Spa Palazzo was awarded #1 Spa in the World by Condé Nast in 2014.

In 2015, Vanessa Carter became Spa Director at Bliss South Beach, a brand recognized for its innovative marketing and product driven business strategy. Vanessa focused her attention on curating an elevated guest experience in partnership with the W Hotel.  In 2016, Vanessa boomeranged back to Boca Raton Resort & Club as Spa Director.  Vanessa is committed to surpassing guest expectations, embracing team synergy while delivering strong financial performance.

Meet baby Elena Grace:

A child of expatriates, Vanessa was born in Kenya. She spent her childhood in southern Africa and adolescence in Nepal and India, where she experienced first-hand the alternative remedies for stress management, including meditation and Ayurvedic therapies.  Vanessa is a graduate of Lancaster University, England, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Hospitality Management, specializing in International Hotel Management.  Influenced by her upbringing and a family health concern during her adolescence, Vanessa is a strong proponent on healthy living and stress management.  Actively embracing a holistic lifestyle, Vanessa is a certified Reiki practitioner and Skincare specialist. She continues to expand her wellness footprint by actively pursuing certifications in personal training and nutrition.

Her background also contributed to her love of cooking Indian food, which she enjoys diving into in her spare time.                                           .

Vanessa also considers herself to be exceedingly “Green” in the literal sense.  She loves to get into the dirt  and connect with mother earth by growing plants and flowers.   Her goal is to create is a butterfly garden.

A new mother, Vanessa recently gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, Elena Grace and is over the moon in love with her new baby.