Judging Process

Impartial Judging Process

Any awards scheme stands and falls on its judging process, which is why the World Spa & Wellness Awards has invested heavily in judging, to ensure a transparent and scrupulously fair scheme.

Judges are based in the same continent as the awards they are judging. All are spa professionals, with many owning and operating spas themselves. Operators will not judge a category they enter.

The process

First-round judging:

• An independent panel of between six and eight judges from the spa and wellness industry will examine all entries. No one judge will have undue influence.

• Each judge scores individually.

• All scores are added and three or four finalists are chosen for each category in each geographical area.

Second-round judging:

• All entrants will receive an email within a week of the first round judging detailing whether or not they have achieved finalist status.

• Shortlisted finalists will be asked to provide details on occupancy rates of their spa

• Mystery visits. A ‘mystery’ client will visit all the finalists. The mystery client will book unannounced as any other client, experience two treatments and stay one night. Afterwards he/she will complete a questionnaire and report back to the judges.

• Official visitor. In addition to the mystery client, all finalists will be contacted by an official visiting judge, who will make an appointment to see the facilities, interview the management and two therapists. He or she will stay overnight and experience two treatments including your signature body treatment and one other (such as a massage or facial). Afterwards he or she will then report back to the judges.