Canyon Ranch’s premier wellness resorts are a destination for transformation. The four immersive destinations use a holistic approach to wellbeing. They have received multiple awards for their spas, fitness centers, and quality of service. To maintain an exceptional guest experience, Canyon Ranch identified numerous renovation projects for the luxury hotel resort in Lenox, Massachusetts.

Project management services were needed for this multi-phased project, so Canyon Ranch engaged Watchdog to assist with the renovation and upgrades throughout the resort and spa. Since the hotel remained operational during construction, mitigating interruption to guest services was critical.

Watchdog lead the design team consisting of the interior designer, Rottet Studio, and the architect, Group One, and secured services from local vendors and contractors. The Watchdog team managed the budget by developing estimates for the various projects to confirm the outlined projects could be completed using Canyon Ranch’s available funds. The whirlpool spa had significant budget constraints that Watchdog evaluated to maximize the final product features without adding cost.

Once construction began, Watchdog managed the renovation of the demonstration kitchen, two lounges, the men’s and women’s locker rooms, and the skincare area, as well as the replacement of the whirlpool spa. In addition to tracking construction progress, Watchdog also managed cost control. Watchdog project managers broke down the monthly pay requests submitted by contractors into the individual line items for each specific project. This facilitated detailed requests for funding by project and allowed Watchdog to compare actual costs to the budget.

Watchdog was an advocate for Canyon Ranch throughout the process, anticipating maintenance issues and making improvement recommendations. For example, the team recognized the spa area would function more efficiently if additional HVAC equipment was installed during the renovations. Watchdog engaged mechanical and electrical engineers to assess the current system. Watchdog presented the findings to Canyon Ranch and, due to the cost control success of the renovation projects, funds were available immediately for these necessary improvements.