Are the 100 best Spa hotels in Poland really SPA centers?

Background
In the face of unrelenting civilization threats and social challenges, the dynamic development of wellness & spa centers is observed. The aim of this work is an analysis to determine whether the 100 best Polish spa hotels satisfy the requirements of this type of company in light of terminology put forward by the International Spa Association (ISPA) and the European Spas Association (ESPA).

Material and methods
Definitions put forward by ISPA and ESPA form the basis of assessment in this study. A method of diagnostic survey was applied.

Results
According to the ESPA, only 41% of spas can actually be classified as such, compared to 61% according to ISPA. As many as 22% of the hotels surveyed do not meet the requirements of such enterprises for either ESPA or ISPA. Inconsistent definitions of ESPA and ISPA lead to chaos in the wellness & spa market.

Conclusions
It is necessary to develop a Polish definition which clearly defines the criteria for the classification of spa facilities and the possibility of their verification from the point of view of quality and compliance with planned standards.