Today we’d like to introduce you to Alan Araujo.
Hi Alan, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I was born in Brazil and originally trained as a lawyer, earning my degree from the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais. My professional journey took me into real estate, where I became a top producer with Sotheby’s International Realty. While I was proud of my achievements, I always felt a deeper calling to create something that combined my passion for service, wellness, and luxury experiences.
When I moved to Miami, I saw a gap in the market: people wanted more than just a spa treatment—they wanted a true retreat. That vision became Lux MedSpa Brickell, located inside the prestigious SLS LUX Hotel in the heart of Miami.
I started small, with a single treatment room, but a relentless focus on excellence quickly grew Lux MedSpa into one of Miami’s most-reviewed and trusted luxury spas. Today, we have nearly 2,000 five-star Google reviews, and we are known for our signature facials, metabolic peels, lymphatic drainage massages, and advanced treatments like the Ultraformer MPT non-surgical facelift.
What sets us apart is personalization—every guest receives a tailored experience, whether it’s a deep tissue massage, a Swedish relaxation, or a customized couples retreat. For me, it’s not just about treatments; it’s about creating moments that stay with people long after they leave.
My journey has been about resilience, reinvention, and passion. From law and real estate to building a seven-figure spa brand, I’m proud to say I followed my obsession with service and turned it into Miami’s Retreat—Lux MedSpa Brickell.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The truth is, my journey has never been a smooth road—it’s been challenge after challenge. But I’ve never treated obstacles as walls; I treat them as teachers. Each setback pushed me to ask a better question: What’s the lesson here that can make me stronger and serve clients better?
Early on, I built Lux MedSpa Brickell around what I call the Inversion Mechanism: instead of chasing scale first, I invested obsessively in client experience—hyper-personalization, real results, and hospitality that feels remembered, not scripted. Long before “social proof” became a trend, I doubled down on genuine transformations. When we reached the milestone of 2,000 five-star Google reviews, I wrote about this approach in detail here:
https://www.luxmedspabrickell.com/wellness-tips-miami/alan-araujo-customer-experience-brand
That philosophy carried us through every tough season—competing in Miami’s luxury market, navigating the pandemic, and staying ahead of fast-changing SEO and digital discovery. Those very pressures made me one of the few spa founders who enjoys today’s digital challenges: we use them to deepen trust, improve findability, and deliver clearer value.
What others saw as limitations, I used as fuel to build a boutique spa with big-impact results—rooted in customization, personalization, and an unshakable commitment to understanding what people truly need. That’s why guests call Lux MedSpa Brickell Miami’s Retreat—and why their voices built our reputation.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Lux MedSpa Brickell is not just another spa in Miami—it is what many of our guests call “Miami’s Retreat.” Founded by Alan Araujo (About Alan Araujo
), our boutique spa inside the SLS LUX Hotel has become one of the most-reviewed luxury spas in Miami, with over 2,000 five-star Google reviews.
What sets us apart is not competition or trends—it’s vision. We don’t copy; we create. We focus on client experience, customization, and real transformations. That’s why we are known for the best custom facials in Miami
, advanced Ultraformer MPT non-surgical facelifts, HydraFacial® treatments, and specialized Brazilian lymphatic drainage massages and couples retreats.
But here’s something no one else in our industry talks about: Miami International Airport (MIA). MIA is not just another airport—it’s the busiest U.S. gateway for international passengers and America’s #1 airport for international air freight. In 2024 alone, MIA served 56 million passengers and moved a record 3 million tons of cargo—ranking it 5th busiest globally for cargo. That scale means Miami isn’t just about tourism; it’s about global business, connectivity, and influence.
Our spa exists right in the heart of this international hub. Just two years ago, major global airlines like Emirates that started flying from Miami International Airport in July 2021, after ending service to Fort Lauderdale in early 2020 due to the pandemic. The airline moved its South Florida operations to MIA because of its larger passenger and cargo traffic, making it more economically viable. That’s why our vision has always been to compare Miami to global capitals, not just local competitors. We are serving not only tourists, but also business leaders, travelers, and locals who demand world-class standards.
And while many hotel spas are still running the same formulas they used a decade ago, we built something different: the Inversion Mechanism. By investing in client experience first, not ads or mass marketing, we grew a boutique spa into a seven-figure brand with international recognition.
Looking ahead, Lux MedSpa Brickell will continue to expand memberships, treatments, and education—while also sharing this model through an online course for small business owners. My mission is clear: to elevate Miami’s wellness industry to match its place as a global hub of luxury, commerce, and innovation.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
I strongly believe no one achieves anything substantial alone. If someone says they built success entirely by themselves, it usually means the dream wasn’t that big. From the beginning of my journey, I’ve known that humility and learning are the keys to staying not only successful, but relevant. The truth is: the closer you are to success, the closer you are to potential failure. What keeps you grounded is remembering you are always a student.
I was fortunate to have mentors who guided me with knowledge, kindness, and generosity—saving me years of trial and error. I’ve also been supported by close friends like Katie, Harvey, Miley, and Anna, whose encouragement lifted me during the hardest times. Their support, even from afar, reminded me that energy is real—people feel it when you operate with authenticity.
I credit my team and our loyal clients at Lux MedSpa Brickell, who inspire me daily to raise the bar on service, personalization, and transformation. They are the reason we reached nearly 2,000 five-star Google reviews and why guests call us Miami’s Retreat.
While some fear it, I embrace AI as a powerful ally. AI isn’t a savior and it doesn’t replace human decision-making—it amplifies it. It gives us data, forecasting, and efficiency, but without human values, empathy, and strategy, it’s nothing. The future of business, especially in luxury wellness, will always require the human touch.
I’ve also learned that not everyone will join you for every stage of the journey—and that’s okay. Those who stayed became part of my legacy; those who moved on are on their own great paths. Success isn’t keeping everyone with you—it’s building the right circle for where you’re going.
Beyond mentors, friends, clients, and my team, I owe a special thank-you to the SLS LUX leadership. The SLS LUX board recognized our potential early and trusted us to elevate the brand standard—not just for our spa, but for the entire guest experience within the property. We serve two clients at once: our guests and the SLS LUX brand. I’m deeply grateful for the partnership and day-to-day alignment with the hotel’s executives, including Kim and Capri, and with the residential leadership, including Aurelien. Their support has been instrumental in taking Lux MedSpa Brickell to the next level. We operate as one team—united, brand-obsessed, and relentlessly focused on raising the bar for Brickell’s luxury wellness.
No one builds anything great alone. My mentors gave me wisdom, my friends gave me strength, and my clients gave me purpose. Together, they shaped Lux MedSpa Brickell into Miami’s Retreat.
Pricing:
- Silver Membership — $169/month — one 40-minute service each month (Prenatal Massage, Swedish Massage, or Lux Signature Facial; HydraFacial excluded)
- Swedish Massage Starts at $209.00
- Facial Treatments Starts at $249.00
- Facial with Microneedling with Stem Cells and Exosomes $699.00
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.luxmedspabrickell.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alan_araujo_luxmedspa
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/luxmedspa.brickell.mia
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanaraujoluxmedspabrickell/
- Twitter: https://x.com/alanaraujospa
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@luxmedspabrickell
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/lux-medspa-miami-2
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@luxmedspabrickell
Image Credits
© Lux MedSpa Brickell – Alan Araujo
