Cute Spa, Not-So-Relaxing Experience -- First Impression Fail…read more
Where do I even begin? We scheduled three spa packages weeks in advance to celebrate my sister's birthday, expecting a relaxing, therapeutic experience and a fun first-time head spa treatment for my sisters. Unfortunately, the only thing that was consistent about this experience was the chaos.
1. Scheduling: A Moving Target
The weekend before our appointment, I received a call asking if we could move our appointment time back by 45 minutes. No big deal -- things happen. On the day of our appointment, we pulled into the parking lot seven minutes early, only to receive a text from the manager saying they were running 30 minutes behind and asking us to come later.
Keep in mind, we had other appointments and dinner reservations planned around this experience. Not ideal, but because my sisters were excited, we made it work. We were eventually rushed back 40 minutes after our already-rescheduled appointment time. At this point, the relaxation portion of the day was off to a spectacular start.
2. The Treatments: Exfoliation or Exorcism?
The facial was enjoyable and relaxing, but the head spa treatment felt rushed and anything but therapeutic. At one point, the technician rubbed the front of my neck so aggressively that when she seemingly accidentally pressed on my windpipe, I choked and had to sit upright.
Then came the sugar scrub and loofah combination, paired with some impressively aggressive rubbing. There's exfoliation, and then there's apparently trying to remove your skin's entire personality. I'm fairly certain at least the first three layers were invited to leave. Good thing I didn't need those anyway.
A relaxing treatment should leave you feeling refreshed, not wondering whether your skin will need its own recovery period.
3. The "Drying Room": Apparently, No Means Maybe?
After rushing us through the services well before the advertised appointment duration, we were taken to the "Drying Room." Both of my sisters have extremely curly hair and declined to have their hair blow-dried. Despite this, the blow-dryers came out anyway.
My sisters are sweet, shy, and non-confrontational, so they were hesitant to speak up. Thankfully, I had no problem using my big-girl voice to clarify that they did not want their hair blow-dried.
A friendly reminder: when a client declines a service, that should be the end of the discussion. No decoding required.
4. Checkout: The Unexpected Financial Adventure
Just when I thought the experience couldn't get any more interesting, we made it to checkout. I pulled out my credit card, and the manager asked if I had cash because "credit card is very expensive."
Most people aren't walking around with $600+ in cash unless they've been told in advance to bring it. I said I was fine paying the expected 3-5% processing fee, or whatever the actual fee was, only to be shown a total that worked out to approximately 13%. I was then told I could avoid the fee by paying through Zelle.
Had I known the payment terms beforehand, I could have planned accordingly. Transparency is a wonderful thing, especially when several hundred dollars are involved.
To make matters even more uncomfortable, I had to step outside to get better cell reception to access Zelle. My sisters were still standing in the lobby, and the manager followed me outside as though I might disappear into the sunset without paying and leave my sisters behind as collateral.
I promise, I was trying to complete a payment -- not orchestrate an elaborate spa getaway.
5. Customer Service: The Missing Treatment
Here's what really disappointed me: throughout all of this, there was no meaningful apology for the repeated scheduling changes, the extended delays, the rushed treatments, or the lack of communication. Not once did we feel that anyone genuinely acknowledged the inconvenience or took ownership of the experience.
Mistakes and delays happen. What makes the difference is how a business communicates and handles them. A little accountability, courtesy, and transparency would have gone a long way.
The Final Verdict
The spa itself is cute and has the potential to offer wonderful services. Unfortunately, potential and execution are two very different things.
Our experience was inconvenient, rushed, chaotic, and anything but relaxing or therapeutic. What was supposed to be a special birthday outing for my sisters turned into an afternoon of scheduling frustrations, uncomfortable treatments, unwanted blow-drying attempts, and a checkout experience worthy of its own review.
I wanted a relaxing spa day. I got a scheduling obstacle course, an aggressive exfoliation experience, and an unexpected payment negotiation.
Going forward, you'll find me at Crown Head Spa for head spa treatments and Renew for facials.
First impressions matter, and unfortunately, this one missed the mark by a mile. Cute space, disappointing experience. I won't be back.
