TLDR; This place was insanely bad. Save your money, save yourself!…read more
The long version: I love a day spa, and go to QC, Aire and World Spa. I had been to Bathhouse once before as a gift and had a fine time, so I decided to book a deck chair by the pool on my own dime and try it again.
Big mistake. Huge.
There was a long line to check in. My self check-in kept bringing up an error, so I had to wait to speak to someone. I show my confirmation email and the front desk person tells me "someone else must have booked the same bed and the exact same time, so you don't actually have a reservation" why do I have a confirmation email/number then, but okay. I can make you a new reservation now. Great! That will be $179. Uh, that is way more expensive than when I booked. Yes, we have dynamic pricing. Okay well, I'm not going to pay a premium because of a digital error. She doesn't have the authority to change the price but I can pay the new price and she'll refund the difference. Okay great fine, I just want to sit by the pool I say. After a few more error messages (the whole check on process took over 30 min), I get a QR code, check in, no further instructions from anyone, about where to go, how the lockers work, where the towels are. As I'm figuring this stuff out, many other people are on the same mystery quest. The guests are helping each other out, as there are no attendants to give guidance.
I get in line to get on the elevator to the pool, more lining up like wet cattle. When we make it upstairs they break everyone in to two lines, day passes (I didn't know this was an option to access the roof) and day bed reservations. We wait 20 minutes and the day pass line is released to go wherever they like. Huh? Two women skip the line and walk to the podium, cutting in front of everyone. The host turns to the line and says I'm going to help these ladies first and people behind me pipe up Uh no, why? We have been waiting. He says Well you can figure it out amongst yourselves. This seems to be a theme with Bathhouse, figure it out yourself. Eventually the line cutting women go join the line, thanks to the people who'd been waiting. I finally give my name and I'm pointed to a bed in a dark corner by the elevator, not even in sight of the pool. No thanks, I said. I'm here to sit by the pool, I can't even see it over here. I was second in line, all the beds by the pool are open, surely I can move over. Nope, these beds were reserved earlier than you, so they aren't available. The hosts were snippy, unhelpful, honestly felt like they just wanted to argue. Maybe my original reservation would have garnered me seat anywhere near the pool, but I was unwilling to do any more advocating for myself to enjoy this expensive experience. Okay great, I'd just like to leave. Okay she says and stares at me. I would like to get a refund and leave, I clarify. I paid to sit in the sun by a pool and thats not possible, so I'll take off. We don't offer same day cancellations she says. SAME DAY CANCELLATIONS?! I just want what I booked, or to leave, this should be so simple. We look at each other for a good minute. She sighs and taps on her tablet. "You no longer have a reservation or a day pass so you need to exit now.". Great. My pleasure. I get BACK IN LINE TO GET DOWNSTAIRS as there are about 25 people leaving from the morning reservations. I gtfo of there and waste a beta blocker I'm so annoyed.
Long story short, what an incompetent place. What a frustrating sunny Saturday afternoon. I work in hospitality and not once did any of the staff make an effort to be helpful or accommodating. And I will wait in a line, I will pay a premium for convenience, I am Canadian as heck, I will wait and be polite you just have to make a teeny tiny bit of effort. Do not waste your money here.