I know this is long, but I cut it down as much as I could while being clear. Bought my mom and I each a carefully selected groupon to Radiance Spa ($45, value $95) to treat us both to the luxury of spa mani/pedis. It was really important to me that this be a nice experience because I'm on an extremely tight budget and my mom had been working really hard lately - wanted to reward her and spend a lovely day together with Mother's Day coming up.
Show up for appointment about 5 minutes late due to weather induced traffic, told it was no problem by a very sweet hostess who offers us a tour of the spa. It seemed very elegant - but the nail room ended up being outside the spa and was essentially just a tiny nail salon - bright lights, little rolling plastic carts, etc. The Groupon came with gel manicure (value $30) and choice of spa pedicure (website listed 5 options, $50-65). Asked for more info about how the pedicures differ - told by the technician that the only difference is the products used, but that the Groupon is only good for the "milk and honey" - which is not even listed on the website. I explain that that's not what the Groupon says and she gets upset, abruptly leaves the room to confer with hostess who apparently confirms what I said, comes back after 5-10 minutes and starts talking about how none of the other customers have ever had a problem and now we're really short on time because she has another appointment at 3.
Mom goes first, chooses reflexology, has great massage with lotion and then hot stones. I choose Ayurvedic, but am surprised when there's no massage - I ask and our tech Mina says that's an extra charge, which I say I don't understand because she's only just told me that the only difference in the options is the products used and had I known that the reflexology was the only one with included massage that's what I would have chosen from the beginning. I literally can't help crying a bit at this point because I'm so frustrated and disappointed - I feel like I'm having to fight tooth and nail just to get what I purchased and feeling awful about the amount of money I've spent on this day that's been only stress inducing for both of us.
Mina decides to give me the massage anyway, but I can't enjoy it at all because it's all done with this attitude like I'm throwing a fit and taking advantage of her/the business, and she's talking about how the reflexology is really hard for her to do especially two in a row and it's making me feel awful. Her 3 o'clock arrives and my manicure hasn't been started, I volunteer for us to go have lunch and come back so that customer doesn't have to wait and am told to come back in an hour. We have lunch at the club's restaurant (good food) and come back as instructed, wait about 20 more mins, and she does my mani, which has no hand massage but a nice short over the clothes hot stone massage while your nails cure.
Mina gives a good massage, as do the pedicure chairs, and I was happy with our polish jobs, but that was definitely not enough to fix how poisoned the whole day was by poor customer service. I put a lot of thought and, for me, a significant amount of money into planning a day I thought would be really special for me and my mom - and instead got an experience so stressful it's literally making me feel a little sick to my stomach just remembering it to write this review. I wish I could include more details but this is already so long. I would never go back. read more
