When Good Spa Days Go Bad

A recent article published in The New York Times about the hit-or-miss nature of the spa experience got me thinking. The article, "Beyond the Body Wrap: What Makes a Spa Stand Out?" attempts to educate the reader on how to make the most of your visit in a nation that now has more spas than Starbucks. The truly helpful nuggets of advice were buried in impractical comments like how a $5 massage in Thailand would be just as good as a $150 massage in New York. That priceless tidbit came from the mouth of a Hilton executive who doubtless, doesn't flinch at the price of a plane ticket to South Asia and doesn't have to fork out dough for accommodations. Who has the cash to fly halfway around the world for a $5 massage? Here's the thing: Going to a spa can be pricey and you should expect an experience that equates to what you pay for. If you don't, what do you do?

I had to ask myself that after a recent experience at a resort spa here in the Valley. A truly beautiful and accommodating retreat, the spa had all the amenities I could soak up and I enjoyed everything until it was time for the treatment. After watching the clock strike 5 minutes after my appointed time, I got up to wander toward the reception desk and on my way, came upon two chatting therapists. One recognized me as his appointment and awkwardly asked me if I was ready for my massage. He had my name right but I had not made an appointment for a massage. Obviously, we got off on the wrong foot and one awkward moment led to another. I was so upset that I couldn't communicate with the therapist at all. I hated him. And what's worse, I was crammed into the smallest and only windowless treatment room on a day when the place was empty. I couldn't wait until it was all over, which seemed rather quickly. He had actually cut my treatment short after being late.

So what did I do? According to this article, I should have spoken to the spa director. Yet I knew that ripping into a manager in the state I was in at check-out was not appropriate because I was close to tears. Causing a scene only takes away from the experience of others there to relax (I was with a friend who had an opposite experience). Also on the advice of this article, I could hit the online message boards and badmouth this spa fully knowing that my girlfriend enjoyed her experience. Probably the best nugget of advice came from Spa Finder president Susie Ellis, who suggested calling ahead and finding out the most popular therapist and booking with him or her. But too late for that. My plan is to give it a few more days, formulate my thoughts into constructive criticism and call the spa director and speak to her professionally and calmly about my experience. And to not believe everything I read. SpaGirl Says: When life gives you lemons, try not to cry about it and ruin someone else's spa visit. Make juice with the spa director privately and in a calm, constructive manner. More tips from the SpaGirl library.