Free is NOT Always Fab...

Home from my "Spa" Day and feeling pretty disappointed.
Pros:
The owner (an aesthetician) is a very, VERY nice lady
The lavender massage oil was lovely

Cons:
Everything else :(

I don't often have the chance to indulge and treat myself so when I saw the opportunity to take advantage of a complimentary spa package, I jumped at the chance. However, I neglected to follow a few simple rules that would have saved me the shotty pedicure and aggressive rub-down in place of a Swedish Body Massage.  I have outlined said rules below so that no one else need suffer as I did.

1.  Get Referrals!  If you are planning a spa day or any spa treatment for that matter, ask your friends if they have had any great experiences or if they patronize one spa and one spa only.  For example, I often get compliments of my eyebrows.  I have them groomed by Liana at JC Salons (416-604-7722) every two-weeks and I pimp that bitch out like she owes me money!  I would also never let anyone but Ashley of Ashley-Marie Salon ( www.ashleymariesalon.com ) touch my hair.  When I mentioned where I was going to my friends, no one had heard of it.

2.  Check out their website!  As a small business owner, I take great pride in my website.  I am also offering a creative service and therefore want my style to be translated through my website.  Same goes for a Spa.  The website should look good.  Regardless of how much money is spent, a nice looking and easy to navigate website means that the business takes pride in themselves and the service that they offer and want you to know this as well.  Also, all prices and services should be posted and be up-to-date.

3.  Call and speak to a human being!  I believe that you can tell a lot about someone and their business by having a short phone conversation with them.  I always tell my staff that you can hear a smile through the phone, and it is true.  The receptionist should be friendly and knowledgeable about treatments offered and products used at the spa.  They should also be able to tell you what the spa specializes in and whether any of their staff specialize in specific treatments.  You should never hear the phrase "I don't know".  That particular phrase is banned from our office.  After booking your treatments, the receptionist should then advise you of anything that you need to do to prepare for your treatments.

4.  Speak Up!  Last but not least, if you are not receiving the service that you were expecting or if something seems off, make sure you say something.  No treatment should ever "hurt" (some laser procedures excluded), and if you don't like the way your nails were filed, say so.  A clean and sterile environment is one of the most important things to look out for.  Bring your own nail file and pumice stone for a pedicure and ask not to have the jets turned on if they have jet baths.  Dead skin cells get trapped in the jets and can't be cleaned out properly.  They should also be using sterilized tools for each client.  If you have booked a massage, ask if the masseuse is a RMT (Registered Massage Therapist) if not, skip it and book a massage with a specialist.

There are probably some more tips and I would love to hear them!

Next time, I'm going to spend the dough and go to Elmwood...