Jocelyne C.
Yelp
Taking a chance on a new venue (typically we book with the exceptional 100 Fountain Spa at the Pillar & Post Hotel) my mother & I booked treatments at the Q Spa at 124 on Queen. We will NOT be booking again.
My mother had the Deluxe Eminence Organics Facial. On the positive side, she thoroughly enjoyed her treatment, the products, and her esthetician. She even purchased some of the recommended products on the way out.
Unfortunately, this is where the positives end. I booked a 60 minute RMT massage, and was sorely disappointed. I have been so fortunate as to have enjoyed many massages in both spa and clinic settings, and I have to say my experience yesterday was by far the worst treatment I've ever had. My therapist was rough, inexperienced, and seemingly ignorant to my level of discomfort. I was berated for being too tense, encouraged to let my head and limbs 'be heavy' only to have them dropped back onto the table. I experienced a variety of 'oddities' in the positions I was put into, and the type of "massaging" that was done. The massage table was rocked back and forth, a pillow was jammed between my knees with no notice, and a hot towel was ripped from behind my neck with a motion not unlike the one you'd use when starting a lawnmower. If I was told this was my therapist's first time giving a massage, it wouldn't come as a surprise.
Once my treatment was over, I returned to the change rooms to shower. In the shower I found a used bar of soap, and two half-empty bottles of shampoo. Upon exiting the shower, I realized there were no towels in the room whatsoever. I used a small washcloth found in the toilet area to step out onto. It turned grey with dirt and grime from the change room floor. I resorted to using an extra robe to dry off.
The change room set up was beyond dysfunctional. In order to have a modicum of privacy in the all-glass shower, I had to lock the door to the change room (a door that opens immediately into a hallway). Since many lockers are housed in each change room, locking the door meant I had to bar other guests from accessing their items. Further, the door's proximity to the hallway meant guests had to change in the toilet areas. Hardly luxurious, and very much an inconvenience to other guests.
Upon checking out, we waited for ages to get our receipts. My credit card had to be charged twice, as the clerk forgot to add the gratuity (which, based on my treatment, I probably shouldn't have even given). Other guests checking out of the hotel at the same time were advised they couldn't have receipts printed at all. I can understand having technical challenges, but I had the same experience back in May when I purchased the gift card for my mother's facial. Both days (months apart) we were all advised that the clerks were 'getting used to a new system'.
It is not often that I'm inclined to write a a review about my experience with a business. However, I felt our incredibly disappointing experience yesterday warranted review.
I do hope they'll re-evaulate their offerings, the level of professionalism amongst staff, and the amenities in the spa. Niagara-on-the-Lake is certainly not lacking in top-notch spa facilities. We took a chance in booking here, and I can definitively say we will not risk a lacklustre experience again in the future.