Okay, so some rules are not meant to be broken! As a SpaGirl, you not only have the responsibility of behaving at the spa, you also have the obligation to represent the rest of us well. Here are some traditional and not-so-traditional SpaGirl etiquette guidelines.
leave the kids at home: Good golly miss molly! SpaGirls are not martyrs and know how to ask for help when they need it. Rest assured (no pun intended), taking care of you yields a better mom. Women are often the nucleus of the family social and psychological fabric … a job that cannot be done by a burned out rag with shabby nails. Well, maybe the nails don’t matter, but you get the point.
arrive early: We recommend arriving an hour early to day, resort and destination spas and 20 minutes early to all other facilities. This will give you the opportunity to shower, sit in the sauna or hot tub and shut off the head chatter before your treatment. Arriving late is a definite no-no as it may cost you treatment time and will get you off on a bad foot. If you’re a new client, you’ll want to arrive an additional five to 10 minutes early in case there is any paperwork or you want to tour the facility.
leave yourself at the door: The spa is a safe place for you to be you, so take the opportunity to leave your airs at the door. And Girl … don’t tell us you don’t have any because we all do — it’s a natural way of dealing with the world and each other. The great thing is that after a few visits, you’ll find yourself doing it without effort — within and outside of the spa.
the gizmos gotta go: That twinge of anxiety will immediately be followed by relief when you turn off those pagers, cell phones, PDAs and any other device used to communicate or organize your life into pieces. There’s usually a phone available at the front desk if you really need to check in, and the staff is usually happy to take a messages just in case.
when in rome: Be sure to respect the spa environment by maintaining the tranquility necessary for you and the other spa guests to enjoy their stay. In other words, behave!
communicate with your therapist: Do disclose a current or old injury or physical condition to your therapist and express your preferences to touch, music, aromas or other options. They’re there for you and their goal is to provide you with your perfect experience.
tip 15% to 20%: Why gyp the hand that soothes you? Whether a manicure or full-on spa day, plan to spend a fair 15 to 20% on top of the price. Better yet, figure out the amount at home (take it from us, getting caught doing math on your fingers is quite embarrassing) and come prepared with the cash.
know the cancellation policy: Understandably, spas can get kinda cranky when they’ve lost a chance to make money and who can blame them? You’ll typically have 24 hours to cancel without charge.
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