Spa day spoilt before it has begun

[MrsDylanBlue]

Ok this is not as Princessy as the title suggests.

My 3 lovely children and DS1 gf bought me a spa day for my birthday on Groupon at a local quite “posh” hotel.

I booked it 3 weeks ago for tomorrow and once it was confirmed booked a days leave and invited my friend who lives 60 miles away who also booked a days leave.

It was spa, 25 minute treatment each and an afternoon tea.

In T&Cs it says if you cancel with less than 72 hours notice you lose the voucher basically.

Spa left message on voicemail yday asking me to call. I did but left phone ringing for 5 minutes and no answer (this also happened when I booked). Today got another message saying basically therapist is not available tomorrow (even though I booked the treatment 3 weeks ago when I booked it) and we can rearrange or have the day with no treatment (which is probably the nicest part of the day).

I phoned back and was told basically the therapist is injured and the treatment is not available unless other people rearrange their spa days and I can take it up with Groupon (got distinct impression anyone with Groupon got cancelled first) which I have done. Guy was really unhelpful and almost sarcastic.

Obvs very difficult logistically to rearrange due to work and friend already in her way down here.

I have complained to Groupon but there is nothing else I can do is there? Obvs friend and I will have a nice day together anyway but so feel bad for my kids that what they bought me has been somewhat diminished

The cynical side of me would suggest that they've sold more groupon vouchers than they really wanted to

Hmm I also wondered this.

I have bought Groupon stuff before and when it’s big companies it has been decidedly shit - small businesses (facials, nails etc have been lovely).

I would have asked that it be swapped for drink or lunch.

Spa days can be nice with no treatments particularly if they have a hydrotherapy pool with jets that give a good massage.

It’s still a nice chill day.

Go anyway, ask what they are giving as compensation and threaten with a bad trip advisor review if they say nothing.

Ask the spa directly for something equivalent when you get there
If no luck let it go and enjoy your day. Then take it up with Groupon.

Bad luck, though.

I did ask and they basically said contact Groupon to be compensated.

Couldn’t really ask for lunch as already having afternoon tea. Should have asked for bottle of Prosecco BUT I suspect spa run separately from hotel.

Was really looking forward to that neck and shoulder massage

A treatment has been paid for so they have to give it to you. End of.

Stand your ground with them; get an appointment on another day or another whole day as compensation for your wasted time. Also, keep on at Groupon. It's been paid for so you either get the full package or get your money back.

Use social media - a good calling out on their pages and bad reviews if they mess you around might get you somewhere.

I would go anyway and ask for something to replace the therapist, nice bottle of bubbly or an alternative treatment etc. I love spa days even though we never book a treatment just use the different steam rooms, pool etc

I will Dad put review on Trip Advisor and go on Twitter afterwards - don’t want to be to much of a PITA before I get there though

I defiantly would complain.
You should have been offered something else in compensation

*def

I'm sorry it's happened but if the therapist is injured - and you really don't know that she hasn't been in some sort of accident - then they can't do much more than offer you another day, or the same day without the treatment.

I would have been gushingly nice and sympathetic before asking for something else instead - lunch, free drinks, another treatment, gift from the shop.

I'd go and do just that when you get there; your dc won't know the gift is diminished if you don't tell them.

Sorry x posted, I see they wouldn't consider an alternative. Outrageous. Take it up in person when you get there, I'd be amazed if they didn't do something when you're face-to-face.

I just read your OP again - so they did offer to let you rearrange?

That seems totally reasonable to me. They don't have the staff available - she was available when you booked but has now been injured so isn't. They've offered to rearrange to another day as their other therapists are fully booked that day.

Just rearrange it. I.know it's annoying with your time off work etc, but if they don't have the staff then they don't have the staff and they've done what they can to rectify.

That's a bit shit, but ask really nicely In the morning g if there's any way yo can get a massage as this is your special trip away? Failing that I have loads of spa days and much prefer the peace and tranquility rather than being mauled by a masseuse and often go to a physio instead anyway who does both massage and puts my bones back together lol 😆

I think asking us to rearrange the day before when my friend has already set off and we would both lose a days leave is a bit shit tbh. Who can do that?

I've had this happen before. Ask if they can provide a luxury product for a 'self-administered' treatment eg expensive face or body mask. And if they can say you want a bottle of fizz to enjoy whilst you are at it!

I've never used groupon because I always worry that you get a bit of a crappy deal - can anyone confirm or correct?

Really sorry OP. But you'll have a brilliant day with your friend, whatever happens

IME of Groupon the bigger companies give you a shit deal and try to sell you loads of other stuff and the small businesses pull out all the stops as they want your returning custom.

SIL uses groupon a lot. It’s always spa days in the middle of nowhere that take 6 hours to drive to and cost the equivalent in petrol as a spa day here would have done.

I’d ask for a different treatment.

There was no one else to give us a treatment so there wasn’t the option of anyone else

I have a friend with a small business she always puts less effort into a groupon customer and always cancels them first.

I don’t understand why she uses groupon because if the idea is to generate new returning customers then surely she should be giving them a great deal?

I don’t know what deal the business get from using groupon though.

So every single treatment slot is booked up for tmw?

Go and ask for a voucher for the treatment on another day?

They don't know your circumstances. They don't know if you've taken time off, or if you're travelling in from miles away. That's nothing to do with them.

The therapist was available when you booked. They've been injured and with it being such short notice of her taking time off, everything is fully booked. So they've offered to rearrange.

Things happen. People get injured. They're still offering you the full package, just on a different day. They can't magic up a new therapist.

What more do you want if you won't accept the rebooking offer?

There's nothing else they can do. Ask for some extra food or wine or whatever, but they've offered to give you the package another day and you've refused.

I have a friend with a small business she always puts less effort into a groupon customer and always cancels them first

That is a bit shit.

I had a really lovely facial from Groupon with a young lady who had her own business and she was so sweet and good that she ended up stepping in and doing my Wedding make up at quite short notice.