AIBU to say this is not a spa and I want a partial refund?

[cakeinthecakehole]

Recently booked a spa day at a local hotel and spa. Paid £250 which included spa access 9-5, three treatments, lunch and afternoon tea.

Arrived, had my first treatment immediately and was then shown to the “spa”. Which was a few lie flat beds and chairs next to a swimming pool, and a tiny sauna. The swimming pool was open to hotel guests and gym members. It was noisy, packed, there weren’t enough beds and people everywhere, many on their phones.

I have been to many spas before and was expecting a quiet, restful environment. At the very least a separate quiet room or space to escape to. It felt like being at a holiday park! Within 15 minutes I realised this wasnt going to be the relaxing day I desperately needed so I went and spoke to the front desk, politely explained it wasnt what I was expecting and said I’d like to leave and receive a partial refund. They apologised, gave me their email address to put my request in writing so they could resolve for me.

Now they’ve replied to me by email to say no refund possible but would like to invite me back to finish my day in January! There’s no way I would ever want to go back there.

AIBU to push for a partial refund on this one? I’m cross that my relaxing self care day has now turned into another battle on my endless to-do list!

I would say Yes ! Absolutely!!

I’d push for it, but I thunj how far you’ll get will depend on their advertising as against your assumed expectations of the place. Like you I’d expect a peaceful environment, but did they actually say that there would be a quiet area? Or that it would be a child free zone etc….I think they’re going to go far Eline by the sounds of it, but I’d definitely take the time for a bit of emailing before I accept no refund

Surely when you booked you looked at the facilities online so would have seen it was just a pool and sauna and the type of beds? I'm not sure why people being on phones is an issue unless they were blaring out music/videos. DH and I went to one last year and they advertised the below on their website with pictures and videos. There are also other sections in the various treatments.

Our Thermal Spa area includes a Hydrotherapy Pool, Salt Inhalation Room, Steam Room, Sauna and Plunge Pool, as well as an 18.5m Swimming Pool. Our modern gym includes state-of-the-art cardio and strength training equipment and we offer a wide range of fitness classes. Enjoy our welcoming Relaxation Lounge with comfortable loungers and soft, cosy blankets - the perfect place to hide away after a treatment.

Lifehouse is set within 12 acres of picturesque English Heritage Listed Gardens and we highly recommend you explore these during your stay. The grounds include various walking and running routes, please click here for more information.

I would agree going on what you said. But the devil is in the detail. How did they advertise it? Expecting something and reading what's on offer is 2 different things sometimes.

I don’t know - what were you expecting based on the website/advertising? You seem surprised that it was just a pool and sauna - did it say there was more? If it didn’t, then I’m not sure you can ask for a refund because it was busier than you’d like.

(That’s not me saying I don’t think it sounds shit btw! But how they present it on their website would be what makes the difference between “they’ve falsely advertised this” vs “you probably should’ve looked into it a bit more because the website is clear about what to expect”)

Presumably when you looked at the website before you booked you saw what facilities were going to be available?
I would suspect that unless the website is showing facilities that don’t exist ie false advertising, that you aren’t actually entitled to a refund of any kind.
The cost included three treatments? Depending on the treatments they could be approximately £60/80 each. That adds up. Possibly a minimum of £150..
Sadly I think this is your mistake. I doubt they’ll cave in easily and give you anything.

I’m a member of a gym that has a pool with sauna etc and a spa for treatments. There’s no way I’d go there for a spa day, because it is clearly not intended as exclusive use for spa guests. Surely this is the sort of research you would do before booking? £250 is a lot of money, I’d want to be sure it was worth it before booking anything.

I think your best bet is to accept their offer to finish the day in January when it’s likely to be quieter than pre-Christmas. As others say, did the website promise peace and quiet?

What did the reviews say? I would always check prior to booking.

Hotels with spas are always open to hotel guests and as you describe, that’s quite a cheap deal for 3 separate treatments (assuming they are each 1 hour). The relaxing experience you describe is at a spa specialist though I’ve been to them and they be super crowded and noisy too, hence parties being the worst

You should have researched it more. If it didn’t mention thermal bits and steam rooms and those rooms with smells (my favourite bit!) then what were you expecting?

Hen not hence!

Unfortunately OP I don’t think you’ve got a leg to stand on here, unless they’ve enormously misrepresented themselves. Not all spas are the same, so it’s important to check facilities / reviews before you book. A spa in a hotel is very often going to be available to hotel guests and gym members if they’ve got a gym. I’ve been to a few spas near us but never one that has a ‘relaxation room’ just to come and go to, they’ve only ever been for immediately after a treatment. Mostly they are loungers around the pool, with a greater or lesser amount of extra bits like experience showers or steam rooms or saunas. My favourite local spa has a few hot stone beds to lie on.

Also if you left before having your treatments then the therapist(s) would have been left sat round twiddling their thumbs at short notice, so you can’t expect a refund for that element surely.

It all depends whether they misrepresented themselves through descriptions/pictures or whether you just assumed a certain type of environment and facilities just because it said “spa”.

The pool aside; three treatments, lunch and afternoon tea sounds good value to me.

The latest spa me and DH went to was like that - big country house but more health club vibes than a spa - we arrived and there was aquarobics going on in the pool! They welcomed us like it was a spa, and the changing rooms were spa not leisure Center, but from then on it was leisure centre vibes, where people go every week and chat for hours rather than a spa. Didn’t think to ask for a refund as felt like we’d probably just got the wrong impression when booking but actually maybe we were missold. Worth a shot I guess OP!

I agree with others that you need to do your research. I've been to several spa days over the years and they vary a lot in quality (and price). You probably won't get a refund unless the facilities listed on the website were actually incorrect. Lesson learned for next time!

If it’s in a hotel, it’s probably a bit crap

Not a spa to me, but probably enough to not contravene trade descriptions in my opinion. I agree with others that you should have done some research, I assume the facilities are listed on their website. I know of places where having a phone in the place is clearly prohibited.

It was busy or others were noisy is not enough grounds either, and I cannot see that a bank chargeback for not having the services would suffice.

I realise that will be of little comfort to you.

Sorry but I think YABU. Plenty of hotel spas are set this way, it shouldn't really be a surprised. Usually you can see this in the reviews.

Also 250 for all day access, 3 treatments and 2 meals is very cheap IME. Any decent spa around me would only include access + 1 treatment for this price, and maybe 1 meal in some cases or unlimited soft/hot drinks.

I have a membership at a hotel gym. On Saturday afternoons, kids are allowed in the pool. I always feel bad for the spa day people! Always do your research!!

Exactly this.
I am a member of that type of gym/spa. It is attached to a hotel and is open to hotel and gym members, and you can also buy a day pass. The 'spa' area has a sauna, pool, jazuzzi, treatments. It is busy and noisy. I would not go there for a relaxation day, it is completely different from other 'spas' I have been to which were a lot quieter.

The facilities are all listed on the website and before I joined I went for a look round to see if it was what I wanted. It's fine for me as I go there to swim and have a quick sauna.

It depends on how it was advertised and what facilities they claimed to have.

If they said they had multiple rooms, private spa access to sauna, jacuzzi, steam room etc and they don't, and you can prove that was what was sold to you by the advertising then I'd say you should get some sort if refund

Sounds shit; but it’s one of either your fault for not looking at what they offer, or theirs for false advertising. the word ‘spa’ in itself has a variety of meanings none of which are includes relaxation room, jacuzzi, hydrotherapy pool with jets etc etc . I think the onus was on you to check - I always do!