tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5085100414401997446.post4954785972166203526..comments2023-10-15T07:47:31.240-07:00Comments on Raoul's Blog: Why are Spas in top hotel chains NOT better?Raoul Andrewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14301607489445336875noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5085100414401997446.post-40514647094416863972011-01-12T07:20:40.979-08:002011-01-12T07:20:40.979-08:00More from Cara, “un-named hotel chain” had burned ...More from Cara, “un-named hotel chain” had burned so many bridges with all of the surrounding legitimate massage schools, that they were forced to hire MTs from a massage school that also taught personal training and bartending all rolled into one. <br /><br />One of the spa’s desk attendants decided to take a weekend class as an introduction to massage therapy given in someone’s basement. He learned the basics of draping, applying oil, etc. When he got back to the spa, they made him a massage therapist instantly. Despicable! He was doing pregnancy massages, and cracking people’s backs without any training. This went on for years in that hotel.<br /><br />One of the massage therapists on staff brought her massage therapy credentials in so the Spa Director could see them. Guess what? Those licenses and certificates were stolen out of the spa (by another spa therapist) never to be found. A police report was filed and hotel security was told to ignore the chaos in the spa.<br /><br />Fast-forward…<br />In October of 2009, I had one of the worst massages ever at a “un-named hotel chain” in Austin, Texas. It was such a terrible treatment that I stopped the therapist and told her not to continue anymore. It was awful. I felt like telling her, "why bother?" I even let her know that I am also a massage therapist (I was in town for an ISPA conference). The strokes were sloppy and half heartedly done. I realize it was later in the evening and she probably didn't feel like staying to perform my treatment. <br /><br />I booked an 80 minute treatment. But I kept wondering, “is she going to get started and work out the knots?" I kept trying to think of a way to get out of this massage because it was so bad; I wasn't going to tolerate it any longer. I told her I felt sick and called off the massage at that point. She seemed almost relieved because she was the one who said, "Do you just wanna forget the rest of the massage?" When I reached the front desk to pay, I told them the truth. <br /><br />This massage therapist had a heads up before we began the treatment that I was also in the business. She proceeded to give me a careless massage. The treatment was promoted at a discounted rate because I was a conference attendee. I think that's another reason she gave such a disconnected treatment that lacked fluidity in the strokes and the initiative to work out the knots. <br /><br />I told the spa director and he sort of defended her, saying, "We've never had a complaint about her." I told him "if she had auditioned like that for a job at my spa, I wouldn't have hired her."Raoul Andrewshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14301607489445336875noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5085100414401997446.post-13615319458202156092011-01-12T07:19:56.036-08:002011-01-12T07:19:56.036-08:00Cara said, "Ryan, I totally agree with Raoul!...Cara said, "Ryan, I totally agree with Raoul! <br /><br />The hotel industry is ruining the spa profession. I was employed by “a certain hotel chain” as a massage therapist. I and 10 other MTs were treated poorly by pretentious hotel hot shots looking to renovate and re-staff the new Spa at “un-named hotel chain”. The health club spa manager was demoted but they made her an offer to become the head massage therapist and facialist. She was hurried off skin care school. Upon her return, she had no clue about spa etiquette or client consultations of that nature. She gave massages (sometimes 10 or 12 day), without any real education or any conditioning of the forearm muscles. Her massages must have been very light not very effective.<br /><br />In fact, the head concierge at “un-named hotel chain” appointed herself as the one who would audition any new massage therapists looking for employment within the hotel! She didn’t have a clue on how to audition massage therapists. She simply had seniority and talked the clueless hotel GM into believing she could staff that whole department. Imagine that? <br /><br />When an “un-named hotel chain” guest would ask for a treatment on the spa’s menu that required specific training such as Shiatsu or Reflexology, most of these newly hired massage therapists faked reflexology or shiatsu treatments simply because it wasn’t mandatory for them to attend a continuing education. There was positively no order in that spa. The new “Spa Director” was someone who worked previously as the hotel’s PBX operator."Raoul Andrewshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14301607489445336875noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5085100414401997446.post-43082177206638867722011-01-12T07:16:02.288-08:002011-01-12T07:16:02.288-08:00"Cara's comment has been deleted above an..."Cara's comment has been deleted above and will be re-inserted below per her request to protect the name of a certain hotel chain." ASM Administration.Raoul Andrewshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14301607489445336875noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5085100414401997446.post-50737263973088588352010-06-01T18:35:07.170-07:002010-06-01T18:35:07.170-07:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10326707127292342401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5085100414401997446.post-70248357905040548252010-05-27T15:02:42.352-07:002010-05-27T15:02:42.352-07:00I believe that if you rise above its nipping tone,...I believe that if you rise above its nipping tone, this post raises some very valid discussion points, Raoul. Two people who are knowledgeable about both the spa and hotel environments could sit down and have some very good discourse around the ideas you raise. <br /><br />It's unfortunate though that in your attempt to elevate this discussion, you make such liberal use of inaccuracies, hyberbole, and self-serving statements. What an unfortunate and severe spirit of conversation the post brings to the industry and its professionals at all levels. Not to mention to the potential partners with whom, I can only assume, your firm wishes to serve. <br /><br />I have a feeling that there is an intelligent conversation to be had here; it just didn't begin that way.Ryan Crabbehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16040017069492993294noreply@blogger.com