I had been a regular visitor of this place in the last 4 years, but my last 3 episodes have been horrible. This place now feels like a money minting business.
1) One morning I went in without an appointment after dropping my son off to school, and the place was still shut down with a guy roaming with his bag and frantically calling his masseurs. I learnt from the Nail Spa next door that there was a police raid on the place the night before (and this wasn't the first time). Upon enquiring more from the guy (who seemed the owner) he said that foot massage does not need license. They however include a back massage with the service and that needs a license and they do not have it. Fast forward 15 minutes into the store. They just had 1 masseur (as others were scared of the police warning). I was the first in line, another lady without appointment, and a group of 4 people who showed up in time for a planned appointment. They rejected me for the other lady who showed up after me without appointment, because she went in with a higher rated service. I was very pissed off, but returned a month later.
2) The second episode saw a new face at the cash counter. Upon requesting a female masseur, she offered to do it for me. They really pushed hard for a combination pack which is $8 extra. I needed a foot massage (which includes a bit of back massage as well). When I was adamant on the foot massage only, she and the same guy (who seems to be the manager) reluctantly had me seated in the chair. It felt like I had a marketing person trying to sell me a service I was not interested in. Fast forward 10 minutes. She begins a good massage and within 5 minutes the rhythm breaks. I have cloth over my eyes so I can't see what the matter is. Then she is continuously talking the the masseur on the next seat in a hush hush voice- concentrating less on the massage aspect. I squirm a little to remind her that I am there. She starts massaging again, then back to loose rhythm & hush hush talking. This time I cough to get her attention. Then the hush hush talking ends, and the massage rhythm breaks yet again and I remove my eye cover & see she is dozing off. Pissed off, I decide not to tip her 20%, but only $5. The Manager has the guts to show me a sign board that says the minimum tip is $10. The lady herself is literally saying something very rudely to the manager and the body language while accepting the tip is so complaining. For a $28 service I am tipping $5, which is about 18%. He goes on to tell me that they work very hard & $10 is the minimum for tip. I then tell him how she was dozing off throughout the massage. He says perhaps she would be tired. HELLO!! I was tired too, that is why I came for the massage. I have never tipped anyone there (before this episode less than $10, but I never had complains before this either).
3) Episode 3: My elderly (80 year old mother) is visiting us. I decide to take her for a massage. I call to make an appointment. Request a female masseur for her and me. They ask what service and say that female masseurs are not available for that service. The voice on the phone isn't very clear, so I call her back. She AGAIN pushes me into the combo pack to get a female masseur. I think I am hearing it wrong. So, I visit them the next day. I walk in the store and the same guy (appears to be the manager) says for a foot massage I can only get a male masseur. My mom is not comfortable, so I walk out. Then he comes lurching to my car to say that he will provide a female- why this drama in the first place? - To sell the Combo Pack? We decide to come back another day as we were in our jeans and not skirts. I go back 2 days after and the same drama repeats - as I walk out of the store a female masseur runs to ask us to return. Before that this manager shows us sheets saying how the females are tired from the last day's hard work. HEY! You started this business- what did you expect? And then when I raise my voice to cross question he rudely asks me to lower my volume. I left that place NEVER to go back again.
TAKEAWAYS:
1) They have lesser price if you pay in cash vs credit card - so they can fudge tax filing
2) They FORCE you to pay a minimum $10 tip, which is way beyond 20% of their service fee
3) They REALLY push hard for a Combo Pack, despite having foot massages listed on their menu.
4) They still do back massages without license and multiple police warnings.
5) They never give you a receipt, so you cannot claim anything if they break a bone or too.
6) The manager DESPERATELY needs to learn etiquettes in customer handling.
If I could give them negative stars for my last few encounters, I would. Please do yourself a favor- go to a legal & professional place even if it costs you a little more. I will not return here again. read more