I am extremely disappointed by what happened during today's visit, especially because my boyfriend…read moreand I have been regular customers here and have always enjoyed our previous experiences. We have received excellent service from Mei and several other therapists, so we chose to return on our shared day off for what we expected would be a relaxing visit.
My boyfriend was assigned to Mei, while I was assigned to a therapist named QUEEN/QUIN. I am unsure of the exact spelling of her name. I had specifically booked and confirmed a 90-minute deep-tissue massage. However, the massage I received was extremely light and consisted mostly of applying and spreading a large amount of body oil. It did not feel like a deep-tissue massage.
I politely asked QUEEN/QUIN multiple times to use more pressure. Each time, she increased the pressure for only a few minutes before returning to the same very light technique. She also repeatedly left or moved away from the table without explaining what she was doing, attempted to speak with Mei while Mei was focused on my boyfriend, and left me unattended at different points during the service.
QUEEN/QUIN also used hot stones without first warning me that she was placing them on my body or asking whether the temperature was comfortable. At one point, a stone slipped from my back onto the table, and she did not appear concerned. When she worked on my legs, she primarily moved one of the stones lightly over them rather than providing the deep-tissue massage I had requested.
After approximately 60 minutes, I asked to end the session early because the massage was not providing the pressure or muscle relief I had requested. Instead of responding professionally or trying to resolve the misunderstanding, QUEEN/QUIN immediately became defensive. She raised her voice and repeatedly blamed me for not requesting a "deep, deep, deep" tissue massage, even though I had booked a deep-tissue massage and had already asked several times for stronger pressure.
What disturbed me most was what happened next. While placing a hot towel on my back, she forcefully pressed or poked her index finger into my back several times while emphasizing the word "deep." I felt overwhelmed and extremely uncomfortable. Regardless of any disagreement about massage pressure, there was no reason for a therapist to respond physically or speak to a customer in such an aggressive and accusatory manner.
QUEEN/QUIN then abruptly gathered her belongings, left the room, and provided no explanation about whether the service was over or what I was expected to do next. I was left partially undressed and confused until the manager eventually came into the room and asked what had happened.
The manager offered an additional 30-minute massage with Mei, but after the interaction we had just experienced, I was no longer comfortable continuing. We declined and decided to leave. We were still charged $60 for my shortened massage and $70 for my boyfriend's massage. I was told that the deep-tissue price would normally have been $70, but mine was reduced to $60 because of the issue.
I sincerely appreciate Mei and the manager for apologizing and attempting to resolve the situation. I felt bad that they were apologizing for conduct that was not their fault. Unfortunately, QUEEN/QUIN did not initially come out to speak with us. When she eventually did, she continued to say that I had not properly explained what I wanted and responded with an indifferent "it is what it is" attitude. When I pointed out that she still had not apologized, she gave what felt like a sarcastic "Okay, sorry" with a smile and walked away.
My complaint is specifically about QUEEN/QUIN and not the business as a whole. We have had positive experiences with Mei, the manager, and other employees, and I recognize that they tried to help. However, QUEEN/QUIN's service, physical conduct, defensiveness, and dismissive response were completely unacceptable.
A therapist should be able to respond professionally when a customer requests a pressure adjustment or expresses dissatisfaction. Blaming the customer, aggressively poking the customer's back, abruptly leaving the room, and offering a sarcastic apology can seriously damage the customer trust that the manager and other therapists have worked hard to build.
Based on my experience, I strongly recommend requesting another therapist and avoiding an appointment with QUEEN/QUIN. I regret having to leave this review because I have previously enjoyed coming here, but today's experience left me feeling disrespected, uncomfortable, and deeply disappointed.
