How I became a Spa Spy

A few years ago I was asked if I'd participate in an interview for one of those "Career Confessions" columns for an online publication. I agreed to do it even though I wasn't promoting my spa spy business any longer, and since I gave them my real name, it was a very good thing I wasn't officially "spying" anymore.

I still only "spy" as a favor, or occasionally on a trade (or for 4+ star hotels), but I thought some of you might enjoy reading it just for fun. Here it is:

Slip Into Something More Comfortable, Confessions of a Secret Shopper
By Tiffany Miller, for AOL

Sandy Jones-Kaminski isn’t afraid to get naked on the job.
 No, it’s not what you think.
She’s not a stripper or nude model for a sculpting class.
Jones-Kaminski is a secret shopper. And she strips down regularly for massage, facials and body scrubs.
We’re pretty sure you’d do it too, if given the chance.

Accidental Job
 The 40-something-year-old Seattle-based business development strategist and marketer picked up the secret shopping gig as a side job. It all happened by accident.
She had a bad experience at a spa and decided to bring it up with the manager.
“I was complaining to him in a really nice way. (I said) listen, I want to give you some feedback. I’m a manager, too, and I would want to know, if I were you,” she said. “If you package it correctly, people always respond, ‘Yeah, what happened?’”

The manager took her criticism well and offered her a job. He asked her to continue observing the staff. He’d pay her or she could get her services for free. Jones-Kaminski chose the free service.

So Jones-Kaminski’s free-time pleasure turned into an easy gig. She had plenty of experience with good and bad spas. They’d been her vacation of choice for years. In her 20s and 30s, she’d take spa trips alone and now takes spa vacations with her husband.

“I’m hyper aware of how things are supposed to be. It’s both my blessing and curse,” Jones-Kaminski said, explaining how she sometimes wishes she could stop analyzing her experience.

The secret shopper said she would caution people from taking on the job. She said too many secret-shopping gigs could turn your once favorite activity into chore.

“Be careful you’re not ruining your passion,” she said.

Landing More Gigs
Jones-Kaminski’s started the secret shopping jobs while living in San Francisco. She continued after a cross country move to Chicago.
She said it happened the same way, complaining politely at the Nordstrom Spa on Michigan Avenue.

She told the manager of her secret shopping experience and she quickly had another job.

“It’s been the way of getting these clients. Give them free feedback first. They’re more inclined to work with you,” she said.

But when Jones-Kaminski started losing the pleasure of going to the spa, she decided it was time for a break.
“The experience was way too valuable to me,” she said.
So she took some time off and moved back to the west coast; this time to Seattle. And eventually took secret shopping jobs again.
“I’ve decided I won’t refuse a job if they offer it. But I don’t actively seek anything anymore,” she said.

Mishaps Happen
So, what does she look for? Jones-Kaminski has an eye for the details, problems few may notice like whether or not a robe is large enough for heavier ladies. She also notices major problems we all notice, like yelling in the hall.
Her favorite mishap, though, was during a massage at a spa in San Francisco.
“I was in that state, half asleep. Exactly where you want to be. Euphoria. Then there’s this eep,” she said.
She ignored the sound at first, heard it again and mentioned it to the massage therapist.
“Must be something outside,” the therapist told her.
But the truth came out after the third “eep."

It turns out that the therapist was hiding crickets under the massage table to take home to feed her pet frog.

You can read more about Jones-Kaminski’s spa experiences on her website, thespaspy.blogspot.com. She says she still loves traveling to spas on vacation and lists her 10 favorite spas there.

You can reach her via her blog as well.

It happened again

There I was in Denver, CO enjoying a perfectly blissful 1/2 day spa day (and because of the time slot in which I was experiencing it, at 20% off no less!) when I was nearly yanked from my zen-like state by the person playing receptionist at the check-in/out desk upon exiting the Renaissance Aveda Spa.

Not only did a perfectly lovely and relaxing pedicure by Tasha get zapped, but a wonderful facial by Jennifer, and then a fantastic all modalities (what did she miss?!) massage by Kathleen, were also zapped by the checkout process by a rather unpleasant woman named Emily.

This happens so often that I realized it was finally time to write about it, because in the spa industry, not only does the first (usually phone) impression make or break a booking, but thanks to the delivery of great spa services, a bad initial impression can often be undone. However, it's the check-out impression that can truly make or break a repeat visit from a repeat-type customer. And, in this case, the last impression, was a pretty bad one.

First off, Emily had no record (from Sarah?) that I was eligible for the 20% discount the spa offers between 1-4 p.m. weekdays (and 9-11 a.m. too), but truth be told, she should have figured that out based on the clock on the wall, and offered it to me anyway since the signs are clearly posted just outside the spa's doors and in the lobby of the Hotel Monaco where we stayed 2 days earlier and how I came to learn about the spa and its specials.

If I hadn't asked for it, I clearly wouldn't have gotten it b/c she stated that my total for the services was the full-price quoted in their brochure. When I shared that Sarah had assured me when I booked it that I was eligible for the discount, she looked miffed, and then stated a new price which was lower, but still wasn't right. I was certain of this, because prior to booking the appointments, I had done the math to confirm that with the discount, I could tip well and end up at the exact same amount of what appeared to be an affordable package which even included lunch at the hotel's restaurant (tasty enough, but not worthy of a serious review).

Well, apparently, since I spoke up and pointed out 2 errors, the exchange then became both terse and tense, and of course, there was no "thank you" at the end, and not even the all-too-standard these days, "there ya go." Just silence....REALLY??

Needless to say, and regardless of all the talented practitioners there, I won't be returning to this spa. I found the check-out so painful I even went against Spa Spy policy and wrote this pretty negative review about it. I'm sorry, but spa self-care is pricey in the best of times, but in today's economy, it's completely unacceptable to use hard earned money to support this kind of bad service. Next time, perhaps I'll put the money towards retail therapy and buy a cool new pair of shoes!

A Special at Indian Springs

I don't usually plug specials at spas, but since this offer is from one of my all-time favorites, and it's a fairly good deal, I thought I'd share this news from Indian Springs in Calistoga, CA. I received an email from them on Friday, March 20, 2009. Maybe you can take advantage of this offer, because I won't be. Yes, like so many others, thanks to the downturn, I'm watching my spa expenses big time.

Indian Springs would like to express our gratitude to our loyal guests. We will be extending our popular Winter Special until April 30, 2009. If you have not had the opportunity to take advantage of this tremendous value, now is your chance.

Book an overnight stay with us for any Sunday through Thursday and receive two complimentary mud baths. Call for reservations, 707.942.4913.

Note: The mudbaths are non-transferable and must be redeemed during your stay.

Note: No winter special Sunday, April 12 & Monday, April 13

It's all about the recovery

In January of 2008 my hubby and I pried open our wallets to spend just a few nights at the spendy Ojai Valley Inn and Spa in beautiful and sunny CA. Seattle's gloom had started pushing us over the edge (again) and some natural Vitamin D was the only answer. For the unfamiliar, Ojai (pronounced oh-high) is about a 50 minute drive somewhat east of Santa Barbara and offers mountain views and a "pink moment" that I'll let one of the town's sites explain.

For a five star resort, we were really disappointed with the inn as well as the spa, and we politely, thoroughly and painfully (for us...who wants to complain on vacation?!) let their eager-to-listen and responsive management know. Disappointments happen when you travel, but when you're paying the kind of nightly rate, dining bills and spa fees we were, we just weren't going back to Seattle quietly.

In the hospitality and services industries, it's all about the recovery, and in this case, the recovery was pretty remarkable. While just the offer of a free night's stay and a round of golf (with clubs & a cart) for two was worth scheduling another trip down there, the property's actual performance during our stay this past December, was truly exceptional. I can provide details to the curious, but suffice it to say, we will definitely return.

My only suggestion for the spa specifically is that they should think hard about calling out first names only when trying to locate clients in the relaxation/waiting area before treatments. It's kind of awkward to hear the last names of fellow guests, and I even wonder if it isn't a privacy (HIPPA alert) issue for the property.

Fantastic Poor Man's Spa

Based on the reco of 2 spa savvy gal pals, the hubby and I signed up for a few hours at Oriental Retreat & Spa, a fab little hole-in-the-wall of a spa in Kirkland, just off and east of 405. While the name and acoustics left plenty to be desired (like floor-to-ceiling walls), everything else about this place was fantastic. And, for the price, almost unbelievable! I told my husband that I'd like us to go there once a month for the Chinese Healing Massage (or Chigong Tuina Massage), and since it's so affordable, for the 90 min not 60 min session. If you're near Kirkland, or even if you're not because it's worth the trip, check this place out.

Another Poor Man's Spa

Today, because we had a $22 gift certificate/credit that my buddy Stan bequeathed to me, we finally checked out Banya5 located just north of downtown Seattle. This is now the 2nd Poor Man's Spa (PMS) we've experienced in the last month, and can't say I'm dying to go back.

While the massage I had there was pretty good (well, except for the masseuse that made a habit of bumping into the table. Um, isn't that covered in massage school class 101?), the amount of what I call "homework" we had to complete when we first arrived (and had no warning about when I called to book our appointments), set the stage for not-so-greatness.

I'll try to make time to write more about this one later, but since it definitely won't even make my Top 20 list, I might not.