The Spa At Ballantyne, Charlotte — Attraction in Charlotte

Highly Overrated – Save Your Money and Go Elsewhere

I have visited The Ballantyne Spa on three separate occasions, and each visit has been progressively worse. While this spa markets itself with enticing amenities like a small sauna, steam room, pool, and hot tub, it severely lacks in the most important aspect: the quality of its treatments and customer service. As someone well-versed in spa culture and massage therapy, I can confidently say this is one of the most disappointing spa experiences I’ve encountered globally.

Visit 1: Mediocre at Best

My first visit was uneventful but unimpressive. The massage was mediocre, and I attributed the lackluster experience to the particular therapist I had. I decided to give the spa another chance, thinking it might have been an off day.

Visit 2: Unacceptable Service

The second visit was a disaster. I booked an 80-minute massage, arrived early, and waited in the women’s lounge. My therapist did not come to get me until 30 minutes after my appointment had already started. There was no apology or explanation. I assumed they would extend my time to make up for the delay, but instead, I received only a 50-minute massage.

At checkout, I was quoted the price for the full 80-minute service. I had to advocate for myself and push for them to adjust the price to reflect the service I actually received. While they eventually offered a discount, the lack of accountability and communication was frustrating and unprofessional.

Visit 3: A Complete Letdown

Despite resolving never to return, I received a gift certificate and decided to use it. This was the worst experience yet. The massage I received was so poor it could have been performed by a toddler. The therapist never checked in with me during or after the session, and I left feeling like I’d wasted my time.

At checkout, when asked how my massage was, I honestly said, “It was okay.” The receptionist didn’t bother to engage further, instead immediately transitioned to quoting my total without showing any interest in my feedback. This complete lack of customer care solidified my decision never to return.

General Observations

The spa’s amenities may seem appealing, but even these have gone downhill over time. For example, during my last visit, I asked the attendant in the women’s lounge for a glass of champagne, only to be told they don’t even serve real champagne. While seemingly small, this is indicative of the broader issue: they prioritize the illusion of luxury over delivering actual value.

In conversation with other women in the lounge, many shared similar sentiments. They, too, felt underwhelmed and disappointed with their experiences. This affirmed for me that I wasn’t alone in my assessment.

The Ballantyne Spa is all show and no substance. For the money you spend, you’d expect far better service, attention to detail, and quality of treatments. If I could give this spa zero stars, I would. There are far better options in the area, even if they lack some of the superficial amenities. At least those places will provide exceptional service and ensure you leave feeling relaxed and valued.

Save yourself the time, money, and frustration—skip The...

I am writing to formally express my deep disappointment and concern regarding the service experience I received during my recent visit to The Spa at Ballantyne on October 20, 2025, for a 5:00 PM massage appointment. What was meant to be a relaxing and celebratory experience for my birthday unfortunately turned into a distressing and uncomfortable situation that left me with an overall negative impression of your establishment.

I arrived 30 minutes prior to my scheduled appointment, as advised in your confirmation communication, expecting to unwind and enjoy the renowned level of service your spa is known for. However, from the very beginning, the experience fell short of the high standards I had anticipated. Upon arrival, I was barely greeted and was given a very brief and impersonal tour of the facility. There was little effort made to create a welcoming environment or set the tone for what should have been a serene and attentive guest experience.

Once I was directed to the locker area, I followed the provided instructions and prepared for my massage. Before beginning the session, my masseuse kindly suggested that I remove my necklace, explaining that it could interfere with the quality of the massage. She reassured me that I could safely place it in the pocket of my robe so that it would not be misplaced. Trusting her professional guidance, I complied and placed my jewelry in the robe pocket before proceeding with the treatment.

After my massage, I changed back into my clothing, placed the used robe back into my locker, and proceeded toward the front desk. Just before exiting, I realized that I had forgotten to retrieve my necklace from the robe pocket. I immediately notified staff and requested to return to my locker to collect it. Upon doing so, I discovered that although the robe was still there, my necklace was missing.

What followed was a distressing and time-consuming ordeal. I was informed that management would need to be involved, and after waiting for approximately 30 to 45 minutes, my necklace was ultimately “found.” While I am relieved that the item was eventually recovered, the circumstances surrounding its disappearance were deeply troubling. There is no acceptable reason that a guest’s personal belonging especially one entrusted to your care as part of the spa’s service process should go missing during a visit. The situation strongly suggested a serious lapse in protocol, security, and staff integrity, which has understandably damaged my confidence in the safety and professionalism of your spa.

What was intended to be a peaceful birthday experience instead turned into an anxiety-filled and disappointing afternoon. The emotional impact of this event overshadowed what should have been a memorable and rejuvenating occasion. I expected a level of care, attentiveness, and professionalism that aligns with The Spa at Ballantyne’s esteemed reputation, but my experience did not reflect that standard.

I believe it is important that this incident be reviewed thoroughly, not only to address the personal distress it caused but to ensure that no future guest experiences a...

In full disclosure, I emailed the spa this exact message on July 23. I sent it to the email address provided on the website, so as to avoid a public comment. No one has responded, even after I sent a follow up email a week later requesting a response again.

I had several problems with customer service during my visit to the Ballantyne Spa on Monday, July 8. I was there along with my mother-in-law and her sister as well as her sister’s daughter. We were there to celebrate my mother-in-law’s 66th birthday. She was visiting from Phoenix and her sister and her sister‘s daughter were visiting from Florida.

My husband booked spa treatments for all of us in order to celebrate her birthday and I assumed we would have an excellent time. I have been to your spa before and always have a top-notch experience. this time was different. When we arrived to the front desk at the spa, it took approximately eight minutes for someone to acknowledge we were standing there. The receptionist had his back to us and was helping another customer however, he could see us and never once said “I’ll be right with you” or anything of that nature.

Finally, a woman came up and she started shuffling her papers at the front desk and still said nothing to us. About a minute later, she asked if we had been helped and we said no. She did not apologize or anything instead of giving us a greeting at that point she seemed confused and took a long time to get us checked in.

She did not offer us our complementary champagne/beverage of choice while checking in. She mentioned it once we ordered lunches about 15 minutes later. In the past, I always received a very welcoming greeting and immediately offered my complementary beverage. At that point we sat down because we thought she said someone was coming up to take us down to give us a tour of the locker room rooms but no one ever came. Eventually, we got up and asked if anyone was coming up to take us downstairs and she said “you can go downstairs.” She could’ve told us that much earlier. Someone should be greeting guests and clearly explaining the process.

Also, at some point, I asked to have lemon with my water for lunch and she said “we don’t have no lemons.” She then explained that there was some sort of issue with the kitchen communicating to her and that they would get upset if she asked for lemons because they don’t prep them. That type of explanation was unnecessary and not relevant to me as a guest. Either you can accommodate my request or not, but I don’t need to hear all the dirty details about drama with the chef and the kitchen versus the front of house staff. She was not professional. The ladies in the locker room were friendly and helpful, but I was extremely disappointed with the receptionist. That is your first impression of the spa, and it was embarrassing for me to have brought my family there. They are used to going to exquisite spas in Scottsdale and Miami. When spending close to $1000 on a spa day, and I would expect better treatment.

Thank you for your prompt attention to...