Watershed Spa — Attraction in Minneapolis

What calibre of experience should you expect for a $175 massage package (before taxes)? Let me tell you what it bought me at The Spot's facility in northeast Minneapolis two days ago.

On 10/8/18, I arrived just a little early for my $175 package of the 75 min Spot massage (Stephanie T), immediately followed by the Arcona Cranberry Facial Cleanse (Shevaun). I was offered hot tea in the lobby as I waited for the masseuse, who was running behind schedule. When she was ready, she led me inside the massage room where I immediately saw the pile of used bed linen and the used tea cup from the prior client's service prominently left near the massage table. Tacky. When I pointed them out, Stephanie was apologetic and immediately removed them from the room.

After the first ten or so minutes of my massage while contending with the brightly lit room, I had to tell Stephanie to turn down the light so I could disconnect (zone out) to enjoy the massage. At the end of the 75 min massage service, she said "you can get dressed now, I will bring you a glass of water out in the hallway." That's it. So, I got off the table, got fully dressed, put back on all my clothes, my shoes, my coat and hat. In the hallway, there stood Stephanie with a glass of water for me as she introduced me to Shevaun, who would be doing my facial.

Shevaun walked me straight into another room across that hall while saying to me "I don't know why no one offered you a robe to put on." There I stood in the room for my facial fully clothed. When I asked if I should remove my coat and top, Shevaun said yes, and also suggested that I remove my bra. I did. As I laid under those sheets feeling awkward and uncomfortable because I was wearing my undies, jeans and socks, I happened to glance over and saw a very plush robe hanging on a hanger in that room. For the first 15 minutes of the facial, my teeth were tightly clenched as I mentally processed my disappointment with how UNspa-like was the ambiance for my first experience at The Spot; and that I still had not been offered a robe. My mind kept echoing Shevaun's above comment. Why was my $175 before taxes NOT ENOUGH to receive access to a robe, slippers, or even to a massage room where the prior client's used cup and used sheets would already have been discreetly removed before my entrance. I also laid there wondering whether if I had been white, would my $175 have given me access to those accoutrements of service?

Please know that both Stephanie and Shevaun were very skilled at the MECHANICS of the actual service each provided to me. Yet, neither took the responsibility to offer me access to the the level of service that effects the perceived quality of a $175 package. Collectively, these faux pas negatively effected the ambiance of my $175 experience. I could have gone many other places and paid less money for a masseuse merely skilled at the mechanics of a massage/facial. But, I paid The Spot for access to more: ambience.

Initially, I was not going to do a review at all, opting instead to not spend my money there again. Afterwards, I got fully dressed again, and walked to the receptionist, paid, and told her FULLY the about account of what had transpired. It was the receptionist who then asked for my name, number, and email address so that The Spot could follow up by reaching out to me to offer something to make this right. I complied. Well, to date, no one at all has reached out to me. Tacky. Yet another faux pas. Their failure to contact me has further negatively impacted my $175 before taxes experience at The Spot northeast.

If you are signing up for a pampering experience, there are many places other than The Spot where you can go for the money that will deliver. So, take your money and...

I have never felt so embarrassed of my body as I did when I went to get a massage from here. I have low back issues so I asked for a small pillow or folded up sheet to put under my stomach. The woman acted like this was a HUGE ask and huffed out of the room. I sat there and worked hard on holding back tears because I asked for something simple to accommodate something small. The woman came back into the room with DECORATIVE PILLOWS, and no barrier (like a pillow case or sheet or towel.) And trying to be non confrontational I politely declined and said don't worry about it I will be fine. Then the woman STORMED out of the room in a huff. I then started to cry because I have never been treated like this in my life when I got a massage or when I asked for a pillow for my back. She then came back with a PREGNANCY MASSAGE PILLOW and INSISTED that we used it. We are 15 minutes into the appointment at this point. I just want a massage at this point and I want to hide the fact that I'm crying and just want to lay down. I am embarrassed that she brought a pregnancy pillow for my not pregnant body, and it was NOT comfortable because of how my body is shaped and how a pregnancy massage pillow is shaped to support different areas. I ask for the pillow to be removed and she insisted AGAIN that I need to use it because I asked for a pillow. Finally she starts to massage me, and starts to talk to me about HER life and her trip that she's planning to go or move to somewhere in South or Central America. I said at one point "Sorry, I've never had a massage where anyone was talking" and she's like "Oh that's just your preference" and she KEEPS TALKING ABOUT HERSELF. I tried one more time and said "This is my quiet time where I get to relax" and she still didn't get it.

I got a short massage, on an uncomfortable pregnancy pillow while I am not pregnant, and was made to feel like my body 1. LOOKS PREGNANT and 2 Is inconvenient because I asked for a small accommodation.

The bath house part too was very unremarkable, as I have visited bath houses in other states and countries. This one didn't stick out to me but i visited following the horrible massage so maybe I wasn't in the right headspace. But I never want to go back because of how I was made to feel during...

My first visit was last night. I was welcomed warmly and shown to a lovely and calm sitting area. Jonah met me and brought me downstairs to the bathhouse where guidelines and expectations were shared. I was shown around the area and once I felt comfortable with no other questions Jonah left.

The changing room is large and simply decorative helping setting the tone for the experience. You are given spa sandals, so do not pack any. They also provide one Turkish bath towel and many other generic towels around the spa.

From there you can choose to do a public shower with their soap and salt for a scrub or a private shower. I chose the public.

The spa room is lovely. It is dimly lit, however, there is ambient lighting from the pools and wall lighting.

Whirlpool is large enough to have space from others. I relaxed immediately as the water temp was perfect as is the music, ambience and lighting. All perfect setting for centering the soul, mind and body.

From there I went to the steam room. I did bring my own water bottle. Moving from steam room to sauna I wanted to stay very hydrated.

I would take showers between moving from whirlpool to steam to sauna and cold plunge. Some people would. Some people wouldn’t.

The cold plunge. Extremely cold… the way it is meant to be. I slowly walked in letting my body adjust to coldness and used my breathing to manage my mind. I did the cold plunge twice. Highly recommend. Even though very cold, try not to rush your time. You are stronger than what you might feel.

After rinsing a final time, I went to the restore room. A nice area where you can hydrate, do yoga, sit, lay, read, journal… just a lovely space.

Everything was clean, stocked and people were friendly.

There is also items for health, body and mind for sale. Very unique items.

I’m going back in two weeks. This will be my...