The Bodhi Spa Providence — Local services in Providence

UPDATE: Several days after this review was posted, my wife received a call from Kylie, the head massage therapist at the spa. She was very concerned, saddened and apologetic about the experience my wife had, and wanted to try to make things right. She offered us a complimentary, hour-long couples massage, which we took her up on a week later. Marge had a deep-tissue massage with Natalie, and I opted for the Swedish massage, with Kristie. As I mentioned, I'm not even really a fan of massage, but I found the experience very relaxing and pleasant. Marge said her massage was what she had hoped for in the first place. Natalie and Kristie were very professional, and honored our request that they wear masks without complaint. Vilma was pleasant and helpful in the locker room. We had an enjoyable experience. I really appreciated that the spa's management valued customer service enough to reach out to us and more than make up for an originally unpleasant experience. Thank you!

I gave my wife a gift certificate to the Bodhi Spa as a Valentine’s Day present, and this week she finally got around to using it. I bought it thinking she would enjoy the water journey, which we’ve heard good things about, but instead she chose a half-hour deep-tissue massage. I’m not a fan of massage, so she went alone. She has probably had a hundred massages in her lifetime, most of which she has described as very good, and so I called her after I knew her appointment was over, eager to hear how it went and hoping that this one had been exceptional (at $80 for a half-hour, one would expect it to be at least on the better side of OK).

My heart sank when she said it was “the worst massage ever.” She said the appointment got off to an uncomfortable start when she politely asked the massage therapist to wear a mask, as she was doing. Although many people want to believe the pandemic is suddenly over, my wife works in the medical field and is very diligent about protecting herself and others when in close contact with people. As my wife described it, the therapist acted annoyed at the mask request and said that she was vaccinated — as is my wife — before finally saying she “would try to find one.”

After donning a mask, the therapist proceeded to do a “lame” massage without saying another word, according to my wife. My wife said that she felt very uncomfortable throughout the session, and left thinking that she could have had a better outcome had she used her massage roller at home.

She said that after she got dressed, she was asked by the concierge about her experience. She told her she was not happy with the massage, and was then offered 20 percent off in the form of a credit. She was then asked if she wanted to leave a gratuity, which she declined because of her bad experience. She was then asked if she wanted to give her $11 credit to the massage therapist. Knowing she had no desire to return, my wife, who usually is a very generous tipper, agreed.

Had my wife’s experience been better, we would no doubt have gone back together to enjoy the water journey, and she might have booked more massages. Instead, we will choose to spend our money at a spa where public health and safety and respect for the individual are priorities. People go to spas to relax and forget their cares, not to be treated with indifference or contempt. My wife did say that the locker room attendant...

EDITED After speaking with Leah, the general manager of Bodhi Spa (the Providence location), I feel the need to update my review. Leah explained the booking system had just been transferred over to a new system, which contributed to the lack of communication. I have to say Leah took the time to address each of my concerns, and apologized for the negative experience. She also informed me that the customer service should be a top priority, and even brought a small group back to experience the water journey the right way - which was such an unexpected offer. Communication and check in were 110% better the second time. I cannot thank Leah enough!

I am not at all satisfied with the experience at Bodhi spa. Prior to our private event, I reached out to Bodhi spa on multiple occasions, and through multiple channels with zero outreach from the spa. Only when I received a confirmation email, was I able to get in touch with someone regarding my questions and issues. I had a member of our private party that ended up not able to participate in the water journey, I again reached out multiple times days prior in efforts to see if she could participate in another service, and again once I received my confirmation email, I was informed at 12:30 was available- great- I sent an email back stating the member of the party would take the 12:30 appointment; then I was told to call the spa to schedule (that would be great if a staff member actually picked up the phone). I called and, to my surprise, a staff member picked up the phone, I explained the situation, and asked to book the 12:30 massage, and was told that there are no spots available. I, as the event organizer, obviously was frustrated at this point, especially because I had called, and texted, and attempted to utilize the online "bot", again with ZERO communication from the spa. Thankfully, the day of the event, an appointment for a massage became available, and the member of the party was booked (assuming the massage would essentially be a lateral move from the water journey, and not an additional cost considering we only had a total of 10 participants and the event holds up to 15 people so the spa clearly made money off of the low attendance). The day of the event the party arrives, the staff was not knowledgable, and did not explain the journey well. Also, prior to the event I sent the participants emails, robe sizes, and sandal sizes as requested by the spa not once but twice, and the staff had only stocked medium robes and all the same sized sandals. I stated I sent in the list of robe sizes, and the women shook her head, rolled her eyes, and rudely said she didn't have it. I pulled up the list, gave it to the women, and somehow the robe and sandals sizes were still incorrect. The water journey itself was enjoyable. Upon check out, the staff at the desk states it's $160 for the massage...she didn't think to mention that the massage would be an additional cost prior to the service. All in all the staff was not helpful, rude, and the communication was terrible. I will not be recommending Bodhi to any of my fellows brides, family or friends. I will absolutely seek self care elsewhere. I wanted my best friend to have the best bachelorette experience and unfortunately Bodhi...

Update: Bodhi reached out to me and rescheduled my appointment for the same week and gave me 50% off. Jason, my masseur, was absolutely wonderful. I cannot speak highly enough of him. He got out really tough knots. I would recommend requesting him for your future massages!

I have gone to this spa many times over the last year and given treatments as gifts to many friends and family members. Today’s experience was horrible. I had booked a spa night for myself and two friends, my appointment was a half hour before my friends and I ended up sitting in the relaxation room for 15 minutes past my appointment time alone waiting for someone to come get me. After 15 minutes I let the front desk know no one came for me. My friends ended up getting there before I had anymore info. They then let me know that my masseuse had accidentally taken the wrong person and they would try to get me in for the next person available. At that point, my two friends have been pulled back for their appointment so this was about 35 minutes after my scheduled appointment and I was again alone in the relaxation room, and they came back to let me know that my masseuse had not taken the wrong person, but in fact was missing, they could not find him. They off offered me a bathing suit and the water journey and initially I said no but then I was just gonna be waiting for my friends for an hour anyways so I took them up on it because they wouldn’t offer anything else, but it was nothing compared to the hot stone massage I was supposed to get and I only stayed in the water journey for a half hour because it was not relaxing. They finally found my masseuse (which they didn’t even bother letting me know), he had other people so I couldn’t get my massage. There was no offer for anything else and when we talked to the front desk about any future comp for the massage I had scheduled they just said “they didn’t charge me for that appointment” as though that should be enough with the fact that I wasn’t charged for the water journey (which I was really not interested in). They didn’t even offer to reschedule my massage for a time slot in the near future. I will not...