Adirondack Foot Sanctuary — Local services in Town of North Elba

I recently had an unfortunate first-time experience at the Adirondack Foot Sanctuary, a place I had walked by hundreds of times on visits to Lake Placid but never visited. After my treatment concluded I was confused that they had left out a featured part. I double checked the menu and asked the receptionist, Jupiter, who confirmed it had been omitted, with no further explanation. When I asked for consideration - whether to complete the treatment, credit my bill for the portion of the treatment that was left out, or an alternative solution - she was rigid in her response: “there is nothing I can do for you.” The missing treatment was not credited nor was the omitted service provided. I wanted to love this place but will not return nor recommend it. The customer service was not to the standards of the prices of the services and, frankly, terribly immature. The business should consider better training its therapists and definitely its receptionists, as they may not “own” the business but they are the face of it, like it or not.

UPDATE: Christina, the owner, reached out to me immediately, despite being home under the weather at the time. She was extremely thoughtful in her response, and, after speaking with her, I sincerely believe these issues wouldn’t have transpired had she been onsite. When she reached out, she had already comped my treatment (totally unnecessary but certainly appreciated!) and when we spoke she invited me back in for a second chance at a first impression, with her personal oversight. I am grateful for her professionalism and standard of care, and I will try Adirondack Foot Sanctuary once more... since I do really want to...

So, not to focus on race but, being a black woman…I was kind of skeptical about receiving services (if you don’t know, we’re (black folks) not always welcomed in all spaces. With the tenor of the world being what it is & being the ONLY black person I’d seen while in LP…I was slightly worried about how I would be received. Needless to say the experience was above & beyond my expectations! Melanie was SO VERY KIND! She was engaging, entertaining, relaxing, funny, & caring! I actually fell asleep a few times…I was that comfortable! I was so happy with the entire process…I ended up scheduling a second massage 😂! It was just that AMAZING! The owner was there on day 2 & she was just as kind! She honored a discount I’d missed receiving on the first massage & that right there….that speaks to her integrity & honesty! Their space is intimate & cozy & has a very zen like vibe. I even received a head massage & I honestly didn’t know if it would be a problem because, when was the last time a white woman ran her fingers through a black woman’s (with locs) hair?!?! Exactly, not lately 😂🤷🏽‍♀️🤔. Melanie had NO problem with it. She massaged my head as if it were her head 🥰! Thanks Adirondack Foot Sanctuary for being inclusive & inviting to all 🤗. Until next time...

As a frequent massage-goer, I like checking out the local places and find the following USUALLY occurs: all bells and whistles and not good service, or no bells and whistles but great service. As one would expect, I'll sacrifice the bells and whistles every time to get good service. Plus, it's usually less expensive! So when I looked in to the Foot Sanctuary and saw prices that looked to me like the former type, I was a little worried, but the reviews drew me in. Let me tell you- IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT! This is one of the exceedingly rare experiences I've had where the spa provided bells, whistles, incredible service, and then some! To say nothing of the ultra-comfy chairs, wonderful neck warmers, compassionate and professional staff (shout out to Melissa!), the snuggly blanket, and lemon ginger tea, my massage was firm, relaxing and overall a really great experience. I even fell asleep for few minutes! Which is shocking considering in my own home in bed it takes me sometimes hours to wind down. Even the owner took her time with me, answering questions about essential oils and the products she believed in. Thank you both!

It's worth it. It just is. And the next time I'm at Lake Placid, I will...