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12/21/08
Gift card policy stinks. DON'T GO TO SPA SYDELL - they'll steal from you.
by spaseeker2 at Citysearch
.. I've been reading about customers of SPA Sydell and their gift card policy since I experienced a similar gift card issue myself. I seldom respond to posts like this but felt compelled to do so. I too used an old gift card -- I did get to use it but had to pay 20% of the value to use it and I loss some of the money on the gift card. Crazy.
As a business owner myself, this will not get repeat customers. When I questioned the saneness of their policy they all just pointed to the memo at that front desk. The manager wouldn't come talk to me. She just gave me a "go-away" concession on the fees. Bottom line: They are getting to use your hard earned money without delivering the service. If anything , you should be able to get more service for a gift card, not less. I also noticed that if you loose the card, you've lost the money. This isn't fair -- they have this gift card receipt in their system via a bar code on the card. The fact of the matter is, they hope those gift cards never get used.
I also know that if you call to use your gift card, you will get a lower quality therapists. They ask you about a gift card when scheduling. Case in point: I was having a great call with the scheduler until I told him I was using my gift card. I went from getting the most Sr. therapist to one of the newbies who delivered an average treatment. IT lasted 45 minutes not an hour. SCAM.
- Cons: service, smell, fairness.. not a good provider, especially when there are too many altneratives.
10/28/08
Stole my money - they know I did not use the gift certificate and refuse to honor it! they have a record on their computers!
by chrstn at Citysearch
Spa Sydell has unethical business practices. Massage therapists, except for one exception and he left, are uniformly mediocre. I made the mistake of buying several series and now I'm stuck with them. I don't go to get massages because I don't enjoy the massages and they short the amount of time of the massage and it is upsetting. A hour and half massage typically begins 15 - 20 minutes after it was scheduled and the therapist does not extend the time at the end. Like others in their reviews, I did not use two gift certificates on time. I asked to use them and they said they are like cash - if not used they are lost! Series purchases never run out...why should gift certificates?- unless they are counting on getting money for a service that they hope you won't request - free money. This is ridiculous. Gift certificates are not cash, that is a lie - they very carefully keep tabs on gift certificate use in their records they keep on the computer - they know that they were never used - more than $200!!! This is stealing!!!! Do not buy gift certificates here! Find a better place to give your business.
- Cons: Too expensive, no customer service, dishonorable company
04/09/08
Avoid Spa Sydell Like the Plague!!!
by Keilani78 at Citysearch
I was looking forward to FINALLY using 3 old spa gift certificates that I had received as gifts for my upcoming 30th birthday, but was informed that I could not redeem them because they are over 2 years old. That's over $400 of my friends' and families' hard earned money that they flat out STOLE. I am a VERY busy person and unfortunately haven't had time to take off a whole day to spend at the spa until now. I looked forward to a nice relaxing day at the spa for my 30th, but now I have to inform my friends and family that all their generosity went to waste. Money is money... these gift certificates should not expire. I realize prices may have changed, but I was more than willing to pay the difference. I will certainly be telling all of my friends and family to never buy me another gift certificate from this corrupt company again, and I warn everyone to avoid this unprofessional business like the plague! They aren't even that great of a spa to begin with.
- Pros: None
- Cons: They steal people's hard earned money
