Top 5 Things to Look For in a Vancouver Spa

There are many spas out there, but how do you find the best spa for you? Putting the more obvious details like cleanliness aside- here are the top 5 things to look for when you’re researching spas in Vancouver and abroad.

1. Professionalism: How do the staff conduct themselves? From your initial phone call, to the quality of your treatment, the people you’re interacting with make all the difference. This, I find is what stands out in a good spa experience. Was the staff knowledgeable? Did they excel in the treatment they provided? A good way to find out more about a spa is to explore their website as some sites provide information about their principles of practice as well as bios about their staff.
2. Health History Forms and Treatment Records: Any professional establishment will require that you fill out a health history form with detailed questions that will aid your therapist in treating you safely and effectively. Sometimes people find this process to be a nuisance, but it is a MUST to ensure the best possible treatment. Your spa should keep a record of your treatments on file. Knowing the history of your treatments is essential for your practitioner to  know how to improve upon the treatments you’ve already received. If you were to have an adverse reaction, this treatment record is the key to knowing what may have caused that reaction and to avoid it in the future.
3. Consistency: If you’re not seeing the same therapist every time you visit the spa, the experience should be consistent with each visit. Slight variations are obviously unavoidable, as people are unique and each therapist has a different style and personality, but in a good spa, the quality and methods applied to treatments will not vary. A spa that is well managed will make it a practice to train all of their employees in their treatment protocols.
4. Quality: What kind of brands does the spa carry? If a spa is serious about their image and branding, they will choose to carry product lines that reflect their values and the standards they wish to provide their clientele.
5. Atmosphere: What is the overall atmosphere like in the spa? Do the staff seem happy and relaxed? Is there a high turnover rate in the staff? You’re going to a spa to feel good, so it’s important that the people you’re interacting with feel good as well and can provide an environment that allows you to forget about the stresses of everyday life.

Those are my top five things to look for in a spa- but the list can go on, this list details what you make not think of- but they are important points in creating a 5 star spa experience.

What are the most important things that you look for in a spa?