Mandatory Service Charge at Hyatt Spa
Jun 11, 2007, 1:55 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: The Puget Sound, WA
Posts: 2,232
Mandatory Service Charge at Hyatt Spa
I was at Tahoe last weekend and I had given my wife a $250 spa gift certificate. Little did I know how little that would buy. Example: A 50 minute deep tissue massage was $168 (with the mandatory 20% service charge).
Are all the Hyatt’s with Spas charging a mandatory minimum tip now? I normally tip 15-25%, but being told how much the minimum tip/service charge is seems a bit out of line.
Maybe I don’t get out much, or just don’t look too closely, but the prices at the Hyatt Spa’s seem to be going up exponentially. Last time I was at Kauai I noticed that the prices on massages had gone up ~50% from the prices they had 5 years earlier.
Are all the Hyatt’s with Spas charging a mandatory minimum tip now? I normally tip 15-25%, but being told how much the minimum tip/service charge is seems a bit out of line.
Maybe I don’t get out much, or just don’t look too closely, but the prices at the Hyatt Spa’s seem to be going up exponentially. Last time I was at Kauai I noticed that the prices on massages had gone up ~50% from the prices they had 5 years earlier.
Jun 11, 2007, 2:04 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador: World of Hyatt
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Location: NJ
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I know that the spa in Kauai adds a service charge. What gets me is they also say "you can add some if you'd like." Sure, like 20% isn't already enough 
And yes, the spa charges are going up quite a bit.
And yes, the spa charges are going up quite a bit.
Jun 11, 2007, 2:17 pm
#3
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 812
Yeah, the spa at Lake Tahoe adds a mandatory 20% service charge--and this is noted NOWHERE in any of the brochures or spa literature! I find this disturbing, because I sometimes directly tip the masseuse (though of course I usually don't at hotel spas because of points.) Plus, my experience is that there wasn't really great service by the spa staff.
Kauai does have very expensive prices for spa services. I think it went up because the spa got renovated. However, even the spa receptionist commented on how quiet the spa was--probably a direct correlation with the price...
Kauai does have very expensive prices for spa services. I think it went up because the spa got renovated. However, even the spa receptionist commented on how quiet the spa was--probably a direct correlation with the price...
Jun 11, 2007, 2:30 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: The Puget Sound, WA
Posts: 2,232
Yeah, the spa at Lake Tahoe adds a mandatory 20% service charge--and this is noted NOWHERE in any of the brochures or spa literature! I find this disturbing, because I sometimes directly tip the masseuse (though of course I usually don't at hotel spas because of points.) Plus, my experience is that there wasn't really great service by the spa staff.
Jun 11, 2007, 2:32 pm
#6
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: SFO
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Jun 11, 2007, 2:37 pm
#7
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 812
It was on the last page of the brochure in our room last weekend, and I made sure to point it out to my wife so she did not accidentally double tip. My wife, who is somewhat of a spa expert, was not impressed by the treatment at the Tahoe Stillwater spa and told me she is going to stick with our local day spa, and that I should not get her any more Hyatt Spa certificates.
Jun 11, 2007, 10:02 pm
#9
Moderator: Luxury Hotels and FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Location: Palo Alto, California,USA
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FWIW, Canyon Ranch (which is certainly not a cheap place by any means) charges $110 for the 50 minute massage. And you don't tip on top of it nor is there a service charge.
Jun 12, 2007, 8:30 am
#11
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Jun 12, 2007, 1:11 pm
#13
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When I used to work all the time, I got weekly massages. At that place (not a $168 place!), the therapists got 40% of the fee, plus tips. I doubt at a resort that they'd get more than 30%, especially with the 18 or 20% mandatory tip.
Jun 12, 2007, 1:42 pm
#14
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Seattle
Posts: 1,442
That would be around $70 an hour. My guess is closer to minimum wage and the service charge or around $35 an hour.