Complaint Review: Dolce Salon & Spa Arizona - Scottsdale Arizona

I have been a customer at the Dolce Salon & Spa in Scottsdale, AZ for 2 years now. I enjoy their decor and have received fantastic massages and facials at this facility. It saddens me to say that I can no longer tolerate the horrible service that I experience without fail when going to this establishment. I am going to list the many experiences that I have had and describe the reason's for this decision in the following paragraphs. 

I scheduled a series of services beginning with an hour massage followed by a facial and hair services. While driving to the Scottsdale location I was in a car accident. I immediately called to notify a client coordinator of this challenge and they let me know that they would inform my masseuse. Once I arrived I was exactly 15 minutes late. As usual the front desk women had their back turned gossiping while the phone was ringing off the hook.

I finally got their attention and was informed that due to my tardiness my massage would be 30 minutes but that they were going to charge me for a 60 minutes massage. I let them know this was unacceptable. In the end the only way for me to avoid a "rip off" was to leave. I stated that if I left they couldn't charge me anything, but if I stayed they were going to charge me double for a 30 minute massage. They decided they would prefer for me to leave and pay for nothing than to pay the price of the services that I would actually receive. 

On another occasion I called to made spa day apmts for myself and best friend's birthday. We received a "Sweet Deals" menu in the mail and booked our services from this menu. This time we arrived early and I made a point to mention the oh so secret sweet deals menu multiple times. After receiving our service it was apparent that they were all shorter than what we were paying for. After wondering around the lobby without being escorted to a locker room or relaxation room we notified the client coordinators that our apmts were to have begun 10 minutes prior. They brushed off our concern and asked us to wait.

Since these services were all back to back our 2 hour massages turned into 1 hour and 15 minutes (we have to be taken back, change, and what not) the scheduling that was done by the coordinators resulted in all of the following services beginning late and being shortened by about 15 to 30 minutes. In the end the sweet deals menu basically allowed us to pay at full service price due to the shortened service.

I received a make up touch up that consisted of power all over my clothes and hair, chap stick, and the worst mascara on the planet. I removed it in the restroom immediately in order to avoid the embarrassment of walking to my car. At check out I was happy to finally get out of that place because my blood was boiling. I mentioned the sweet deals menu of coarse because I knew they were going to try to rip me off. I had to go over the receipt and find 6 things that were priced in correctly. The coordinator took 20 minutes to figure out this menu and revise my receipt. I asked to leave 15% gratuity on the discounted price and she used the full price. This had to be fixed once I caught her trying to rip me off. I feel like this was almost criminal stealing in my mind. I am choosing to leave gratuity and if I say to use the discount price I should not have to double check that I'm not being robbed. 

Last week I went in for a massage and highlights. From past experience of coarse I arrived early. Of coarse I was no taken to the relaxation room and of coarse my masseuse came to get me after my apmt time. We went back and I asked for deep tissue. I did not receive deep tissue and was upset that my massage was just horrible. My masseuse was yawning, cracking her nuckles, and pulled my hair while massaging my scalp. Finally it was over and I waited again, after my apmt time, to be taken to the hair salon. I had very dark brown hair when I got there and no one, including myself, can tell that it looks any different than it did. I explained that my hair was too dark to my stylist and that I wanted full head highlights. She begged to differ and talked me into half head of highlights. She appeared to be too lazy to take the time for a full head. I showed her a picture of myself with blonde hair and let her know that I missed my lighter hair color.

She seemed understanding and I picked highlight color that was according to her 4 shades lighter than my current hair color. She dropped her comb a few times while doing the foils and then had me sit under the dryer for 45 minutes. I had nothing to read and nothing to drink. She then took me to the shampoo station where I asked for a deep conditioning treatment. She rinsed out the color and applied toner. I sat with the toner for at least 30 minutes. She rinsed it and sprayed in the deep conditioner. After less than 5 minutes she rinsed it out.

She must not have had any co worker to gossip with and no patience to let it sit and deeply condition by this time. After rinsing out the treatment she said that she messed up the toner and needed to re-do it. So she went to get more toner. Meanwhile I'm sitting with my neck killing me and wet hair, watching possibly the worst make over session on a tv that I have ever seen about 30 times. After doing another 30 minute toning session and not re applying the conditioner I finally got to get up for a blow dry. With my hair wet I stated I couldn't see any difference. She said just wait till its dry. While drying it she kept asking me if I liked it or if I noticed any difference and I was honest. I said no it looks the same to me. She didn't seem to care. She then said my ends were fragile and that she wanted to trim them. I allowed her to do this. She gave me new haircut with layers and took over an inch off without my consent.

 Finally when I was paying I asked for the sweet deals menu and they client coordinator asked me what I got that was on the menu. I stated the 1 hr massage and the conditioning treatment. She looked at me funny and then at her associate and they looked around for the menu. They both studied it for a few minutes while I stood there listening to the phone ring off the hook. They couldn't find my ticket for the hair services. Then she laughed and said oh ok I didn't know about this. Then she informed me that the hour massage did not qualify because I got deep tissue and the menu stated it was Swedish. I didn't feel like arguing about a technicality and was so upset about my hair that I just paid the rip off price and left. My roommate looked at me and said, did you not get your hair done? I cried and am going to have to get it fixed somewhere else and spend another $100. 

Today I called to schedule another spa day. I have no idea why and it was definitely the last. I held for 37 minutes on the phone and could just picture the client coordinators out on the floor putting on the testers and ignoring the phone. Finally I got through and ask first about a 60 minute facial (sweet deals menu), there were two times available today and then I asked about nail services. There were no times available for nail services today.

 Knowing a bit about scheduling I asked for a few minutes to pick something else. The coordinator did not have the patience for this and wanted me to pick a time for the facial. I stated that I wanted to add other services and depending on the availability I would like to make them back to back so I needed to know the other service available before scheduling the facial. After just a few seconds of silence she insisted I pick a time. So I just threw one out and continued reading the menu. I decided on a hour massage from the sweet deals menu and of coarse the availability resulted in using the other available time for the facial. It took her a while to figure it out and I finally got on the books. Of coarse I asked for the sweet deals menu at check out and paid and left. Got home and realized I was over charged. Went back. Got it corrected after 40 minutes of waiting.

No apology. I am never going back to this place again. The employees are unprofessional and inconsiderate. I am treated with rudeness every time and ripped off every time without fail. I would prefer to have quality service and pay their somewhat higher advertised prices than be treated poorly and end up paying higher prices than what is advertised. It is sad that this company is so poorly managed. I know that I am not the only one with these experiences and I am 100% positive that this company will see very quickly how such poor customer service and truly incompetent client coordinators will negatively affect business operations.