Rnr Wellness – The Spa

Swore I wouldn’t go back to RnR two years ago because of the poor customer service. Heard there had been changes made so I fell for one of their «specials» and booked in. Now I’m again swearing I’ll never go back for the same reason. Massage therapists are fine but management of this place is awful. Without writing a novel, every time I’ve been my appointment gets messed up somehow which always results in a higher bill at the end. Be aware that monthly specials are only valid if you attend during that month. If you book two days into another month, the special is over and you’re now paying full price. Employees never mention this while booking strangely enough. This time my bill was over $ 300 for two services and they haggled with me over another $ 20. Tl;dr Bad, bad customer service.

I had a massage from Natalya. Excellent pressure and sensitivity, and she gave proper attention to the areas I was concerned with. She also made the hour seem longer than it was, one mark of a really good therapist. Highly recommended.

I read some of the previously posted reviews of RnR Wellness spa after already booking my spa & lunch package and almost got cold-​feet. Instead of cancelling my appointment, I thought I’d go see for myself if the spa was really as disappointing as some other reviewers would lead one to believe.
Good thing I didn’t cancel my appointment. Turns out, RnR Wellness Spa is a great place to de-​stress and relax. While true that the spa is located on the basement level of the hotel, it does not feel like it was absent-​mindedly thrown into the middle of a hallway. The stairway from the main lobby opens onto the reception area and check-​in desk. I was warmly greeted by Teresa upon my arrival. She gave me the lunch card I was to take upstairs to The Oak Room for my meal and said she would give me a tour of the spa and have me fill out my first-​time guest paper work when I returned from lunch.
After a lovely meal, true to her word, Teresa showed me the relaxation area and took me back to the women’s locker room (accessible via a key card issued to each spa guest along with an assigned locker key). I wasn’t sure what to expect and a bit apprehensive as one prior reviewer commented that it was «exactly like the change room at a city pool or high school locker room.» I needn’t have worried. That reviewer must have attended the most luxurious high-​end high school that’s never existed. I would describe the lockers in the changing room as being laminate-​coated wooden ones which each contain a big, soft brown robe and plastic sandals. The countertops are all marble and host all your basic beauty products (spray deodorant, lotion, hairspray, cotton swabs, razors, shaving cream, hairdryers). The showers have your basic shampoo/​conditioner/​body wash.
As a spa guest, you have access to the hotel pool and hot tub along with the steam room and fitness center. Maybe I lucked out, but there weren’t any rowdy kids in the pool when I was there, just a few other hotel/​spa guests. While not large, the gym has a few Precor treadmills and ellipticals with tvs along with free weights and a weight machine — pretty much your standard hotel gym — good if you need a little post-​lunch extra calorie-​burn.
The relaxation area is rather serene with calming spa music. Cucumber and orange infused waters and hot tea are available along with little granola/​trail mix cups, cookies and biscotti.
Gana, my massage therapist, did a great job of massaging away the tightness in my shoulder and neck muscles. While working away muscle tension isn’t necessarily pain-​free, the experience was so relaxing I almost fell asleep.
Key takeaway — the RNR Wellness Spa is a great escape for a little pampering and much needed «me» time.

I had a last minute stay scheduled at the Fairmount Palliser on Friday Feb 13^th. I decided to try out the RNR Spa located in the Hotel, and called to schedule a massage and facial. Unfortunately they were only able to fit me in for a 30 min express massage service because of the holiday weekend being so busy. Considering the mixed reviews I thought this would be a good test of the spa and went through with the booking. No details were given to me on the phone as to any specific limitations of the express service.
Given my massage was at 2:45 I checked out of my hotel at noon and went shopping for a short while to wait for my spa time. I returned to the spa at 2pm to check in and sit in the steam room before my service. I asked the ladies at the front desk of the spa if I could be let into the steam room as I had stayed at the hotel but wasn’t sure if my hotel key would still be active? Immediately the answer was No and they had nothing to do with the hotel. They didn’t bother to ask questions or say sure since you stayed here we can let you sneak in. So I walked upstairs to the hotel front desk and asked for my key to be re-​activated, they obliged with no issue.

I returned to the spa and sat to complete my check-​in paperwork and the front desk lady came over and said sorry but we just can’t give you a key because we only have enough for our customers. I responded saying I had already taken care of it with the hotel. I finished my paperwork and took it to the front desk and again the same lady started to tell me how they couldn’t do anything because they only had so many keys. I responded by saying they could have been courteous and just walked me to the door and let me in, I didn’t need a key of my own. That being said I asked if we could finish the check-​in so I could go enjoy a steam. She walked me into the spa waiting area and said this is where my therapist would meet me for my massage and went to walk away. I stopped her and asked where my robe, towel and sandals were. She proceeded to tell me that «you are only having an express service, we don’t provide any change room facilities or spa robes for you unless you have a more expensive treatment.» Her attitude was so demeaning, I immediately stopped everything right there. Regardless of what services I was having I would expect at a minimum a warm and friendly staff to check me in and get me comfortable and ready to enjoy my experience with them, this was so far from the case here. I said I would not be continuing with the service as there was no chance of having an enjoyable time after her rude treatment. I also told her that maybe they should inform people of these details when they book their services so one could be more prepared. She said they didn’t think it was that important to tell everyone as all I had to do was change in the treatment room. Just to be completely clear here, this means that before and after your treatment you are not given access to any kind of change room, it’s just in and out no frills.
After making sure I would not be charged for my service I decided to go into the steam room for some relaxation anyways even though I was not going through with my massage. As I was about to walk into the steam room one of the Spa therapists, whispered to me that the lady I was dealing with was named Kelly and was the manager. They also mentioned that she always had that type of attitude, so I shouldn’t feel bad for standing up to her. During my time in the steam room, not one other person came in from the spa so the excuse of not having enough keys didn’t seem valid.
Long story short, they can choose any process they want and provide amenities based on services as they see fit. However if they had informed me of this when I booked my appointment I would have been able to plan for my visit better. Even had they given this information on the phone they should still be cordial should any misunderstanding arise.
As far as the facilities go, the waiting room consists of a tiny room off of the hotel pool area with a few chairs and some refreshments. Since I did not go through with my massage I cannot comment on the treatment rooms. The changing facilities were nothing special, just a plain locker room nothing spa-​like. The steam room was sterile white tile and very brightly lit, not very relaxing at all.
As you could guess I will not be returning to this spa again.

My spouse and I went to R&R for a couples massage. I was really disappointed in the quality of the facilities considering how nice the hotel is.
When we arrived we used the complimentary valet parking. They told us how to get to the spa which was through the doors and down the stairs. When we got there the spa basically looked like a hotel hallway with a desk in it. The front desk was very cluttered and looked completely out of place where it was. We were given paperwork to fill out in their ‘waiting area’ which was a bench along the wall. While we were filling out paperwork there were employees directly beside us folding laundry, giggling, and laughing. Don’t get me wrong, I am all for having fun at work, but you would think there would be an alternate area for them to do laundry rather than the ‘waiting room’ of a spa.
When we finished we were given some directions and a brief tour. We were shown the ‘relaxation lounge’ which was wide open to the same hallway that people use to get to the pool — not very private! The pool area which had a sign stating that it was supposed to be a quiet, relaxing environment had a bunch of noisy kids doing cannonballs in the pool — I was really surprised nothing was said to them as it is supposed to be a calming environment. The change rooms were next and we were given keys for our assigned lockers. We then went into the change rooms — I don’t know about the men’s change room, but the women’s change room was way below any other spa change room I have ever been in. Everything about it was exactly like the change room at a city pool or high school locker room. There was also water all over the floor from people at the pool which wasn’t cleaned up, the toilets weren’t flushed, etc. I got changed into the robe provided and ‘slippers’. The robe was ripped at the bottom and was missing the loopholes for the waistband tie on the left side. The ‘slippers’ were cheap plastic sandals with a wide band around the top. I have size 8.5 feet and when I had to wrestle my feet to fit under the band. My heels hung at least an inch over the back of them and when I eventually took them off I had a huge red band across my feet because they were so tight.
I then headed to the relaxation lounge where I met up with my spouse. There was lemon and orange water, trail mix, biscotti, tea, etc to help ourselves to. We didn’t try much, but what we did try was good. We then waited for our massage therapists to arrive. While we waited we could barely hear the spa music playing as the pump for the pool was on the other side of one of the walls. All we could hear was the pump going and occasionally I loud knocking sound. How relaxing. While we waited for 5 ish minutes, we had 8 different therapists (yes I counted) coming in and out of the already small room to get water. Another spa guest actually commented on it to us after the last one left. I don’t think it would be that hard to put some jugs of water in an area that guests aren’t relaxing so they are not disturbed.
Our therapists came and got us to go for the massage. They led us to a small room right off the main hallway where there was a bunch of non-​spa people walking. I am not one to walk around in my housecoat in front of people I don’t know so that struck me as a bit odd. The ‘fireside couples massage room’ was a tiny room with the tables so close together I actually have no idea how the therapists walked between them. The ‘fireplace’ was a little thing hung on the wall that wasn’t even turned on. The therapists asked us what we wanted worked on and then left so we could get ready. When thy came back in the room we got our massage treatments. I should mention that I am a massage therapist and have taught in a massage school. Despite my extensive knowledge I seriously have no idea what my therapist was doing for the first 20ish minutes of my massage. He then continued with what seemed like a spa massage routine for the remainder of the massage. Did he forget all the areas we just discussed?. After talked to my spouse later on, it seems that he got the exact same massage as me despite us booking therapeutic massages to work on specific problems. He has very sore shoulders and asked for his therapist to focus on them, yet she only spent 10 out of 90 minutes on his shoulders. Both of our therapists were only able to use deep pressure for only the first 15 minutes or so. After that they seemed to run out of energy which kind of sucked. When our massages were done we were told to get ready quickly and they would be waiting outside the room. I don’t know about you, but after a 90 minute massage I don’t move very quickly. As stated in the online description of a couples massage, we expected to use the eucalyptus steam room after our treatments. We were only shown back to the relaxation lounge and told to take our time, get dressed, and could go to the front desk for payment.
We paid, got our receipts, left, and will never go back

I attended this spa earlier today because I have been to a another Fairmont Hotel Spa’s in the past. This one although in the hotel is not run by the hotel, it’s a separate business within the hotel. But not matter I was treated just a great as I had been at the other spa’s and the location was clean with a lot of amenities. There is free valet parking for 3 hours and if you pay for a treatment you gain access to the steam room, hot tub and pool. It’s a small spa located in the basement of the hotel but it was nice. i had a 90 minutes massage that was so heavy. My masseuse Kelly was punctual, extremely professional and friendly. She is a great masseuse! I got a head to toe massage and left there feeling like a million bucks!
The only downside would be that the other Fairmont Spa’s I had been to featured their spa products which I like and there was the Fairmont Tea’s (which I love). This Spa had some trail mix, fruit, tea and fancy fruit water as well as the others but I was really hoping for the Fairmont Branded products as I really like them. I would definitely go back. I was able to put my massage through my benefits plan because I made sure that I was given a Register Massage Therapist (RMT) and the front desk were very accommodating with this request. The massages are not inexpensive but I feel I got my money’s worth for sure. I also booked at the last minute and they got me in.
Will definitely be back!

Seeing that it is attached to The Palliser you would think it would have more class. It’s like a day spa that is training staff and has no personality .
Checking in was long as I waited in a line and had many staff walk by me while I was waiting.
Facial was pointless. I let the facial it’s know my concerns but they were not addressed. It was the first facial I could say my skin was the same as when I went in. Totally a waste of time.
I also stayed for a pedicure. Not bad but heels were still pretty rough. Color was done right but again what’s the point if feet were the same as when I came in?!
Lastly when I was getting dressed a man came in the change room and used the toilet. I let the girl know at the front desk and she barley even grunted at the issue!!! Can you imagine being half naked and a guy come in and they don’t care? This is the way all staff behave… just a job not a destination or experience.
Next time I’m walking down the street. not worth my time or money.

*BEWARE if you need to claim your massages through insurance here*
What a difference several months makes. Use the same massage therapist for 3 years and then all of a sudden the masseuse either does not have her required 2200 massage hours or she has not updated her license.
Sunlife does NOT recognize certain staff members here at this spa as they said they were starting to become way more strict about checking the requirements each January. Which leaves me having had a $ 130 message with no insurance coverage and I am out of pocket. Plus a nice tip. GRRR!
We made darn sure over the phone before the massage as always that this particular person was recognized by Sunlife but after-​the-​fact we were told it was not the case and now we are shafted that $ 130.If the Spa is hiring or retaining people unrecognized by the insurance companies, we should be reimbursed by the spa! All they want to do is send a gift card to us for a fraction of the massage price and all will be ok again! Even the director of the spa told us there was nothing she could do.
Very sad, we would come here all the time but R&R, your attitude of saying SOL to us and other customers going through this right now is not right.
We had been loyal to you for 3 years and your people need to make sure they are up to par for medical coverage!

I visited RnR Wellness Spa for the first (and last) time today. I am a loyal client of Sante Spa, and decided to try RnR after being given a discount coupon (which I discovered after booking that the coupon could only be used on weekdays). The pedicure wasn’t bad, but the atmosphere was less than relaxing.
The spa is in the basement of the Fairmont Palliser, and I found the set-​up to be quite congested. The reception area is small, and hard to get through between the main entrance and treatment rooms if others are checking in or out. The waiting room is also quite small and cramped — dark furniture, walls and lighting — it felt like a cave, and I could barely see the registration form. The treatment room for the manicures and pedicures is also very small. When I started my pedicure, there was a group of 3 girls already having treatments. It was very uncomfortable being in a small room and feeling like I was intruding on their conversation. Throughout my pedi, the aestheticians had to crawl over one another, as there is limited room to walk between the pedicure chairs and manicure tables. There is also a sink in the treatment room, so there was a lot of noise with the staff cleaning up.
For a hotel the calibre of the Fairmont, I had higher expectations. This spa needs a MAJOR overhaul, and not a place I would recommend to friends or family. I’ll be sticking to Sante Spa!