Warning about giving spa/massage/etc. gift certificates as gifts

[missypie]

Please remember that if you give "day of beauty", spa, manicure, massage, etc. gift certificates to someone who doesn't have a lot of extra money, it would be considerate to also include a pretty little envelope with tip money in it.

One year my husband got me a "day of pampering" at the Neiman Marcus spa. Early on during the first treatment, it dawned on me that I was supposed to TIP these people. The whole day I worried about whether I had any cash in my purse to cover tips! I ended up having enough, but it sure made the day stressful instead of relaxing.

So if you want to give a nice gift to someone who doesn't have much cash, it would be considerate to include a little tip envelope, too.

 

[momof3disneyholics]

Good Idea missypie! My hubby is a massage therapist. The spa he works at adds an 18% "service charge" into any treatment that is done.

 

[missypie]

Good Idea missypie! My hubby is a massage therapist. The spa he works at adds an 18% "service charge" into any treatment that is done.

Is the service charge included in the price when someone buys a gift certificate?

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

Good idea! And while I'm here...do you tip each person individually? I did a day of beauty (a LONG time ago...TOO LONG!), and I didn't have my pocketbook with me all day as I went from treatment to treatment. I don't remember what I did.

 

[momof3disneyholics]

Is the service charge included in the price when someone buys a gift certificate?

No it never is.

 

[missypie]

Good idea! And while I'm here...do you tip each person individually? I did a day of beauty (a LONG time ago...TOO LONG!), and I didn't have my pocketbook with me all day as I went from treatment to treatment. I don't remember what I did.

Once I found money, I just took it up to the desk at the end and asked the lady to split it equally among everyone I saw. I assume it made it into the right hands. But I'd be interested in hearing from someone who works at a spa.

 

[momof3disneyholics]

Good idea! And while I'm here...do you tip each person individually? I did a day of beauty (a LONG time ago...TOO LONG!), and I didn't have my pocketbook with me all day as I went from treatment to treatment. I don't remember what I did.

Yes, if you go to a spa that does not have automatic gratuity then you should tip each person separately because at the end of the day they would have to split it evenly if you don't which isn't fair if the massage therapist spent 80 minutes with you in a massage and the one of the nail techs only spent 30 minutes giving you a manicure.

 

[barkley]

also-make sure the certificate is good for using anyone at the spa. some shops set it up so that the person you physicaly buy the certificate from (may be whoever happened to be at the desk at the time you walked in) is the only one it is good for. if the recipient's schedual does not mesh with that individual's (vs. the spa's operating hours) they could be out of luck.