I booked a stay at 21c as part of a small bachelorette weekend and, unfortunately, the experience fell far short of what I expected from a “boutique luxury” hotel and spa experience. The biggest disappointment was the spa experience. This was a staycation to celebrate my sisters upcoming wedding, and was a rare treat for my mom, my two sisters, and me. We booked massages approximately a month in advance specifically to enjoy them together as part of the celebration, only to have three of the appointments canceled the morning of. While I understand staffing issues and unforeseen circumstances can happen, what was most surprising was the lack of communication, apology, or any meaningful effort to recover the experience. Even after politely inquiring whether there might be any accommodation or consolation offered due to the last-minute change, there was essentially no acknowledgment of the inconvenience. Additionally, communication surrounding the spa logistics was confusing from the start. There is no dedicated spa reception area, and all coordination goes through the hotel front desk, which created uncertainty about where to report for appointments. The steam room was also out of order, eliminating one of the few amenities we had planned to enjoy together. The spa itself was also extremely underwhelming compared to expectations. Rather than feeling private or luxurious, the space felt more comparable to a basic gym locker room adjacent to the fitness center — tiled floors, dim lighting, and very little sense of atmosphere or relaxation. The massage room itself was similarly sparse and lacked the elevated feel typically associated with boutique hotel spas. To make matters more uncomfortable, my sister was told by the massage therapist that her “other appointment canceled,” which was simply untrue, as the spa had canceled on us earlier that day. There was also confusion regarding gratuity. When booking, I was informed that the included 20% service fee covered the therapist gratuity. However, after the massage, the therapist stated that the fee was not her tip, leading my sister to leave an additional gratuity that was then charged to my card. Clearer communication on this policy would be appreciated. After checkout, I also had to follow up three separate times to obtain my receipt, and the only receipt ultimately provided reflected valet parking charges rather than the full stay and spa services. The hotel room itself was acceptable, though underwhelming. Our room had a very small window facing a concrete vestibule with almost no natural light. While I understand room assignments are partially luck of the draw, I had noted in advance that this was a celebratory stay and had hoped for a slightly more thoughtful accommodation. To be fair, the one aspect of service that was handled well was early check-in, which the hotel graciously accommodated free of charge and which I appreciated. Overall, I left feeling disappointed not because of one iso
