Camelot spa Pearls Umhlanga

Date of spa visit: 17/12/2018. We were attracted to Camelot spa, located in the prestigious Pearls in Umhlanga after an internet search. With such a prime location, we expected the best possible treatment. After all, at R2400 per couple, we deserved the best after a difficult and stressful year. My wife chose the Thalgo Polynesia Spa Ritual, which according to the description provided included a “scrub, hydrobath, indulgent massage and glass of bubbly”. We would be left with a “renewed sense of health and wellbeing”. Well Camelot spa’s marketing gets full points. However the service actually provided is pathetic. First impressions on arrival, was the salon with the shared entrance to the spa. Appearance was office like and not inviting. Heat and humidity was exceptional, and either the air-cons were not working, non- existent or simply turned off. However this this did not deter us, as we knew that this was no Oyster Box. Perhaps the treatment would live up to expectations. We arrived punctually, filled in forms, and were led to respective change rooms. After changing, we waited for approximately 20 minutes in a (?) seated area, in our gowns. It seems that this room is shared with the salon clients. Incredibly uncomfortable, as we were partially clothed. So as one of the salon clients happily munched her pizza (distinctly remembered the bacon smell), I awkwardly tried to cross my long legs and make conversation with my wife, who was at this time hot, sweaty and flustered. Eventually we were led to the massage room. My wife’s masseuse introduced herself as Candice. My masseuse, did not introduce herself to me. Later on after querying with the receptionist, I found out that her name was Livern. Apart from Livern doing my treatment haphazardly and hurriedly, there was no verbal communication between us. She must have had a real emergency as she finished my scrub 10 minutes before my wife was done and that was the last I saw her. Well, I was at least comforted by the fact that my wife was satisfied with her masseuse. But our satisfaction was short lived. After the scrub, we were sent in for a shower……there was no hot water, and just a trickle of cold water….. it seems that the water pressure in the prestigious Pearls is too low. So here I am stuck in the shower, with a trickle of cold water, wondering how to get myself out of a sticky situation. Wetting my towel, and rubbing the residue that I could reach, seemed to help. Well, at least we had the hydrobath and a glass of bubbly to look forward to….. We soon learnt that the hydrobath is just a fancy name for a jacuzzi, which seemed too small to fit the both of us. Furthermore, the water was cold, and tub was not full, as the water pressure was too low. We were only offered bubbly when making payment which we politely declined as we were by then too weary and only too happy to get away from the spa. The receptionist excitedly asked us, “and how was it?” Alas, dear, you either are delusional thinking that your spa is offering a great service, or maybe just oblivious to the fact that your spa is ripping of clients with an inferior and substandard service