Short Version:
I booked a session with a hostess at Alo Spa (Montreal Rd), but upon meeting her, she didn't resemble her pictures, so I chose not to proceed. I asked for a refund, and while the receptionist initially refused, she eventually granted it but banned me from the spa. Apparently, if you are “catfished,” you must go through with the session or risk being banned.
Longer Version:
I contacted a hostess at Alo/Luxe Entertainment about booking a session. I won’t mention her name since this review might hinder her potential earnings and she’s relatively new. After a series of texts, we settled on the services and the rate. I went to Alo East (Montreal Rd) based solely on the pictures from the spa's website. When I arrived, I was greeted by the receptionist, who later turned out to be a hostess herself (mature, brunette, bilingual).
I realized I had forgotten some cash, so I informed the receptionist and returned after with the full amount. I paid $180 for a 45-minute session and waited in the lounge for the hostess. When she arrived, I was disappointed to find she looked significantly different from her photos. Not wanting to proceed under these circumstances, I went to the receptionist and tried to excuse myself politely, saying I had to somewhere to be and couldn’t follow through with the appointment. The hostess pressed me, and I explained that my expectations had not been met, and that she looked very different from her pictures. She then mentioned that I was texting her throughout the evening and that I should’ve known better and that she can’t issue a refund. I’m like ok fine you can keep the cash, but she then says, I will give you your money back but you are now banned from this location. I was really confused since how can a receptionist/hostess have the authority to issue a ban without consulting the owners.
Feeling empathetic toward the hostess, I decided to give her $100, equivalent roughly to how much she would’ve earned for the session, and left. Although she did not resemble her pictures, I felt she deserved compensation as I was the one that decided not to follow through with the appointment. The next day, I reached out to the spa’s admin via text to verify the ban. She confirmed it was legitimate, citing reasons like being "disrespectful," insisting the hostess resembled her photos, and that I’ve met the hostess previously so I should’ve been aware. I responded to her saying that I was never disrespectful, I was as respectful as one could be in that situation. Also, mentioning to her that I’ve had plenty of sessions previously and this was the first time I ever walked out because of one’s appearance. Her last point made me laugh as it was clear that day she was deliberately lying as I had never met the hostess before the appointment. I asked the admin to confirm whether the owner is in agreement with the ban and she said that they were.
Thus, I decided to write this review to share my experience. Be cautious when booking, and always ensure you see the hostess in person first before providing cash—unless she has a stellar reputation. I'd like to note that there several hostesses at Alo/Luxe that are great and provide A1 services. This incident does not reflect the quality of the entire spa. Cheers
I booked a session with a hostess at Alo Spa (Montreal Rd), but upon meeting her, she didn't resemble her pictures, so I chose not to proceed. I asked for a refund, and while the receptionist initially refused, she eventually granted it but banned me from the spa. Apparently, if you are “catfished,” you must go through with the session or risk being banned.
Longer Version:
I contacted a hostess at Alo/Luxe Entertainment about booking a session. I won’t mention her name since this review might hinder her potential earnings and she’s relatively new. After a series of texts, we settled on the services and the rate. I went to Alo East (Montreal Rd) based solely on the pictures from the spa's website. When I arrived, I was greeted by the receptionist, who later turned out to be a hostess herself (mature, brunette, bilingual).
I realized I had forgotten some cash, so I informed the receptionist and returned after with the full amount. I paid $180 for a 45-minute session and waited in the lounge for the hostess. When she arrived, I was disappointed to find she looked significantly different from her photos. Not wanting to proceed under these circumstances, I went to the receptionist and tried to excuse myself politely, saying I had to somewhere to be and couldn’t follow through with the appointment. The hostess pressed me, and I explained that my expectations had not been met, and that she looked very different from her pictures. She then mentioned that I was texting her throughout the evening and that I should’ve known better and that she can’t issue a refund. I’m like ok fine you can keep the cash, but she then says, I will give you your money back but you are now banned from this location. I was really confused since how can a receptionist/hostess have the authority to issue a ban without consulting the owners.
Feeling empathetic toward the hostess, I decided to give her $100, equivalent roughly to how much she would’ve earned for the session, and left. Although she did not resemble her pictures, I felt she deserved compensation as I was the one that decided not to follow through with the appointment. The next day, I reached out to the spa’s admin via text to verify the ban. She confirmed it was legitimate, citing reasons like being "disrespectful," insisting the hostess resembled her photos, and that I’ve met the hostess previously so I should’ve been aware. I responded to her saying that I was never disrespectful, I was as respectful as one could be in that situation. Also, mentioning to her that I’ve had plenty of sessions previously and this was the first time I ever walked out because of one’s appearance. Her last point made me laugh as it was clear that day she was deliberately lying as I had never met the hostess before the appointment. I asked the admin to confirm whether the owner is in agreement with the ban and she said that they were.
Thus, I decided to write this review to share my experience. Be cautious when booking, and always ensure you see the hostess in person first before providing cash—unless she has a stellar reputation. I'd like to note that there several hostesses at Alo/Luxe that are great and provide A1 services. This incident does not reflect the quality of the entire spa. Cheers
