| rev:text
| - Dolce is sort of like the Wal-Mart of salon/spas. It has a high volume of customers, and they do try to get people in and out rather quickly to maximize profits. It is always going to be pretty crowded, loud, and more of an "anonymous" experience. It is also very overpriced.
HOWEVER, that said, Dolce is a nice, clean salon experience that employs some talented, well-trained staff. They offer lots of discounts that mitigate the high prices to some extent. Don't expect a relaxing resort spa - it's more of an energetic salon atmosphere. I found all the staff - from the front desk girls to the spa professionals - to be very friendly. So, I am not sure why many reviewers think they are snooty.
I recently visited Dolce after I saw a deal on Facebook, and purchased two $100 giftcards for $50 each. I received a 1.5 hr custom organic facial that left my skin soft and radiant. I was first taken to the spa waiting room, which is quieter than the salon portion of the establishment. The salon noise is mostly masked by a loud wall of water and the corny 'relaxation music' they pipe into the spa. However, besides dimmed lights, the waiting room is not like a typical day spa. There is water you can pour yourself, but no selection of herbal teas. I couldn't find any magazines, there were several other women crammed in there next to me, and some were talking loudly. This didn't bother me because I didn't wait long and I don't really care about waiting rooms, but someone expecting a soothing day spa atmosphere might be put off.
My esthetician (Bethany) was amazing. I highly recommend her, and would pay full price for a facial from her again. I left the session completely relaxed. It consisted of a variety of scrubs, masks, etc customized to my skin, extractions (not so soothing, but they never are), leg and arm massage, and face/upper body massage galore. I like being rubbed, and the facial did not disappoint.
However, I have some complaints about the treatment rooms. My room had no private shower. I am used to resort spas with full private bathrooms, which I think are necessary after oily massages and scalp treatments. I hope they have a shower facility or some rooms with private showers, or I would be hesitant to get other spa treatments at Dolce. Another thing - there was no basket for my clothes, so I just left them on the table.
Afterwards, I tried a chocolate pedicure. It was OK. For $70 full price, it is definitely not worth the money. You can get a comparable pedi for less than $20 from any random nail salon. The chocolate pedi is $10 more than a regular spa pedi, and they (lightly) rub coffee grains on your lower legs and smear chocolatey lotion on your feet. Smells good, but kind of left me feeling like, "so what?" I guess I expected more 'oomph' from it for $70. I will admit the massaging pedi chairs are very nice - they work your muscles much better than generic chairs at the little nail places. Still, I would not return to Dolce for a pedicure because of the exorbitant price.
Check out was easy and splitting tips on my card was no problem. No products were pushed on me. I agree with other reviewers about the front desk situation - there is always a long line, with no good system of standing in order. The front desk girls are efficient, though.
I think some of the stuff they sell up front is pretty cheesy (think sequined bags, gaudy faux jewelry), but someone must be purchasing it...
One more thing - the phone system for appointments is pretty lame. I waited on hold for 7 minutes to talk to a centralized appointment maker who spoke so fast I could barely understand her. Clearly, she was trying to get through as many calls as possible. I would have preferred to call the salon directly.
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