Budget a spa day.
A spa day costs noticeably more than the treatment menu suggests, and the two additions catch people out. Gratuity is customary on treatments at 15 to 20% in North America and is calculated on the treatment price, not on the whole bill — so three treatments at 95 dollars carries about 51 dollars of tip. A day pass or facility fee is charged separately at many spas for access to pools, steam rooms and loungers, and is sometimes waived above a minimum treatment spend, which is worth asking about. Expressing the result as an all-in cost per treatment makes packages comparable: a bundled day package including lunch and access is often better value than the same treatments booked individually.
Spa Day Budget
Treatments = count x average cost; gratuity = treatments x gratuity%; total = treatments + gratuity + day pass + lunch
Fifteen to twenty percent of the treatment price in North America, given per therapist if you see more than one. Some spas add a service charge automatically — check before adding a tip on top.
Usually, because it bundles the facility fee and often lunch. Compare the package price against your all-in cost per treatment rather than against the treatment menu alone.