Prior to speaking to with Tanya Ilustrisimo-House a Principal-Spa Consultant with House Consulting, my idea of a spa visit and the moments leading to a spa visit had been this: Browse spa menu. Book appointment. Go to appointment. Done. Unfortunately for me but fortunately for you, there’s a lot more to know about visiting a spa that could maximize your experience and actually save you money!

1. Forget Yelp.com.
The most important thing according to House, is that you seek out your friends for for good spa recommendations. It’s always best to get feedback from people you trust and share similar tastes as you do. If your spa experience turned out to be horrible, it might be time to get new friends.

2. Know a spa’s products and amenities.
“Once you have a spa in mind it is good to know what product lines they use to ensure they are reputable companies and have products good for all skin types. Also it is good to know what amenities they offer such as steam room, fitness room, fitness classes, jacuzzi, pool facility, etc. as this is an added value to your “spa day,” says House. Don’t forget to ask if the spa has food and beverages made to order — you can really make a day of it when you can spend the entire day onsite.

3. Still not sure about a spa? Take a tour!
While a spa day isn’t quite a major life investment, it’s definitely up there on the list of bigger purchases. A spa focused on customer service will offer you a tour. According to House, “This will only entice customers to book at their spa by selling their treatments and facility and gain confidence from the client. These days it is an investment for the average client so they want to be sure this spa is going to be worth their hard earned money.”

4. When booking spa treatments, comfort comes first.
Not a fan of nudity? House stresses that you avoid any treatments that are out of your comfort level. For some people, spas can be uncomfortable if your spa treatment requires to expose some skin. House says, “If you are not comfortable being totally exposed than you should avoid body treatments such as body wraps and body scrubs because these treatments usually have minimal draping, meaning your extremities are usually covered by very little, which also means you are not going to be relaxed.” Don’t mind being exposed in front of someone of the same gender? Be sure to state your gender preference in spa technicians to ensure availability for your visit.

Similarly, if you have issues with your skin or it is extremely sensitive, avoid booking facials.

5. Be picky about spa therapists.
“Ask for top therapists or most requested therapists, this will usually enusre that you are in good experienced hands and will leave satisfied,” says House.

6. On a budget? Go with a multiple treatment package.
Booking a multiple treatment package gives you more bang for your buck. According to House, “Most spas have multiple treatment packages which usually offer a discount of 10% or more. These packages usually offer a great variety of treatments so you can really get pampered from head to toe.”

House also recommends to look out for spa specials during the week. Most spas are slower during the week and deals are offered to entice people to book during the week.