Cruisiness: 4/5
Price: Normally $20, but they're having a $10 "Summer Special" going on through the summer!
Pros: Clean, quiet, sauna and steam room are kind of hidden and private, saunas are perfect temperature (in my opinion)
Cons: Towel stinginess, small spa area, no seated showers, doesn't really have a cold pool.
So last Friday, I was again in the South Bay so I decided to head to CJ Spa in Hermosa Beach.
This one was hard for me to give an accurate rating. On the one hand, the quality of the facility is good. The temperature of the sauna and steam room was my ideal temperature, and the whirlpool was pretty close to that too. The place is clean and everything.
However, it's SMALL. There aren't all of the standard amenities one would expect in a Korean Spa. For example, there's no cold plunge pool, only an awkward-to-use rock pool with waterfall that's scarcely a replacement. There are also no seated shower stalls, and only three regular showers. Well, four, if you count the odd one between the whirlpool and the scrub table. Like its sister spa in Northridge, they only give you one bath towel and a hand towel when you enter.
Despite all that, I actually liked this spa quite a bit. Why? Because although it wasn't very crowded while I was there (no more than 5 guys at any one time during the 4 hours I was there), pretty much every guy there was looking for action. (except for one really cute guy, sadly). The door to the steam room is frosted glass--with no other windows-- and the dry sauna only has a small window on the door. This means there is quite a bit of privacy in these rooms. Employees seemed to constantly be walking through, though, so one would have to be careful.
Side note: the male employee that was working the front desk was one of the employees always coming through. When I was in the sauna (By myself, usually), he'd stick his head in and ask if everything was all right. Not sure if he was doing this purely from a customer service standpoint, if he was checking for inappropriate conduct, or if he just wanted to see me naked. Honestly, the latter option is the one I find the least objectionable... He was actually kind of cute. :-)
Anyway, based on my Friday evening experience, I thought it might be a good place for a future meetup, if the front desk employee would stop coming through. (especially during the $10 summer promo!)
CJ Grand Spa
1601 Pacific Coast Hwy. #280
Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
1601 Pacific Coast Hwy. #280
Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
I finally made it to my first Korean spa. I went to the Olympic Spa and had a blast. It sounds like the CJ Spa in Hermosa Beach might be fun, too.
ReplyDeleteWhat did you think of Olympic Spa? I honestly didn't realize it was an option... I thought it was for women only. I guess I'll have to visit it sometime!
DeleteOops. I meant to say that I went to the Century Spa. I was there midweek and I there were quite a few cute guys there in the evening -- probably 10-15 guys. It was everything you said that it would be and I'm looking forward to going again soon. What day of week and time of day do you think is the best time to go there?
DeleteIt depends... I've always liked weekday afternoons: a decent crowd but not so crowded that you can't get yourself a little privacy here and there. But sometimes it can be hit or miss for those same reasons.
DeleteI like the facilities at CJ Hermosa. Very clean & updated. But the amenities and towels are stingy. Plus I think the guys are not as good looking as, say, Century. I wish all the hot guys that go to 24 Fitness in the same building would come to CJ's. I like that everyone walks around 100% nude without covering up with a towel.
ReplyDeleteThe good thing about being stingy with towels is that guys are more likely to be completely naked! So there's that silver lining.
DeleteAnd yeah, in general I didn't find the guys to be as attractive as Century (but more attractive than, say, Lions Spa). But you really only need one hot guy to make it worthwhile. ;-)
Why no new reviews in over a month?
ReplyDeleteCombination of being really busy, not really feeling motivated to go to a spa with the warm weather we're having, and having some unexpected car repairs that really put a dent in my budget for the month.
DeleteHope to have u back blogging soon!
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ReplyDeleteJust moved to the area and went to CJ Hermosa as it's near my place. I gotta say, I really enjoyed it. I've been on a Sunday night and a weekday afternoon. Each time it's been fairly quiet with only a few guys there all looking for action. The facility is just as you described and while not huge, the rooms are really private and that's what counts for me. I also went out into the co-ed rooms and had some mild fun in there too. The asian guy at the front desk could be gay, I don't know but I did get that vide. Didn't have any "check in" visits while I was there so that was nice. Living right by there, I will absolutely be back. Just found your blog by the way so I'm looking forward to reading your other reviiews and maybe checking out some other places. I tend to go during the date/late afternoon and occasionally on the evenings...I work strange hours.
ReplyDeleteWhat kind of guys were there usually?
DeleteI've been by three times over this past month and thought it was pretty great. Nice looking guys (mostly 30s) and good play was had. Really nice, clean facility, too. Definitely a place to be naked which is a refreshing change of pace from Century.
DeleteYeah, I occasionally go there after work, as it's not far from where I work. I'll have to go again sometime soon.
DeleteGo to joy spa or royal spa google it!!
DeleteI usually encounter a lot of different types of guys there. Let's say there isn't anything I have turned away yet...well maybe 1.
ReplyDeleteIt was a big surprise when I heard about this place. I'm not originally from LA, and there aren't any Korean Spas where I moved from. I also live close by and like to hit it up every once in a while.
ReplyDeleteThere's nothing more liberating than chillin naked with other like-minded dudes.
Usually a mixed crowd, but I'd say more on the 35-55 range most of the time, at least when I've been. It's never too crowded so that's a plus, but it can be annoying when it's the same, older dudes cruising hard.
Either way, it's easy to get your own space by checking out the co-ed area.
After all, I like to go with the mindset of relaxing and spending some time to myself. Anything extra with the right person, is a plus.
CJ in Hermosa is really cracking down on gay activity. And the jerk at the front desk calls you to the public front desk area and yells at you (trying to shame you). This happened to me and one other friend and we were discreet (but he kept checking men's locker room every five minutes). If they keep doing this, the place will shut down because 99% of the male customers are gay. Next!
ReplyDeleteNo such thing happens at CJ Spa . . . no one pulls you out of the men's spa area to yell at you in the reception area. This was just a pure fabrication by someone trying to stir up trouble.
DeleteYeah, something doesn't seem right about this. Additionally, if you're caught by the staff, you're not being "discreet".
DeleteDudes--yes, it did happen. I guess I understand the skepticism since you don't know me and I posted anonymously. I've sent this site's blogger a personal email with my name and cell number if he wants to discuss further. I was trying to warn my fellow bros. CJs was not like this when I first started going--99% of the clients were gay and looking for action. I'm assuming one of the few str8 clients complained loudly and things started changing. By the time I got yelled at, the front desk guy was checking the men's locker room obsessively. And is it even possible to be truly discreet while having gay sex--even a quick encounter--in a public spa? Gimme a break. I would never do anything out in the open. Anything sexual happened in one of the two saunas, with the doors closed, or the private shower area behind the closed door (when the locker room was otherwise empty). And we were never caught in the act, btw. I hope none of you ever get called to the front and yelled at. But since it happened to a friend of mine and then me a few weeks later, it seems like it might be common practice. Play at your own risk.
DeleteWhat time and day of the week is the slowest?
ReplyDeleteI dropped by today for the first time and this place has amazing potential. Great set-up for fun. I could imagine action happening in the steam room and sauna...and there were a few guys looking. Unfortunately, nobody was "compatible". Looking forward to checking this place out again! When's the best time?
ReplyDeleteAnyone been recently?
ReplyDeleteI was there a couple of weeks ago. Why?
DeleteI was there today from around 3:45 - 5-ish. Facilities are as described here - more like a Marriott locker room than most of the K-spas I've been to in LA, but very clean. But more towels, please! I saw a grand total of 3 other guys (besides the attendant, who made a couple of passes through but was not intrusive by any means). One guy was departing as I arrived, one guy was only in the men's area briefly - he got dressed for the coed area and I saw him outside after with his gf, and one other guy was just hanging out, but I don't think I was his type. I did see a CL missed connection ad this evening, looking for someone who'd been there around 2, so maybe my timing was off. Anyway, nice place, but nothing compelling for me to return. Next time I might try Green or Seoul instead.
DeleteAnybody would like to go there between 2-6 pm today. I'm looking for some funs.
ReplyDeleteThis spa is closed!
ReplyDelete