Review: Seoul Sauna, Gardena

Amenities: 2/5  
Cruisiness: 1/5

Price: $10

Pros: Inexpensive, unlimited small towels.  
Cons: Small, was pretty crowded when I was there, pretty much all Korean

So after my disastrous visit at Green Sauna in Gardena, I decided to check out another spa only a few blocks away.

This is another men-only spa, but there was a woman working at the front counter. I paid my entry and she held out a tray of razors in case I wanted to shave. I didn't need to, but she insisted I take one. So, I took one... seemed easier than explaining to her that, no, I really didn't need one. It's in my medicine cabinet in my bathroom now, unused. 

I also got a single large towel. However, there was a basket of small orange towels by the spa entrance to use, also.

Put my shoes in the shoe locker, which was only a few feet from my main locker which seemed a bit silly, but oh well.

There was one big bench in the middle of the locker room. In the middle of the bench was a pair of nail clippers, attached to the bench with a ribbon. And a purple plastic tray with probably 50 guys' worth of toenail clippings. Gross.

Entered the wet area and it was pretty small: Three tubs (hot, warm and cold), four upright showers and three seated showers. A small body scrub area in a dark corner near the showers. And a sauna and a steam room. It was fine, actually, nothing too fancy but not bad. It was really crowded though... probably at least 15 other guys in a pretty small area, and I was the only non-Asian there. I felt like they were eying me suspiciously the whole time I was there, which was kind of weird. 

I soaked in the warm tub for a while, then tried out the steam room, which was hot. Seriously, the hottest steam room I think I've experienced in a Korean Spa to date. I could only handle a couple of minutes and I had to get out. The dry sauna was better, still hot but more tolerable.

There was also a sleeping room with a heated floor (I think they called it a Jade Room, but I'm not sure) and a recliner area with a television. The Jade Room was pretty warm, and I was actually sweating quite a lot in there. The biggest annoyance about it was that there was a window between the Jade Room and the Recliner room, so the flickering of the television was kind of distracting.

I went there after work and got there a little after 5... it was crowded then, but most had left by 6:00. Still didn't have the place to myself or anything, but it was easier to relax and have some space.

This place wasn't cruisy at all. Even if you found someone and there was mutual interest, there's really no private place to play here. So if you're looking for that, I'd recommend going somewhere else.

Seoul Health Spa
15212 S. Western Ave
Gardena, CA 90249