So, without further ado, here are the winners of my first (possibly annual) Guys Spa Awards!
Best Korean Spa Restaurant: Wi Spa. Wi Spa was the overwhelming winner for this category. The only spa I've ever eaten at was Century Spa, and it was pretty good. I will have to try Wi Spa sometime though!
Best Body Scrub: Century Spa. I agree with this one. There were a couple of votes for CJ Hermosa, which I think also does (did?) a good body scrub. But I'd have to say that Century is better.
Best Massage: Century Spa. I've never been overly impressed with the massages at any of the spas, including Century. But my vote, amongst the spas that I've actually gotten massages at, would go to Aroma Spa.
Most Relaxing Spa: Natura Spa. Runner-up in this category was also my choice: Beverly Hot Springs.
Cruisiest Spa: Century Spa. This one wasn't even close, which surprised me, as I'd put Wilshire Spa at the same level in this category.
Best Eye Candy: Century Spa. Again, I'm going to have to throw my vote to the runner-up: Wi Spa. There's little, if any, action at Wi Spa, but I have to say there are some very attractive men that go there.
Best Spa in Orange County: ISpa, Irvine. The only spa I've been to in the OC is Imperial Spa in Fullerton, but it sounds like I should check out ISpa.
Worst Spa: Lions Spa. Votes were all over the place on this one, with Wilshire Spa in second place by only one vote. I've said in my reviews which spa I thought was the worst: Green Sauna in Gardena. I can only assume that not enough people have been there, and that's why it didn't get more than a single vote in this category.
Best Spa Value: No Consensus. Yeah, there was a 3-way tie for this one: Wi Spa, Century Spa, and Natura Spa, with Joy Spa and Wilshire Spa only one vote behind. I would probably go with Century Spa, because it's only 15 bucks to get in if you check in on Foursquare or Facebook, and you get access to so many more saunas for the money.
Best Overall Spa: Natura Spa. Second place was Wi Spa, and third place was Century Spa, but Natura Spa was the clear winner here.. These three are also my three favorite spas at the moment, but honestly I have a tough time picking my "favorite"... it totally depends on how I'm feeling that particular day.
Happy New Year, guys!
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Monday, December 16, 2013
The Guys Spa Awards!
So I get emails and comments of people asking "What is the best spa?" And my answer is always "it depends on what you're looking for!"
But now's your chance to provide some feedback.
I'm making a poll where you can vote in ten different categories: Best Korean Spa restaurant, Best Korean Spa body scrub, Best Korean Spa massage, Most relaxing spa, Cruisiest spa, Best eye candy, Best overall spa, Best spa in Orange County, Worst spa, and Best spa value
Please only vote once! And if you honestly don't have an opinion on a category, go ahead and leave it blank.
This is my first time using Google Docs to make a form, so I hope it works...
Click HERE for your ballot.
I'll leave the voting open for a couple of weeks.
I'm making a poll where you can vote in ten different categories: Best Korean Spa restaurant, Best Korean Spa body scrub, Best Korean Spa massage, Most relaxing spa, Cruisiest spa, Best eye candy, Best overall spa, Best spa in Orange County, Worst spa, and Best spa value
Please only vote once! And if you honestly don't have an opinion on a category, go ahead and leave it blank.
This is my first time using Google Docs to make a form, so I hope it works...
Click HERE for your ballot.
I'll leave the voting open for a couple of weeks.
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
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
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
Sunday, December 1, 2013
CJ Hermosa temporarily closed?
So word on the street is that CJ Spa in Hermosa is "Closed for Renovations"... I'm not sure how long, or what they're doing.
Hopefully they're making some improvements... I've been less enthusiastic about them lately, as there are better spas in Koreatown for cheaper, and it's hard to get to unless you're already in the South Bay, and the one-towel thing that's been going on, etc.
Anyway, if anyone learns more, keep us posted!
Hopefully they're making some improvements... I've been less enthusiastic about them lately, as there are better spas in Koreatown for cheaper, and it's hard to get to unless you're already in the South Bay, and the one-towel thing that's been going on, etc.
Anyway, if anyone learns more, keep us posted!
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Review: Green Sauna, Gardena
Amenities: 1/5
Cruisiness: 2/5
Price: $15
Pros: None.
Cons: Small, dirty, horrible.
Well, I finally have a least favorite Korean spa.
Green Sauna is in a mini-mall in Gardena. It's in the corner, and the storefront is hard to figure out if you're in the right place. Right off the bat, it's weird.
You enter around a curtain and you're immediately in the locker room. The locker room is nothing special. Going into the spa, there are three upright showers (two to the left of the door, one to the right), three seated showers, a large-ish hot pool, and a cold pool. There's a steam room and a "Jade room" at the far end.
The steam room wasn't steamy. The hot pool wasn't really that hot. There were no lights in the jade room (which was basically a room with a headed stone floor), but the walls appeared to be cork or something, and I think the lights would have revealed the cork to be peeling off.
There was mildew on the walls. There was mildew on the floors (seriously, there was a massive black patch on the steam room floor). There was mildew on the ceiling. There was mildew on the bottle of conditioner in the shower. I am not exaggerating. Some of the tiles had come off in the warm pool, creating a little pile of dirt on the bottom (the jets didn't really work, so I could see the bottom... I guess it was a good thing that the water wasn't cloudy.)
I had the place to myself for most of the time I was there, which made it kind of creepy. I've had spas to myself before and I wasn't creeped out, but this place did creep me out.
Cruisiness: 2/5
Price: $15
Pros: None.
Cons: Small, dirty, horrible.
Well, I finally have a least favorite Korean spa.
Green Sauna is in a mini-mall in Gardena. It's in the corner, and the storefront is hard to figure out if you're in the right place. Right off the bat, it's weird.
You enter around a curtain and you're immediately in the locker room. The locker room is nothing special. Going into the spa, there are three upright showers (two to the left of the door, one to the right), three seated showers, a large-ish hot pool, and a cold pool. There's a steam room and a "Jade room" at the far end.
The steam room wasn't steamy. The hot pool wasn't really that hot. There were no lights in the jade room (which was basically a room with a headed stone floor), but the walls appeared to be cork or something, and I think the lights would have revealed the cork to be peeling off.
There was mildew on the walls. There was mildew on the floors (seriously, there was a massive black patch on the steam room floor). There was mildew on the ceiling. There was mildew on the bottle of conditioner in the shower. I am not exaggerating. Some of the tiles had come off in the warm pool, creating a little pile of dirt on the bottom (the jets didn't really work, so I could see the bottom... I guess it was a good thing that the water wasn't cloudy.)
I had the place to myself for most of the time I was there, which made it kind of creepy. I've had spas to myself before and I wasn't creeped out, but this place did creep me out.
Pretty much the only thing this place had going for it was the fact that if you did find someone to fool around with, there is both plenty of privacy and the steam room and jade room are cool enough that you can last a while in there without passing out.
When I was getting dressed to leave, a female employee walked through the locker room. It doesn't really bother me (I've been in plenty of coed nudist situations) but it might freak some people out.
I did a google search on this place and I found some old posts on forums alluding to possible "happy ending" massages by the female masseuses. The posts were misogynistic and racist and just seemed creepy to me. Granted, the posts were years old, but still.
Seriously, don't bother with this spa.
I'm not even giving out their address.
When I was getting dressed to leave, a female employee walked through the locker room. It doesn't really bother me (I've been in plenty of coed nudist situations) but it might freak some people out.
I did a google search on this place and I found some old posts on forums alluding to possible "happy ending" massages by the female masseuses. The posts were misogynistic and racist and just seemed creepy to me. Granted, the posts were years old, but still.
Seriously, don't bother with this spa.
I'm not even giving out their address.
Monday, September 30, 2013
Body types
I've seen a few comments in the open threads, and gotten some emails as well. People wondering how they'd be treated at a spa if they're overweight.
I'm not really sure exactly what they mean. I was at Century Spa on Sunday and there were guys of all shapes and sizes. Skinny guys, muscular guys, average guys, and various degrees of overweight guys. I didn't personally see any negativity toward overweight guys.
That said, I got the sense that they meant something like "will the guys have sex with me?"and the answer is "Who knows?" Different guys are attracted to different types. For me personally, body type isn't all that important. If a guy is overweight, I can still find them attractive.
But do thin/muscular/young guys get more action? Probably. Just like in the world outside of the spa.
But if you're going to a Korean spa with the expectation that it's a sexual free-for-all, or if you think the price of admission includes some kind of "right" to fool around with the people of your choosing simply because you're all naked, then you shouldn't go.
Anyone disagree?
I'm not really sure exactly what they mean. I was at Century Spa on Sunday and there were guys of all shapes and sizes. Skinny guys, muscular guys, average guys, and various degrees of overweight guys. I didn't personally see any negativity toward overweight guys.
That said, I got the sense that they meant something like "will the guys have sex with me?"and the answer is "Who knows?" Different guys are attracted to different types. For me personally, body type isn't all that important. If a guy is overweight, I can still find them attractive.
But do thin/muscular/young guys get more action? Probably. Just like in the world outside of the spa.
But if you're going to a Korean spa with the expectation that it's a sexual free-for-all, or if you think the price of admission includes some kind of "right" to fool around with the people of your choosing simply because you're all naked, then you shouldn't go.
Anyone disagree?
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Review: Beverly Hot Springs, Koreatown
Amenities: 3.5/5
Cruisiness: 2.5/5
Price: $30 weekdays, $40 weekends
Pros: Fed by a natural hot spring, nice facility, combo locks so no need for a key
Cons: Expensive, limited towels, tiny steam room, 9pm closing time
Finally, a new review!
I felt like going to a spa today so I decided to check out one that I'd heard about for years but never got around to checking out until now: Beverly Hot Springs.
It's unlike any other Korean spa I've been to. You enter and are greeted by this 2-story waterfall, surrounded by plants. I went to the front desk and got my entry: $30 for the spa, which is way more expensive than almost any other K-Town spa, and it's $40 on the weekends!
After paying, to get to the men's spa, you take the elevator to the second floor, and the attendant gives you two large towels. (I actually don't know if they'd give me more towels; I never asked.) The towels are probably way larger than they really need to be, to be honest (practically bath sheet size), but the quality of the towels is nice. You can pick whichever locker you want; instead of being issued keys, the locks are all combination; you set the combo to whatever 4-digit number you choose. Setting the lock was slightly confusing, but I figured it out. The lockers are huge; they're full height, rather than half-height top/bottom lockers one sees in most locker rooms.
The spa itself is really nice: stone walls, and a waterfall surrounded by green plants at the end of the hot pool. It was pretty clean. My biggest complaint about the spa area in general was that it was so dark! There was very little lighting in the main room, and it was actually difficult for my eyes to adjust after being in the bright lights of the locker room or steam room.
There are four standing showers, but they're kind of scattered: two next to each other, a third one across from them, and a fourth one on the other side of the wall. Additionally, there are three seated showers.
The centerpiece of the spa is the warm pool, which is spring-fed. The pool is huge. The posted occupancy limit of the pool is 20 people, but I think it could at least accommodate twice that. The minerals in the spring water actually have a noticeable effect... my skin felt super soft after soaking in it. The temperature was pretty close to ideal for me. Another great thing about the warm pool was that the edge of the pool, along the back wall, had a slanted edge that was just perfect for leaning my head back.
Next to the warm pool was the cold plunge. It was also a pretty good temperature. It was just so damn dark in the corner where the pool was. Also, there was a stone sculpture sticking out of the corner that I didn't notice and I hit my head on it.
The steam room was also a pretty good temperature. If it were up to me, I maybe would have lowered the temperature by a couple of degrees, but it wasn't bad at all. The problem was that it was small. It seemed almost crowded when only three people were in there... it probably could have accommodated a fourth, but no more than that. Fortunately, it wasn't too busy on a Tuesday night so we never had to test it out.
The dry sauna was not nearly as hot as I'm used to in most spas. The thermometer in the sauna said it was around 135 degrees. That said, I wasn't complaining... I thought it actually felt great, and I was able to spend more time in there as a result. The sauna was larger than the steam room, with three tiers of benches with a slanted backrest on the top tier. It was great for relaxing, but it wouldn't surprise me if some people complained about it not being hot enough.
There's also a relaxation area. I hesitate to call it a sleeping room because (1) the beds are more like non-adjustable lounge chairs (with foam padding, so they're relatively comfortable), and (2) the noise from the waterfall is loud enough to not be able to relax very much. I would have liked a lie-flat option for resting.
The spa was never really crowded when I was there... when I got there there were maybe 4 or 5 other men there, mostly older men (generally Caucasian) and I really wasn't getting a gay vibe from them. But there was a younger guy (maybe mid 30s?) who was definitely interested. As my time went by, the older guys left and the crowd got noticeably younger (and pretty good looking). There were a couple of guys there who seemed like they were on the down-low, like they kind of wanted to play but were too afraid to try.
And that's the biggest issue with the spa if you're looking to play around... there really isn't anyplace to do it. Both the sauna and the steam room have glass doors, and the steam room is small enough that you can't get far enough back in the steam to conceal any "activities" you might be interested in doing.
That said, I actually really liked this spa. The magic waters actually did feel great on my skin, and I liked the decor... felt way more "natural" than most Koreatown spas. I just wish it were cheaper. I'd actually planned on visiting twice, once on a weekday and once on a weekend, before doing my review. But I can't see myself paying $40 for a spa entry. Although the body scrub, at $60, includes the spa entry, so that might make more sense on the weekend. (still pricier than most other spas though!)
Cruisiness: 2.5/5
Price: $30 weekdays, $40 weekends
Pros: Fed by a natural hot spring, nice facility, combo locks so no need for a key
Cons: Expensive, limited towels, tiny steam room, 9pm closing time
Finally, a new review!
I felt like going to a spa today so I decided to check out one that I'd heard about for years but never got around to checking out until now: Beverly Hot Springs.
It's unlike any other Korean spa I've been to. You enter and are greeted by this 2-story waterfall, surrounded by plants. I went to the front desk and got my entry: $30 for the spa, which is way more expensive than almost any other K-Town spa, and it's $40 on the weekends!
After paying, to get to the men's spa, you take the elevator to the second floor, and the attendant gives you two large towels. (I actually don't know if they'd give me more towels; I never asked.) The towels are probably way larger than they really need to be, to be honest (practically bath sheet size), but the quality of the towels is nice. You can pick whichever locker you want; instead of being issued keys, the locks are all combination; you set the combo to whatever 4-digit number you choose. Setting the lock was slightly confusing, but I figured it out. The lockers are huge; they're full height, rather than half-height top/bottom lockers one sees in most locker rooms.
The spa itself is really nice: stone walls, and a waterfall surrounded by green plants at the end of the hot pool. It was pretty clean. My biggest complaint about the spa area in general was that it was so dark! There was very little lighting in the main room, and it was actually difficult for my eyes to adjust after being in the bright lights of the locker room or steam room.
There are four standing showers, but they're kind of scattered: two next to each other, a third one across from them, and a fourth one on the other side of the wall. Additionally, there are three seated showers.
The centerpiece of the spa is the warm pool, which is spring-fed. The pool is huge. The posted occupancy limit of the pool is 20 people, but I think it could at least accommodate twice that. The minerals in the spring water actually have a noticeable effect... my skin felt super soft after soaking in it. The temperature was pretty close to ideal for me. Another great thing about the warm pool was that the edge of the pool, along the back wall, had a slanted edge that was just perfect for leaning my head back.
Next to the warm pool was the cold plunge. It was also a pretty good temperature. It was just so damn dark in the corner where the pool was. Also, there was a stone sculpture sticking out of the corner that I didn't notice and I hit my head on it.
The steam room was also a pretty good temperature. If it were up to me, I maybe would have lowered the temperature by a couple of degrees, but it wasn't bad at all. The problem was that it was small. It seemed almost crowded when only three people were in there... it probably could have accommodated a fourth, but no more than that. Fortunately, it wasn't too busy on a Tuesday night so we never had to test it out.
The dry sauna was not nearly as hot as I'm used to in most spas. The thermometer in the sauna said it was around 135 degrees. That said, I wasn't complaining... I thought it actually felt great, and I was able to spend more time in there as a result. The sauna was larger than the steam room, with three tiers of benches with a slanted backrest on the top tier. It was great for relaxing, but it wouldn't surprise me if some people complained about it not being hot enough.
There's also a relaxation area. I hesitate to call it a sleeping room because (1) the beds are more like non-adjustable lounge chairs (with foam padding, so they're relatively comfortable), and (2) the noise from the waterfall is loud enough to not be able to relax very much. I would have liked a lie-flat option for resting.
The spa was never really crowded when I was there... when I got there there were maybe 4 or 5 other men there, mostly older men (generally Caucasian) and I really wasn't getting a gay vibe from them. But there was a younger guy (maybe mid 30s?) who was definitely interested. As my time went by, the older guys left and the crowd got noticeably younger (and pretty good looking). There were a couple of guys there who seemed like they were on the down-low, like they kind of wanted to play but were too afraid to try.
And that's the biggest issue with the spa if you're looking to play around... there really isn't anyplace to do it. Both the sauna and the steam room have glass doors, and the steam room is small enough that you can't get far enough back in the steam to conceal any "activities" you might be interested in doing.
That said, I actually really liked this spa. The magic waters actually did feel great on my skin, and I liked the decor... felt way more "natural" than most Koreatown spas. I just wish it were cheaper. I'd actually planned on visiting twice, once on a weekday and once on a weekend, before doing my review. But I can't see myself paying $40 for a spa entry. Although the body scrub, at $60, includes the spa entry, so that might make more sense on the weekend. (still pricier than most other spas though!)
If the price were lower, it would definitely be among my favorite spas. But yeah, at twice (or more!) the price of most other spas, I probably won't visit here too much.
Beverly Hot Springs
308 N Oxford Ave (at Beverly, 1 block east of Western)
Los Angeles, CA 90004
http://www.beverlyhotsprings.com/
Beverly Hot Springs
308 N Oxford Ave (at Beverly, 1 block east of Western)
Los Angeles, CA 90004
http://www.beverlyhotsprings.com/
Friday, August 9, 2013
Natura tonight?
Thinking of hitting up Natura tonight (Friday Aug 9)... Roughly 5:30-8:00 or so. Maybe later. Anyone want to meet there?
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
More Groupons!
A couple more Korean Spa Groupons were posted in the last day or so:
Wilshire Spa - 2 visits for $16:
http://www.groupon.com/deals/wilshire-spa-1
CJ Spa Hermosa - $10 for one visit plus $15 off a service:
http://www.groupon.com/deals/cj-grand-health-spa-3
Wilshire Spa - 2 visits for $16:
http://www.groupon.com/deals/wilshire-spa-1
CJ Spa Hermosa - $10 for one visit plus $15 off a service:
http://www.groupon.com/deals/cj-grand-health-spa-3
(The CJ deal actually makes their body scrub, normally $50, actually affordable!)
If you've never bought anything from Groupon before, and you want to support this blog, use this link: http://www.groupon.com//raf/UserReferral_rp/121015/10r1act/lk/uu4361422
...I get a $10 referral bonus if you use it!
Saturday, July 6, 2013
Orange County spas
I meant to post this link a while ago, but completely forgot. Anyway, someone decided to do a blog about Orange County spas.
http://ocgayguidekoreanspa.blogspot.com/
The only one I've been to is Imperial Spa in Fullerton... I meant to write a review of it but I kept putting it off until it got to the point where I couldn't remember all the details anymore.
http://ocgayguidekoreanspa.blogspot.com/
The only one I've been to is Imperial Spa in Fullerton... I meant to write a review of it but I kept putting it off until it got to the point where I couldn't remember all the details anymore.
Monday, June 3, 2013
Century Spa update
I went to Century Spa on Friday night and I had a few comments:
- There are signs everywhere telling people to shower before entering the pools, and warning that anyone who doesn't will be kicked out. Which I agree with, but it still bugs me that they even have to put the signs up... I mean IT'S COMMON SENSE. That said, as I was leaving on Friday night I saw two guys come in and go straight for the tubs without showering first. Eww. Maybe they need a big sign right in front of the stairs to the tub.
- Also, a new sign stating that no smoking is allowed on the patio. Excellent! (For me at least. I guess it sucks if you're a nicotine addict)
- I met up with a couple of friends there and we ended up going upstairs to the restaurant to eat. It was my first time there, and it was pretty good. I also got a chance to check out the Jimjilbang. It seemed ok (and was absolutely deserted on Friday night) with like 5 saunas of varying temperatures. I still hate the idea of having to wear clothes and sweating in a sauna though.
- Back to the men's area, it felt like the temperatures were cranked up on several saunas: the marble sauna felt warmer (but I actually liked it), but both the mist sauna and steam room were way too hot. The steam room would have way too hot steam going for a while, then it would shut off and cool down (almost too much, and the steam would mostly dissipate) before turning back on. I've been to other spas that do a much better job at maintaining a constant temperature; I wish they'd do the same.
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Review: Joy Spa, Hacienda Heights
Amenities: 2.5/5
Cruisiness: 4/5
Price: $15
Pros: Unlimited small towels, not too expensive, three pools
Cons: Seemed kind of dirty, or at least in need of a revamp
I "came out" to a friend of mine regarding this blog over the weekend: I knew that he reads the blog so I confessed to him that I was the author. And... he'd already figured it out. There were a few subtle clues that he picked up on, and he recognized my writing style, and that made him pretty sure it was me. Anyway, it was funny.
Part of our conversation was about Korean spas and how (as I discussed in an earlier post) it's supposed to be this Korean cultural thing (and, to a lesser extent, other Asian cultures) but gay guys are using them to hook up without discretion, thereby being disrespectful to the Asian guys. Which I totally agreed with, as I pretty much said in my previous post. Anyway, this becomes relevant later...
So I was on my way back from being out of town over the long holiday weekend and I figured I'd give one of the other spas in the San Gabriel Valley a try. I basically flipped a coin and decided to check out Joy Spa. It's in a strip mall on Hacienda Blvd, fairly nondescript from the outside.
I paid my $15 to get in, and entered the locker room. It's a big locker room, with lockers along the walls and recliners in the middle facing a television. Kind of like Wilshire Spa. There was only one sink in there, which was odd; even the smallest spas I've seen have multiple sinks.
Unlike most spas, the locks here aren't electronic, so you have a big metal key on your wristband. Not as bad as Lions Spa though, where it makes noise when you move around. So I'm thankful for that. Unlimited small towels are folded and stacked next to the door to the wet area.
Inside the wet area, there are standing showers (6 of them I think) to the right, followed by 6 more seated showers beyond that. On the left are the pools: cold, warm, and hot. The pools were decent size; the middle one had a capacity of 8, the others seated 5. Across from the pools (and next to the seated showers) was the body scrub area. There was absolutely zero privacy there... if you're getting a scrub, anyone in the pools is going to get a full view of what's going on.
Past the scrub area is the steam room and the sauna. The steam room wasn't large; it could maybe seat 6 or 7 comfortably. The sauna was a bit bigger though. Both the sauna and the steam room were at good temperatures: hot enough, but not TOO hot. One thing about the sauna, though, was just that it seemed dirty. The wood was old and was showing its age. The door was supposed to be clear glass but what was probably years of moisture and splashes made it partially opaque on the lower 2/3 of it, with no apparent effort made to get those water stains off. And in parts of the sauna, when I put my towel down, the color from the wood transferred to the towel, looking kind of like skid marks. Uhh, no thanks.
After exploring those rooms for a bit, I headed back to the locker room and found two rooms: a sleeping room (with recliners), and a room that was kind of a clay room (had clay walls), kind of a marble room (had a marble floor) but was hotter than those respective rooms at Century Spa. It was the kind of room I'd expect in a coed Jimjilbang, but it was nice to have one off the locker room where I could be nude.
The clientele varied while I was there: when I first got there (mid-afternoon) it was almost entirely Asian guys. Which was pretty much what I expected, being Hacienda Heights and all. Oh, there were a couple of kids there too, at least briefly. Eventually, though, the crowd changed to probably half-and-half Asians and non-Asians. Then as afternoon started to turn into evening, it got more and more crowded, and I think the balance turned more Asian. And this big group of youngish, tattooed Asian guys came in.
But here's the thing... it seemed like the Asians were being more cruisy than the White and Latin guys. Usually, I go in with the assumption that most of the Asian guys are at the spas for the cultural aspect, and most of the non-Asian guys are there to see penises. But it seemed like a lot of the Asian guys (actually MOST of the Asian guys) were looking to play more than the white guys, at least until the tattooed gang came in. So anyway, so much for my friend's observation that it's the Asians that are being disrespected when white guys come to play!
Oh, I forgot to add: there were signs all over the place warning that anyone participating in "inappropriate behavior" would be kicked out and banned. Kind of tacky, actually. But it was being widely ignored, as far as I could tell!
There was this super cute young Asian guy that I could tell was trying not to get a hard-on (and failing! Ha!)... we fooled around a little bit but it started getting crowded and I'd been there long enough anyway.
Anyway, the place is fine, I guess, if you like Asian guys and you happen to be in the area... but I wouldn't make a special trip out there, to be honest.
Hacienda Joy Spa
2020 S. Hacienda Bl. Suite H
Hacienda Heights, CA 91745
http://haciendajoysauna.com
Cruisiness: 4/5
Price: $15
Pros: Unlimited small towels, not too expensive, three pools
Cons: Seemed kind of dirty, or at least in need of a revamp
I "came out" to a friend of mine regarding this blog over the weekend: I knew that he reads the blog so I confessed to him that I was the author. And... he'd already figured it out. There were a few subtle clues that he picked up on, and he recognized my writing style, and that made him pretty sure it was me. Anyway, it was funny.
Part of our conversation was about Korean spas and how (as I discussed in an earlier post) it's supposed to be this Korean cultural thing (and, to a lesser extent, other Asian cultures) but gay guys are using them to hook up without discretion, thereby being disrespectful to the Asian guys. Which I totally agreed with, as I pretty much said in my previous post. Anyway, this becomes relevant later...
So I was on my way back from being out of town over the long holiday weekend and I figured I'd give one of the other spas in the San Gabriel Valley a try. I basically flipped a coin and decided to check out Joy Spa. It's in a strip mall on Hacienda Blvd, fairly nondescript from the outside.
I paid my $15 to get in, and entered the locker room. It's a big locker room, with lockers along the walls and recliners in the middle facing a television. Kind of like Wilshire Spa. There was only one sink in there, which was odd; even the smallest spas I've seen have multiple sinks.
Unlike most spas, the locks here aren't electronic, so you have a big metal key on your wristband. Not as bad as Lions Spa though, where it makes noise when you move around. So I'm thankful for that. Unlimited small towels are folded and stacked next to the door to the wet area.
Inside the wet area, there are standing showers (6 of them I think) to the right, followed by 6 more seated showers beyond that. On the left are the pools: cold, warm, and hot. The pools were decent size; the middle one had a capacity of 8, the others seated 5. Across from the pools (and next to the seated showers) was the body scrub area. There was absolutely zero privacy there... if you're getting a scrub, anyone in the pools is going to get a full view of what's going on.
Past the scrub area is the steam room and the sauna. The steam room wasn't large; it could maybe seat 6 or 7 comfortably. The sauna was a bit bigger though. Both the sauna and the steam room were at good temperatures: hot enough, but not TOO hot. One thing about the sauna, though, was just that it seemed dirty. The wood was old and was showing its age. The door was supposed to be clear glass but what was probably years of moisture and splashes made it partially opaque on the lower 2/3 of it, with no apparent effort made to get those water stains off. And in parts of the sauna, when I put my towel down, the color from the wood transferred to the towel, looking kind of like skid marks. Uhh, no thanks.
After exploring those rooms for a bit, I headed back to the locker room and found two rooms: a sleeping room (with recliners), and a room that was kind of a clay room (had clay walls), kind of a marble room (had a marble floor) but was hotter than those respective rooms at Century Spa. It was the kind of room I'd expect in a coed Jimjilbang, but it was nice to have one off the locker room where I could be nude.
The clientele varied while I was there: when I first got there (mid-afternoon) it was almost entirely Asian guys. Which was pretty much what I expected, being Hacienda Heights and all. Oh, there were a couple of kids there too, at least briefly. Eventually, though, the crowd changed to probably half-and-half Asians and non-Asians. Then as afternoon started to turn into evening, it got more and more crowded, and I think the balance turned more Asian. And this big group of youngish, tattooed Asian guys came in.
But here's the thing... it seemed like the Asians were being more cruisy than the White and Latin guys. Usually, I go in with the assumption that most of the Asian guys are at the spas for the cultural aspect, and most of the non-Asian guys are there to see penises. But it seemed like a lot of the Asian guys (actually MOST of the Asian guys) were looking to play more than the white guys, at least until the tattooed gang came in. So anyway, so much for my friend's observation that it's the Asians that are being disrespected when white guys come to play!
Oh, I forgot to add: there were signs all over the place warning that anyone participating in "inappropriate behavior" would be kicked out and banned. Kind of tacky, actually. But it was being widely ignored, as far as I could tell!
There was this super cute young Asian guy that I could tell was trying not to get a hard-on (and failing! Ha!)... we fooled around a little bit but it started getting crowded and I'd been there long enough anyway.
Anyway, the place is fine, I guess, if you like Asian guys and you happen to be in the area... but I wouldn't make a special trip out there, to be honest.
Hacienda Joy Spa
2020 S. Hacienda Bl. Suite H
Hacienda Heights, CA 91745
http://haciendajoysauna.com
Thursday, April 25, 2013
[CLOSED] Official Spa Buddy Posting Open Thread, Part 2
Hey guys,
NOTE: I started a new post because the other one was getting too full of comments! So use this one instead.
I decided to create this post specifically so you guys can post in the comments if you're looking for someone to go to a spa with, or meet up there, or whatever... makes it a lot easier than going through all the previous posts to see if people have posted there. So if you're planning to go and want to meet people there, you can post (or look) here instead!
A few guidelines...
(1) Post some information about yourself...physical description, age, ethnicity, interests and hobbies... I really don't care. I'm not going to force you to reveal everything about yourself, but I'm not going to drive all the way to Koreatown to hang out with someone that I know absolutely nothing about.
(2) Sign your name, nickname, user name, whatever you make up to identify yourself. It makes it a lot easier to reply to you, as opposed to "hey, third person to reply to this comment"
(3) Be specific...
(4) If you want to talk to someone privately, leave some kind of contact information! It can be a blogger profile that you're logged into, an adam4adam or dudesnude profile, your email address, whatever. One idea is to post something on Craigslist... when you do that, they give you a throwaway temporary email address that forwards to your own email... it's useful if you don't want to post your email address here.
(5) Maybe make some mention of your expectations. If you're looking to jerk off (or more), say so. If you absolutely don't want to do anything sexual and just want to hang out nude with other guys, say so. Not everyone is going there for the same thing.
(6) Be respectful. Don't be racist, ageist, etc... Remember that this isn't your private home, and you can't just tell a certain class of people that they're not welcome.
NOTE: I started a new post because the other one was getting too full of comments! So use this one instead.
I decided to create this post specifically so you guys can post in the comments if you're looking for someone to go to a spa with, or meet up there, or whatever... makes it a lot easier than going through all the previous posts to see if people have posted there. So if you're planning to go and want to meet people there, you can post (or look) here instead!
A few guidelines...
(1) Post some information about yourself...physical description, age, ethnicity, interests and hobbies... I really don't care. I'm not going to force you to reveal everything about yourself, but I'm not going to drive all the way to Koreatown to hang out with someone that I know absolutely nothing about.
(2) Sign your name, nickname, user name, whatever you make up to identify yourself. It makes it a lot easier to reply to you, as opposed to "hey, third person to reply to this comment"
(3) Be specific...
- GOOD: "I'll be at Century Spa from 7pm-11pm tonight (Dec. 21), wearing a black digital sports watch and my key on my left ankle. And carrying a green water bottle."
- BAD: "I'll be at Century Spa tonight. I'm the guy with a towel. Say hi!"
(4) If you want to talk to someone privately, leave some kind of contact information! It can be a blogger profile that you're logged into, an adam4adam or dudesnude profile, your email address, whatever. One idea is to post something on Craigslist... when you do that, they give you a throwaway temporary email address that forwards to your own email... it's useful if you don't want to post your email address here.
(5) Maybe make some mention of your expectations. If you're looking to jerk off (or more), say so. If you absolutely don't want to do anything sexual and just want to hang out nude with other guys, say so. Not everyone is going there for the same thing.
(6) Be respectful. Don't be racist, ageist, etc... Remember that this isn't your private home, and you can't just tell a certain class of people that they're not welcome.
Monday, April 22, 2013
100k Pageviews!
Some time in the past 24 hours, this blog hit 100,000 page views. I have no clue how many actual readers that translates to, but thanks!
I was thinking of having a contest or something to celebrate, but I don't really know what to do. So everyone should just go to a spa on their own to celebrate!
I was thinking of having a contest or something to celebrate, but I don't really know what to do. So everyone should just go to a spa on their own to celebrate!
Monday, April 15, 2013
Review: Natura Spa, Koreatown
Amenities: 3/5
Cruisiness: 2/5
Price: $15
Pros: Clean, unlimited (small) towels, relatively inexpensive
Cons: Small, basically just minimum spa amenities
I've been meaning to check this place out for a while and finally got around to it. It's in the "Wilshire Galleria", which I guess used to be an old department store, but is now a weird little mall that's chopped up into smaller stores. The first time I went there (on a weekend), I took the subway (the Wilshire/Vermont station is only a block away) and the second time (on a weekday) I parked in the lot, which is free with spa validation.
To get to the spa, you have to take the elevator. There aren't any stairs I could find; I usually like to take stairs if I'm only going a floor or two, but it didn't seem like an option. Both times, the front desk staff were friendly. One note... I've been to two different spas on Mondays after work where they didn't have body scrubs available. I guess the scrubbers take Mondays off or something. Just warning you.
So anyway, the spa is small. I mean, similar to East West Spa small. The wet area consists of 7 standup showers, maybe 12 sit-down showers, a steam room, a dry sauna, a warm pool and a cold plunge. And the small body scrub area. And not much room for much else. Outside of the wet area, there's a cooling room (like an ice sauna) and a sleeping area with both recliner chairs and a warm stone floor for sleeping. Oh, and the sleeping area is super dark. The sauna and the steam room are both pretty good size, as is the hot pool.
The clientele both times I went was probably about 80% Asian, presumably straight, so there aren't a whole lot of cruising prospects. But both times I went, there were a few non-Asian guys that seemed interested. The dry sauna and steam room have large glass windows, so unfortunately, there are not many safe places to play, only in the far back corner of the steam room and the sleeping room, but both times I was there both rooms were busy enough that it was nearly impossible to really get anything going. There were even more non-Asian guys that didn't seem to be doing any cruising at all, so really, this isn't the best place to do it. (Even though some of those guys were hot!)
It's a great place for checking out other guys though, as the towels they provide are hand-towel sized, so you can't wrap them around your waist. Everyone was completely nude. Just try not to stare and make guys uncomfortable. ;-)
There's a separate woman's spa, I think, but there's no coed area to hang out if you have a ladyfriend. There's also a restaurant and a gym... I guess you need to being workout stuff for the gym. I think. One thing I liked about the locker room area is that they had ice water with slices of citrus in it, so you got tasty water. :-)
All in all, it's not a bad spa if you're looking for something not so cruisy (like Century) but a little cruisier than Wi (and with no kids running around!)
Natura Spa
3240 Wilshire Blvd, Suite B
Los Angeles, CA 90010
http://natura-spa.com
Cruisiness: 2/5
Price: $15
Pros: Clean, unlimited (small) towels, relatively inexpensive
Cons: Small, basically just minimum spa amenities
I've been meaning to check this place out for a while and finally got around to it. It's in the "Wilshire Galleria", which I guess used to be an old department store, but is now a weird little mall that's chopped up into smaller stores. The first time I went there (on a weekend), I took the subway (the Wilshire/Vermont station is only a block away) and the second time (on a weekday) I parked in the lot, which is free with spa validation.
To get to the spa, you have to take the elevator. There aren't any stairs I could find; I usually like to take stairs if I'm only going a floor or two, but it didn't seem like an option. Both times, the front desk staff were friendly. One note... I've been to two different spas on Mondays after work where they didn't have body scrubs available. I guess the scrubbers take Mondays off or something. Just warning you.
So anyway, the spa is small. I mean, similar to East West Spa small. The wet area consists of 7 standup showers, maybe 12 sit-down showers, a steam room, a dry sauna, a warm pool and a cold plunge. And the small body scrub area. And not much room for much else. Outside of the wet area, there's a cooling room (like an ice sauna) and a sleeping area with both recliner chairs and a warm stone floor for sleeping. Oh, and the sleeping area is super dark. The sauna and the steam room are both pretty good size, as is the hot pool.
The clientele both times I went was probably about 80% Asian, presumably straight, so there aren't a whole lot of cruising prospects. But both times I went, there were a few non-Asian guys that seemed interested. The dry sauna and steam room have large glass windows, so unfortunately, there are not many safe places to play, only in the far back corner of the steam room and the sleeping room, but both times I was there both rooms were busy enough that it was nearly impossible to really get anything going. There were even more non-Asian guys that didn't seem to be doing any cruising at all, so really, this isn't the best place to do it. (Even though some of those guys were hot!)
It's a great place for checking out other guys though, as the towels they provide are hand-towel sized, so you can't wrap them around your waist. Everyone was completely nude. Just try not to stare and make guys uncomfortable. ;-)
There's a separate woman's spa, I think, but there's no coed area to hang out if you have a ladyfriend. There's also a restaurant and a gym... I guess you need to being workout stuff for the gym. I think. One thing I liked about the locker room area is that they had ice water with slices of citrus in it, so you got tasty water. :-)
All in all, it's not a bad spa if you're looking for something not so cruisy (like Century) but a little cruisier than Wi (and with no kids running around!)
Natura Spa
3240 Wilshire Blvd, Suite B
Los Angeles, CA 90010
http://natura-spa.com
Monday, April 8, 2013
Spa Etiquette: It's all about respect
OK, serious subject here for a moment. This post has been on my mind for a while, and I finally decided to sit down and actually write it down.
I've been both hearing disturbing reports (through comments on this blog) as well as witnessing certain behaviors myself that are downright inappropriate for Korean spa settings.
So let me just say that Korean spas aren't sex clubs! When I talk about cruising and messing around on this blog, it should be assumed that I mean DISCREETLY and with the consent of everyone involved (including everyone within sight)... if you want to have open sex without worrying about who sees what, there are other places for that. Like here. Or here. Or here.
I go to Korean spas primarily to relax, release tension, and to be in a nudist setting. Yeah, if you're gay, checking out other guys comes with the territory, and sometimes there's mutual interest.
But seriously, everyone should be following these simple guidelines:
And also? Most spas do have people keeping an eye out for that kind of thing. Despite the reputation that Century Spa has, I know the management walks around all the time looking out for stuff like this--I've seen it myself. None of the Korean spas are really "safe" places for sexual activity, so don't treat them like they are.
I'm interested in hearing others' perspective on this.
I've been both hearing disturbing reports (through comments on this blog) as well as witnessing certain behaviors myself that are downright inappropriate for Korean spa settings.
So let me just say that Korean spas aren't sex clubs! When I talk about cruising and messing around on this blog, it should be assumed that I mean DISCREETLY and with the consent of everyone involved (including everyone within sight)... if you want to have open sex without worrying about who sees what, there are other places for that. Like here. Or here. Or here.
I go to Korean spas primarily to relax, release tension, and to be in a nudist setting. Yeah, if you're gay, checking out other guys comes with the territory, and sometimes there's mutual interest.
But seriously, everyone should be following these simple guidelines:
- Do not jerk off or have any kind of sexual contact if you aren't certain that everyone around you wants to see it. Seriously, I've heard stories of guys at Century Spa in the upstairs meditation room jerking off in the window in full view of everyone downstairs. Personally I've gone into the sleeping room at Wilshire Spa and seen full-on blowjobs. I wasn't participating. I wasn't showing interest. Likewise at Lions Spa. That's not appropriate AT ALL. Not everyone is gay. And even if they are, not all gays want to see that.If you're the only one jerking off and everyone is ignoring you, you look pathetic. Seriously.
- Assume that anyone walking by or entering whatever area you're in does not want to see it. I, myself, have walked into, for example, the clay room at Century, and seen a guy just jerking off, without any reservations. Never mind that nobody else (there were 4 or 5 other guys in there) was participating. It was creepy. A comment that was left earlier today was about a straight guy who was intimidated into leaving the spa because of sexual activity going on at CJ Spa. This is not what I had in mind when I created this blog. If you're playing around (and, it happens, but maybe you should consider taking it back to your place), make sure you are in a position where you're able to stop and cover yourself BEFORE anyone accidentally walks into the room and sees what you're up to.
- NEVER, EVER touch anyone without their consent. Another time I was in the sleeping room at Wilshire, honestly doing nothing but resting, and the creepy guy next to me, out of nowhere, GRABS MY COCK. There's a word for that, and the word is "rape." He is really lucky that I didn't make a scene, but I was sure thinking about it.
And also? Most spas do have people keeping an eye out for that kind of thing. Despite the reputation that Century Spa has, I know the management walks around all the time looking out for stuff like this--I've seen it myself. None of the Korean spas are really "safe" places for sexual activity, so don't treat them like they are.
I'm interested in hearing others' perspective on this.
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Review: Aroma Spa, Koreatown
Amenities: 4/5
Cruisiness: 1/5
Price: $15, with a spa treatment (waived if over $90 in treatments)
Pros: Big, plenty of amenities in the spa, not at all cruisy (is that a pro or a con?), pleasant staff
Cons: Either membership or spa service required
So a couple of months ago I saw a Groupon offer for $39 for a massage and spa pass for Aroma Spa. I'd never heard of the place, but I looked around Yelp and saw that it was a legit Korean spa. And I'm not going to pass up a $39 massage. So I bought it. I finally got around to using the Groupon a couple of weeks ago.
One thing I learned through reading up on this place on Yelp is that you can't just go in and pay for a spa entry; you have to either get a treatment, or get a membership. From what I understand, memberships are over $2000 per year. Uh, I don't go to the spas THAT much! But I had my $39 massage in hand (I think they're regularly $75).
The spa entrance is on the third floor of the building. I wasn't sure if they validated parking so I just found parking on the street. It's also a short (2-block) walk from the Wilshire/Western subway station.
An attendant showed me around, although the tour wasn't all that helpful as he barely spoke English. I found my locker and took off my clothes and looked around the spa. There were three pools: hot, warm, and cold. There was also a steam room, a dry sauna, and a "mud sauna", which was basically the same as the dry sauna (maybe slightly less hot) and had clay on the walls, and smelled a little like clay. There was also an ice sauna. The spa area also had a heated stone floor area for laying down. Back into the locker room area, there was a separate quiet relaxation room with recliners.
There were TV's in the dry and mud saunas. I was actually getting into this Korean soap opera (there were English subtitles) called something like "A Gentleman's Dignity". It was kind of silly. But I couldn't stand to be in the sauna long enough to figure out where the mystery teenager came from, and which of the "Gentlemen" in the show was his father. Still, some of the most interesting Korean TV I've seen! Haha.
The clientele was almost entirely Korean and middle-aged (although the fact that I was there on a Sunday morning may have had something to do with it). I saw one other white guy there when I first got there... he looked familiar; I'm sure I'd seen him at another spa before. But there was no cruising going on at the spa. The saunas and steam room could have been private enough to mess around, but there wasn't anyone there looking for anything. So this is definitely a spa to go to if you're NOT looking for other guys to fool around with.
My massage was great; probably the best massage I've ever had at a Korean spa (I had the "Swedish/Shiatsu combo massage"), although the women walking barefoot on my back still weirds me out whenever it happens.
I never explored the co-ed areas of the spa but apparently they have a full gym and a pool.
Oh, and I read an article recently (within the past few days) by Margaret Cho... She visited Aroma Spa and apparently they asked her to leave because the women in the women's spa were uncomfortable with her tattoos... so yeah, it definitely attracts the super-traditional Koreans.
Aroma Wilshire Center
3680 Wilshire Boulevard (at Serrano Ave)
Los Angeles CA 90010
http://www.aromaresort.com/
Cruisiness: 1/5
Price: $15, with a spa treatment (waived if over $90 in treatments)
Pros: Big, plenty of amenities in the spa, not at all cruisy (is that a pro or a con?), pleasant staff
Cons: Either membership or spa service required
So a couple of months ago I saw a Groupon offer for $39 for a massage and spa pass for Aroma Spa. I'd never heard of the place, but I looked around Yelp and saw that it was a legit Korean spa. And I'm not going to pass up a $39 massage. So I bought it. I finally got around to using the Groupon a couple of weeks ago.
One thing I learned through reading up on this place on Yelp is that you can't just go in and pay for a spa entry; you have to either get a treatment, or get a membership. From what I understand, memberships are over $2000 per year. Uh, I don't go to the spas THAT much! But I had my $39 massage in hand (I think they're regularly $75).
The spa entrance is on the third floor of the building. I wasn't sure if they validated parking so I just found parking on the street. It's also a short (2-block) walk from the Wilshire/Western subway station.
An attendant showed me around, although the tour wasn't all that helpful as he barely spoke English. I found my locker and took off my clothes and looked around the spa. There were three pools: hot, warm, and cold. There was also a steam room, a dry sauna, and a "mud sauna", which was basically the same as the dry sauna (maybe slightly less hot) and had clay on the walls, and smelled a little like clay. There was also an ice sauna. The spa area also had a heated stone floor area for laying down. Back into the locker room area, there was a separate quiet relaxation room with recliners.
There were TV's in the dry and mud saunas. I was actually getting into this Korean soap opera (there were English subtitles) called something like "A Gentleman's Dignity". It was kind of silly. But I couldn't stand to be in the sauna long enough to figure out where the mystery teenager came from, and which of the "Gentlemen" in the show was his father. Still, some of the most interesting Korean TV I've seen! Haha.
The clientele was almost entirely Korean and middle-aged (although the fact that I was there on a Sunday morning may have had something to do with it). I saw one other white guy there when I first got there... he looked familiar; I'm sure I'd seen him at another spa before. But there was no cruising going on at the spa. The saunas and steam room could have been private enough to mess around, but there wasn't anyone there looking for anything. So this is definitely a spa to go to if you're NOT looking for other guys to fool around with.
My massage was great; probably the best massage I've ever had at a Korean spa (I had the "Swedish/Shiatsu combo massage"), although the women walking barefoot on my back still weirds me out whenever it happens.
I never explored the co-ed areas of the spa but apparently they have a full gym and a pool.
Oh, and I read an article recently (within the past few days) by Margaret Cho... She visited Aroma Spa and apparently they asked her to leave because the women in the women's spa were uncomfortable with her tattoos... so yeah, it definitely attracts the super-traditional Koreans.
Aroma Wilshire Center
3680 Wilshire Boulevard (at Serrano Ave)
Los Angeles CA 90010
http://www.aromaresort.com/
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Review: Spa Renaissance, Industry
Amenities: 3/5
Cruisiness: 1/5
Price: $25
Pros: Unlimited towels, perfect temperature whirlpool and steam room
Cons: No privacy, place was practically deserted... plus, a little pricey for what you get.
I saw a Groupon for this place so I decided to check it out and not pay full price. The City of Industry is a little farther from me than Koreatown is, but I had errands to run sort-of on the way so I decided to check it out.
When you walk into the spa area, there are "lockers" for your shoes. They don't actually lock though, which is annoying... after hearing a story of someone whose shoes were swiped at Wilshire Spa. From there you walk past the coed lounge and into the men's area.
The men's area isn't that large... I'd almost compare it to East West Spa in Koreatown in terms of size, but this one is a little bit nicer and a little larger. There is a warm pool, a hot pool (which is really shallow, for some reason), and a cold pool. There is also a sauna (which was hotter than I usually like) and a steam room (which was the perfect temperature for me!)
There are also unlimited towels, which is nice. The towels were pretty nice, too. Nice and thick.
Also in the men's area was a dark sleeping room with three recliners, right off the locker room.
In the coed area, other than the recliners in the lounge area, there was a clay sauna and a salt sauna. They would have been fine in the men's area, but since it's coed, you have to wear the provided shirt and shorts, and it was just too sweaty for me with clothes on. There was also a restaurant in the coed area.
This was a fine spa if you're not looking to meet guys... for much of the time I was there (a Saturday afternoon) I had the men's spa to myself. A handful of guys (all Asian and presumably straight) came in and out while I was there, but for the most part I had privacy.
If you are looking for action, though, this isn't the place to do it. There is no place for privacy... the steam room's door is clear glass, and there isn't enough steam to obscure anyone in there. The sauna also has a clear glass door. So, yeah, just go there for the spa experience and don't worry about the guys, and you'll be fine.
Spa Renaissance
17980 Castleton St.,
City of Industry CA 91748
http://www.spa-renaissance.com
Cruisiness: 1/5
Price: $25
Pros: Unlimited towels, perfect temperature whirlpool and steam room
Cons: No privacy, place was practically deserted... plus, a little pricey for what you get.
I saw a Groupon for this place so I decided to check it out and not pay full price. The City of Industry is a little farther from me than Koreatown is, but I had errands to run sort-of on the way so I decided to check it out.
When you walk into the spa area, there are "lockers" for your shoes. They don't actually lock though, which is annoying... after hearing a story of someone whose shoes were swiped at Wilshire Spa. From there you walk past the coed lounge and into the men's area.
The men's area isn't that large... I'd almost compare it to East West Spa in Koreatown in terms of size, but this one is a little bit nicer and a little larger. There is a warm pool, a hot pool (which is really shallow, for some reason), and a cold pool. There is also a sauna (which was hotter than I usually like) and a steam room (which was the perfect temperature for me!)
There are also unlimited towels, which is nice. The towels were pretty nice, too. Nice and thick.
Also in the men's area was a dark sleeping room with three recliners, right off the locker room.
In the coed area, other than the recliners in the lounge area, there was a clay sauna and a salt sauna. They would have been fine in the men's area, but since it's coed, you have to wear the provided shirt and shorts, and it was just too sweaty for me with clothes on. There was also a restaurant in the coed area.
This was a fine spa if you're not looking to meet guys... for much of the time I was there (a Saturday afternoon) I had the men's spa to myself. A handful of guys (all Asian and presumably straight) came in and out while I was there, but for the most part I had privacy.
If you are looking for action, though, this isn't the place to do it. There is no place for privacy... the steam room's door is clear glass, and there isn't enough steam to obscure anyone in there. The sauna also has a clear glass door. So, yeah, just go there for the spa experience and don't worry about the guys, and you'll be fine.
Spa Renaissance
17980 Castleton St.,
City of Industry CA 91748
http://www.spa-renaissance.com
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Body Scrub
Went to a spa after work last night and decided to get a body scrub. It was the first time I'd gotten a scrub at this particular spa, and the scrubber was actually not bad looking.
I noticed that, during the scrub, when he'd be lifting my arm to scrub wherever, my hand would usually come to rest against his body or legs. And when my arms were down, I (intentionally) would let my hands spill over the side of the table, and the scrubber would often brush his legs and shorts against my hands.
Honestly, it was a turn on. Because I couldn't really see what he was up to, I'm not sure what was brushing against my hand a lot of times. But my imagination was making me think that he was rubbing his crotch on me. And that made me start to get hard.
Fortunately I didn't get totally hard. But it was hard enough that I'm sure he noticed. Anyway I have no idea if it was intentional on his part, but I liked it anyway. maybe he was just fishing for a good tip. :-)
Otherwise it was a really good body scrub.
I've noticed (at Century Spa, mostly) other guys getting hard during their scrub. I was at Century a couple of weeks ago and there was this super hot guy getting scrubbed on the table, his huge hard cock out there for all to see (at least, for everyone in the scrub area to see). Still, last night was the first time I've had an issue with that... I'm usually able to suppress it.
I noticed that, during the scrub, when he'd be lifting my arm to scrub wherever, my hand would usually come to rest against his body or legs. And when my arms were down, I (intentionally) would let my hands spill over the side of the table, and the scrubber would often brush his legs and shorts against my hands.
Honestly, it was a turn on. Because I couldn't really see what he was up to, I'm not sure what was brushing against my hand a lot of times. But my imagination was making me think that he was rubbing his crotch on me. And that made me start to get hard.
Fortunately I didn't get totally hard. But it was hard enough that I'm sure he noticed. Anyway I have no idea if it was intentional on his part, but I liked it anyway. maybe he was just fishing for a good tip. :-)
Otherwise it was a really good body scrub.
I've noticed (at Century Spa, mostly) other guys getting hard during their scrub. I was at Century a couple of weeks ago and there was this super hot guy getting scrubbed on the table, his huge hard cock out there for all to see (at least, for everyone in the scrub area to see). Still, last night was the first time I've had an issue with that... I'm usually able to suppress it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)