Summary
While the service and facilities at Hua Spa are very good for the neighborhood and are actually 5 stars worthy, the price makes it impossible to give it anything higher than a 3 star rating. Hua Spa's pricing is exorbitant. The word "expensive" is not strong enough to convey that you are definitely not getting value for your money here. Hua Spa's price, compared to other spas who cater to a local clientele and offer similar quality service and facilities, is 30-40% higher. Hua Spa is priced at the gouge-money-from-tourists level but its located in a non-touristy area.
Services
I greatly enjoyed my treatment of body scrub and massage. My therapist was among the more skilled technicians I have experienced in this city. The attention to detail was unrivaled for both treatments. I was offered a choice of aromas for the massage, which was delightful and not common among local spas (but not unique). I have nothing but good feelings about the treatment I received.
Facility
Given the space premium of this neighborhood, this spa is spacious and it has a calming aroma, I had previously used the foot treatment room which is very colorfully appointed. I would wish for reclining chairs which is the norm, but the chairs and ottomans they use are very plush and, to be fair, I was given the option of a treatment bed and I chose the chair.
For my body treatments I was given a very well appointed treatment room that had a private full bathroom with shower. The room itself was large for this neighborhood but would be average or below average outside of CBD Makati. While not among the best treatment rooms I've experienced in the Metro, it was more than adequate and fit the high end nature of this spa. The treatment table, on the other hand, was outstanding and unique. Besides being the most comfortable treatment table I've been on, it has motorized recline and lift like a hospital bed. My only negative here, and its a complete nitpick, is the disposable underwear I was given to wear. It was definitely made for a female as it was too snug and had the exact appearance of "granny panties".
At the end of my service I was given a pot of herbal tea which I chose from a box of many choices. While every spa gives you tea, I appreciated the choice of premium herbal teas like I drink at home and the entire pot to enjoy.
Price
This is a big factor in my review. Let me say up front that I can afford the higher prices Hua Spa is charging and I will be using this spa despite its value deficit. That said, this review must take into account value for money and I wish to encourage this spa's management to rethink their exorbitant pricing; because I believe at current levels it is unsustainable and will eventually force it to close like others have. They should look at La Maison, located on the other side of Salcedo, which was also priced higher than average (not nearly as overpriced as as Hua Spa though) and they have seemingly closed for good. I do not want to lose another high end spa in this neighborhood.
So I paid P6000 (not including tip, of course) for a body scrub and massage combo at Hua Spa. Let's take a look at equivalent spas in the greater Makati area, shall we? At the benchmark consumer grade spa, The Spa on High Street, it costs P2600 for scrub and massage in a villa (private room with jacuzzi, shower and steam sauna). Neo Day Spa in Bonifacio is a boutique spa that has these incredibly airy and light treatment rooms I like. Body scrub and signature massage: P3250. I can go on, but all the high end spas catering to locals are priced below P4k for a scrub and massage. So let's look at spas that are priced for tourists (meaning very overpriced). Chi Spa at EDSA Shangrila Hotel scrub and massage: P5500 (going from memory). Le Spa at Sofitel: P6000.
Yes, it seems Hua Spa is priced to tourists. However, Salcedo Village is a business and residential neighborhood. There are no hotels here only serviced residences, and the only one of those with a spa is Qi Wellness; and they only charge about P3000 for a scrub and massage. Given that there is no parking, I cannot imagine there are enough lazy clientele (like myself) in this neighborhood that are willing to pay these exorbitant prices instead of being driven to one of multiple options for an equivalent treatment at up to 50% cheaper. On top of that, within just 1 block you have Qi Wellness along with another 8-10 mid and low end spas. Frankly I am baffled at the pricing.
Quick note: they currently do not accept credit cards but that should change in the future.
Overall
If you don't care about value for money (at all) and don't need parking then this is a good spa. Otherwise, I can't see why you would come here. read more