If this hadn't been recommended to me by someone I trusted, I would have thought this was a *wink…read morewink nudge nudge* "massage parlor". The outside (and inside) is old and run down, and let's face it, it is named Shangri-La. However, my bestie and I decided to give it a go, and it ended up being awesome.
The front counter person was amazing, and explained everything in detail. Separate women and men sides, separate locker rooms, separate hot tubs and saunas. Then a communal room with small restaurant, small pool, salt spa and clay spa. You can use everything for $33, or you can pay extra for the whole body wash, facial, hair wash experience, which is what my friend and I did.
The system is as follows: pay upfront at the counter, and women are handed a pink outfit to change into, and a key to your locker. My friend and I dropped off our stuff, then went and soaked in the hot tub for about 20 minutes. Then we were called for our scrub. This is the part that was unlike anything I've ever done. You are doused in warm water, then every body part is scrubbed hard with a loofah and scrub salt until there is not an iota of extra skin anywhere on your body. Then oil is put everywhere, all the while laying there with a fresh cucumber mask. It was definitely a "hurt so good" experience, and even days later my skin is the smoothest it has ever been.
After that we dressed in our pink outfits, and went to the communal area to sit in the salt spa for a while and to grab something light to eat. This is the only area you can have your electronics with you. There was only one man doing everything in the restaurant (cooking, order taking, etc.), so our Korean pancake took about half an hour to make, and many others waited quite a long time to even place their food order
You definitely don't come here for the ambiance, but my friend and I can't wait to come back, as this really was such an wonderful way to pamper ourselves.
