I was really excited when SWTHZ opened in Colma and signed up for the founder unlimited membership. It wasn't cheap, but I went for it because I wanted to support a new wellness spot and was genuinely excited to use the facilities. Unfortunately, the experience ended up being more frustrating than enjoyable.
The "free" session that wasn't free
At the grand opening, they promoted a free session for members. After mine, though, I was charged right away. It made me wonder--was it really free? That felt like the first red flag.
Staff and service issues
During my first couple of weeks, I came in several times per week, yet almost every time I checked in, staff still asked if I was "new." Even after chatting with the same employees multiple times, it felt robotic and impersonal. As someone who works in customer support, I know how important it is to recognize repeat customers--it really sets the tone for the experience.
One session, my sauna wasn't turned on. It started at 165° but the temperature kept dropping. I stepped out and asked a staff member for help. Instead of assisting me directly, she said she'd "get someone." After several minutes with no follow-up, I had to track down another employee myself. That person fixed it right away, while the first employee was just chatting with other members. Because of the delay, I lost a big chunk of my session.
When I explained what happened, I was told I'd get a 90-minute session next time as compensation. I even rearranged my schedule to make sure I had time to use it. But when I came back, I was told that 90-minute sessions "don't exist" and was given a strange look for even asking. I ended up just doing my regular hour. When I asked about a partial refund for the lost session, I was told that they "don't refund anyone for any reason."
Strict with customers, but not themselves
Timing policies are rigid here. If you're even a minute late, time gets deducted from your session. I understand wanting to keep things on schedule, but the inconsistency is frustrating. Multiple times, the rooms weren't ready when I arrived. Sometimes staff would switch me to another unit (5 or 6), which I don't like--unit 5 is oversized, so it takes much longer to heat up, while unit 6 is so small it feels cramped, especially if your clothes are damp.
In one case, my girlfriend was one minute late, but her original room wasn't ready. They moved her into a different room and still deducted three minutes from her session. How does that make sense? Would they have deducted the same time even if the cleaners hadn't finished the original room? This kind of lack of common sense in applying policies really bothered me.
Facilities and equipment problems
There were several smaller but recurring issues as well:
The remotes and TVs sometimes didn't work, and when I asked, the solution was "just cast from your phone," which often didn't work either.
The cold plunge occasionally looked pretty gross, with hair left behind from the session before.
Staff sometimes started the timer before I had even stepped into the sauna, which meant I lost a minute or two just getting settled, changing, or setting up music/TV.
Cancellation confusion
After 3-4 months, I decided it was time to cancel. I submitted my cancellation form on the day I was charged, thinking that meant July would be my last month. A staff member confirmed that I was "all good." But then I got charged again in August.
When I called, the owner explained that because I submitted the form on my billing date instead of the day before, my "30 days" counted for the next month instead of the current one. In other words, they require 30 days' notice, but even if you cancel right after your billing, you're still charged for another full month. To me, that feels misleading.
Worse, I was told they "can't refund for any reason" because "corporate" controls everything. I pressed on this, because I was genuinely curious if there were any exceptions. I was told no, never. But when I pushed further and asked for a three-way conversation with corporate, I was suddenly placed on hold--and then magically told that corporate had approved a refund. So apparently refunds are possible, just not something they're upfront about.
Final thoughts
I gave this place several months, multiple chances, and plenty of patience. While the concept is great and there's clearly potential here, my overall experience was marked by inconsistent service, confusing policies, and equipment issues that made it hard to enjoy what I was paying for.
If you get lucky with staff and everything goes smoothly, you might enjoy it. But if you expect reliable service and clear communication, I'd suggest waiting until they've worked out their growing pains--or looking elsewhere in the meantime. read more