It could have been 4 stars.
I went on a Monday afternoon for a facial, pedicure and whole body massage with hot stones.
The place is not cheap at all. I was willing to pay because this was meant to relax me the very day before my spine surgery, and I wanted to ensure the facilities were pleasant. Sadly, there are other massage places in Puerto Rico, but the facilities are either too bright, or not aesthetically pleasant, or if they exist, very few businesses have websites with photos of their facilities. This place is an institution and located in a very touristy area, so although I knew I was paying more, I went for it.
The facilities are nice. Dark and with those nice contemporary ceiling spotlights, and wood floors. There's New Agey music anywhere you go in the hallways and waiting areas, and they have fruit and water. I'd say they could ensure that the fruit is fresher, though. And I also did notice that, on the way upstairs to the 2nd level, the staircase area kind of looses the zen-ish atmosphere, because the walls need a little more paint and perhaps even color (not white and stained as they are), and a light dimmer. Also, because the halls and waiting areas are dark, I think they slouch a little on maintenance, since I noticed some water filtration spots in some areas and little fixtures that could use some attention. But generally, the dimmed lights and music, safe lockers, and friendly staff set the mood for me.
The facial was fantastic. The girl who did it was very sweet and did extractions as expected and my skin looked and felt good. I've had longer facials with microdermabrasion for cheaper, but I can't speak badly about the facial results nor the girl who did it. I forgot her name, unfortunately. She was very kind.
Karla was the girl who did my pedicure. She was nice and did a great job at smoothing my feet. The chair was a very nice reclinable chair with massage features and the pedi area in general was nice looking.
The bitter part was the massage... Dennis, who is one of the owners, greeted me and we spoke of my back condition and problems. He insisted that we didn't do hot stones and that the massage was instead more hands-on. Thinking he's the knowledgeable one -- there are many diplomas of his studies as a masseuse hanging on the walls of his massage room -- I agreed to discard the hot stones idea. The massage started out great but later developed into something different. I was uncomfortable. I won't get into details, but I didn't like it and I will not be going back.
So if you go, just avoid Saturdays, because from what one of the employees said, it gets impossibly crowded.
There's valet parking nearby and also meter parking upfront. This spa is right across from the Ventana Al Mar with the huge fountain, right in the heart of Condado, close to major hotels. read more