A few weeks ago, some friends and I went to a Korean spa in Atlanta for a bit of pampering before my friend’s wedding. If you’ve never been to one before, I highly recommend finding one in your area. It’s definitely different than your average spa experience, though …
The Korean Spa Experience
To start, when you check in, you’re given a standard issue outfit to wear around the spa and in the saunas. The spa is strict about this – so don’t go in thinking you’ll decline and keep your own clothes. Cute, right??
In the main co-ed area there are a number of saunas, along with a full cafeteria, and a jade swimming pool.
The Saunas
There are a number of saunas in varying heat levels that are made with different stones and materials. They’re really beautiful rooms that are covered in gem stones and other natural materials.
Inside the Gemstone Sauna
My favorites were the salt sauna and the jewel sauna. Each sauna supposedly has different benefits – but when you read between the lines, they basically are calming and detoxifying.
Inside the Salt Sauna
After visiting every sauna, we ate lunch in the cafeteria before getting ready to go to the hot tubs and steam room.
On Stripping Down
This is where the Korean spa experience gets a little unnerving. Before going into the women-only room with all the hot tubs and steam rooms, you have to completely strip down. No clothing is allowed in that area.
At first, I was nervous – not for my close friends to see me naked, but to strip down and walk into a room full of strangers. But it was oddly liberating. A moment to relax and feel good in your own skin.
The Body Scrub
After enjoying the tubs for a bit, we went for their famous body scrubs. You’re basically sprawled out on a table while a woman wearing Brillo-pad mitts rubs your skin within an inch of its life. It sounds unpleasant, but it leaves you feeling so soft and smooth. After the scrub, they massage you with cucumber oil, give you a facial, and shampoo your hair.
It’s the most extensive pampering I’ve had and the whole day was under $130 (including food and tips). Have you been to a Korean Spa? Was it a similar experience?
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