Disclaimer : This is MY OPINION, based on MY EXPERIENCE.
I've written in a previous post about how I've become a SPA convert, and it's all Stel's fault. It's a good thing that whenever he finds the urge to have a spa day, he usually readily treats ME.
We've had our fair share of SPA and NAIL SALON experiences which I never really reviewed in the past. Suffice it to say that we've tried ENOUGH to know WHAT IS and WHAT ISN'T.
Fortunately, (or unfortunate for the other spas?) we had the privilege to try out
CHI SPA, one of the best spas in the country last February. It was SUCH AN EXPERIENCE for us, that the next ones were pale in comparison. We tried Suriya Spa recently for their volcanic rock treatment (because such would cost around p5000 each at Chi) but we weren't that impressed because it just couldn't compare. We're itching to try out
THE SPA at the Fort (with the inidvidual villas), and
THE MANDARIN ORIENTAL Spa for the Ventosa. Soon.
Ipon muna. Haha.Stel and I swear by THE NAIL LOFT (in San Juan) for their manicures and pedicures. I love the serenity and smell of the place. It's also super convenient for both of us. I love how their imported polishes can last two to three weeks without being chipped off.
Since Stel passes by this new spa place :
AHAVIA LOUNGE SPA in San Juan while it was being constructed every single day on the way home from Cardinal, we vowed to try it when we got the chance to. It opened last month, and has been fully operational from 11am to 3am. They converted an old house into this spa, and some of the facilities were still being built. I'd have to admit though that their prices were too cheap to resist, so despite it being in it's first months of operation, we took the risk and tried it out.
Kinda stupid I'd say.
The ambience was pretty zen-like, interiors were black and minimalist, lights were dim, and most of the areas were quiet. They had different treatment rooms (COMMON ROOMS) for express services (foot/hand/hair treatments), massages, scrubs. They also had one couples' suite (which looked pretty nice, but it DID NOT have it's own private bathroom).
I decided to try out their foot spa (p199) and the protein hair treatment (p299), while Stel had the 2 hour signature massage (p599). Since the couple's room was being used at the time we came, we had our treatments separately. Honestly, the express room looked quite nice with about 5lounge chairs, with a movie playing on the flat screen TV.
I was surprised that the same therapist applying the protein treatment on my scalp, was also the same therapist who did my footspa (and the treatment was done almost simultaneously). Okay, it must sound gross, but although I knew that she would wash her hands thoroughly in between shifting from my hair to my feet, it was still such an appaling thought nevertheless. The hair treatment was actually quite good. I loved the scalp and facial massage. Even the footspa was relaxing too. I would've wanted a better foot massage, but seeing as the therapist was getting confused between what to do with my hair and my feet, I just let her do her thing without really demanding much.
It was their facilities (or lack thereof) that I was quite troubled about.
Firstly, their specialties were their scrubs, which would be very evident when you enter the reception. They had all the different types of scrubs laid out in small bottles which you could smell and that would definitely entice you to try out one of them. The owners were manning the place, so they would really encourage clients to try out the scrubs before talking about the other services. Now, if that was their focus, why would they have only two comfort rooms (for BOTH ladies and men)- one with a toilet and shower, one with a shower room (with only a makeshift door)??? They would conduct their scrubs in another area, and clients would have to CROSS the reception through freezing cold, and a mixture of people, dripping with the scrub to get to the bath area? While I was there, the second shower room wasn't even functional. My heart went out to this other girl who had a very pissed look on her face because she went into the shower room, only to have to shout and call a therapist, who told her to transfer to the other bathroom to take a bath there? Such a hassle. Most of the spas I've been to who offer scrubs have private showers inside the therapy rooms, or separate ones for male and female. With the present setup at this spa, there was a very good chance that a guy could walk into the shower with a girl right inside!! That wouldn't be relaxing at all! Shared toilet too? Without a urinal? Haay.
They offered a SPA manicure and a SPA pedicure. And I just saw how it was done. It was just like any other service in some hair salons. They do not even soak your feet or your hands, and just do a REGULAR dry one. They shouldn't claim that it was a special 'SPA' one then.
Lastly, they offered hair treatments. Now, they also offered hair treatments at THE NAIL LOFT. But would you believe that they didn't even have WARNINGS that they DID NOT have a HAIR DRYER anywhere? SO STUPID of me not to ASK. And stupid of me to ASSUME. But come on, how can you offer hair treatments and not even dry your customers hair? And yeah, they had body scrubs too... They must expect all their customers to just go home after the treatment or to live nearby. That would be possible if they only open at night. BUT a WARNING if possible? My, I can't forget the PISSED look on the other client's face even before taking a shower. Knowing this might have made her night.
Yes, I forgive them because they're BARELY into their second month, and GROWING PAINS are understandable. But if you were opening a spa business, wouldn't you have at least gone around and tried other spas (even in the area), learned from your spa experiences and applied it to your business? If their reason that they only had two shower rooms was because they were still expanding, then they shouldn't offer the scrubs YET. And please learn that PRIVACY is a very BIG issue for women. I cannot understand why they readily mix their clients together, even their male/female staff, and risk you walking through everyone on the way to showering all the body scrub off. These are basic service decencies.
A spa is a place to relax, to escape and to refresh oneself. Sometimes I call it a semi-vacation. We pay a price for their services. The prices of AHAVIA SPA are pretty affordable (well next to Neo, Suriya, The Spa), but they're not DIRT CHEAP either. Massages range from p300 tp p600. Body scrubs range from p600 to p800. That's quite a sum of money too, and they cannot excuse their price for their facilities. As in any business, if you aren't ready to DELIVER, then you might as well NOT OFFER it. It's something like a half-smile isn't even a SMILE at all.
Now with all these glitches that might be a bit difficult to repair at the offset, I'm saying
SAYANG. The place has so much potential, and so much improvement to do. Maybe I'll give it 6 months? Or maybe I'd rather save up MORE and go to CHI SPA instead. Haha.
To spa or not to spa? If this were the first ever spa I walked in, let's just say I don't think I would have come back EVER.
Try it for yourself :AHAVIA LOUNGE SPA173 Wilson Street corner Barcelona Street, Greenhills, San Juan744 0343PS. We also talked to the owners about our complaints and they promise to buy a hairdryer (HAHA), but they can't do anything about the bathroom problem yet.
