True REST Float Spa • Austin South — Attraction in Austin

I will split this review into 2 sections: 1. For the demographic this establishment is geared for. And 2. For the rest of us, who are not into this kind of stuff.

If you are the hippie-ish type, who believes in auras, chakras, soul healing, and such - this is JUST the place for you! The star rating for YOU is about 5 stars. The facilities are clean, welcoming, calm and serene. Everything you would want for this type of experience. The restrooms/changing rooms are nicely kept. The waiting/relaxing lounge is exceptional, with free drinks. And the actual rooms with the floating tanks are private, spacious, clean, and with everything you may need for your experience. If you've heard of Sensory Deprivation Floating, and wanted to try it, you can't go wrong with this establishment. The staff leads you through the entire experience (sans the time you're actually floating), and you will be left feeling like you definitely would want to come back. Amazing place for all your relaxing needs!

Now, for the normies - the review for YOU is about 3 stars. Here's why, Number 1 - Price. Holy cow, almost $100 for ONE session of 1 hr of floating. Sure, I get it you can't really replicate this in almost any setting at home, or at a pool, but that's a semi-fancy dinner on a Friday night with the wife; that price is a little steep for most folk who would be 50/50 on trying out something like this. Number 2 - If you're a normie, and you're not experienced in "meditating", mindfulness, and such stuff - this will NOT make you feel better, and you'll waste your time and money. If you have inner demons, or suffer from claustrophobia, or anxiety, depression, etc - this might actually make things a little worse. That's not really related to the establishment, but if you're a grump, and you come in there, most likely you'll come out more grumpy than when you came in. Your speed would be more along the lines of fishing out on the lake, or breaking some stuff at one of those "break stuff" places, or going to a gun range. In other words, this establishment is for a VERY niche, specific crowd. And if you ain't it, you ain't it. Sure, the place is nice, and if you can get something from the experience, good for you - but that's a BIG "IF" for most normies, casual people. Why does this reflect negatively on the score for this place? It doesn't necessarily - but for people who are not the exact demographic for this type of thing, seeing a score higher than 4 stars could lead them to believe that they'll enjoy it nonetheless - and that's far from the truth.

In conclusion, the average score between the two reviews comes out to 4 stars. Great place for those who like this kind of thing, "ok" place for...

EDIT November 2023: I feel like I should modify this review at this point, because the floatation tanks have become a bit rundown over time, and it doesn't seem like anything is being done about it (I hope I'm wrong, there). The tanks are now really showing their age, with mildew in certain spots, chipped or missing paint, big gaps at the exterior seams, exposing parts that used to be sealed off, and it seems like possibly their insulation is not what it used to be. I say that last part because now, more than I've ever noticed in the past, there is a lot of condensation that builds up on the inner roof of the float tank, which then unfortunately drips down on you while you are trying to be relaxed/meditating/spacing out/etc., which takes you out of the experience. Sometimes the droplets just hit the water, which you will only hear, but other times they hit your hands, feet, or even your face, and it's definitely not ideal. This used to happen rarely, if ever. But it has become increasingly common. Aside from that, there are some minor issues like loose faucet handles that practically come off in your hand. They really just need someone to go around and do some general maintenance, and of course some upkeep or replacement of the tanks. Other than the aforementioned things, the rest of my original review still stands, and I hope they get these things sorted out.

Original Review:

True Rest Float Spa - South (formerly Zero Gravity Institute) is amazing! It's great for frequent floaters and people who are trying it out for the first time. The float tanks are large and in no way claustrophobic. I've read and heard that the tanks here are the best in the city, and arguably some of the best in the country. The staff at this location is great. They are very polite, friendly, and welcoming. They are always ready for you at the time of your appointment. I don't think I've ever had to wait more than about 3 minutes after arriving. They are good about making sure you have everything you need to have an enjoyable experience and it's very easy to schedule appointments in person or online. I highly recommend trying out floating in general, but especially at this place...it's truly an...

There are some wonderful things about this place. I love the Oasis room, and their prep rooms, they definitely get me relaxed! But unfortunately it seems like something usually goes wrong in the float - a couple of times they forget to start it, meaning no music and the lights would remain on (before they got the new pods) so I’d have to get out and go ask. Another time they forget to end it so I ended up going for almost two hours while my boyfriend waited wondering what happened.

I tried to like the new pods but I can’t stand them. They’re way too small so it gets too hot and I’m bouncing off the walls the whole time. Plus their music and lighting settings keep changing. Personally, consistency is something that’s important to me, especially when I’m trying to unwind.

Not to mention, when you’re ready to cancel, you have to give them at LEAST 30 day’s notice to cancel your membership.

The staff is usually pretty nice and friendly, but the last time I went in the girl at the front asked why I cancelled my membership. I told her due to medical reasons. And she unfortunately pried and asked me more questions about my medical diagnosis. This made me extremely uncomfortable, especially after I just got done floating and didn’t even wanna talk at all. It was weird. I had some good floats here but don’t think I...