King SPA — Attraction in South Riding

Overall, this place is really super great. It is really pretty; there are a ton of different treatment rooms and chambers to visit in addition to predictable spa services like body scrubs and massages -- I didn't get to try the food but it smelled amazing and I had a really delicious tea beverage.

The reason this place gets four stars instead of five is because of the administrative difficulties. The only thing it is super easy to do from moment of first entry is spend money. This place has a rather brilliant system that is connected to an wristband that is also contains a key to your locker. The wristband has a corresponding number and an RFID chip so you scan it anywhere are items or services for sale. Before you are able to exit the building. You go through a checkout lane where they scan your wristband and charge you for anything that was not covered by whatever you paid to enter.

Even with the FAQ section on their website, and the how to YouTube video, I felt quite out of place for the first while that I was there. Not only is the layout pretty confusing in general, but it is sometimes difficult to tell where you are supposed to be wearing what -- or nothing at all: There are areas where you may only wear a swimsuit. There are areas where you must wear your spa uniform, which the spa provides and is very comfy and lovely. You absolutely cannot wear your swimsuit in the uniform only areas. There are areas where you may only be nude. The nude zones are restricted to the locker rooms, where there are nude baths and treatment areas (body scrubs, etc).

When my friends and I first tried to find our way to the pool, we almost made a wrong turn and got a bit admonished when we almost wandered into an area where you are supposed to have your uniform on and we were in swimwear.

That said, once we found the pools -- which are both on the level above the main locker room level, we were very impressed. The indoor pool features a beautiful waterfall and many comfy areas to sit and relax. The outdoor pool has the most elaborate network of jets and shower heads and you can get pretty much a full massage from various water jets by just moving about to different positions in the pool. There are two hot tubs, one in the big pool and one under the Pagoda-looking structure. There's plenty of seating and plenty of towels.

Also, if you are able to plan ahead, I highly recommend making treatment appointments before you go. The appointment desks, both the massage desk and the scrub/facial desk were total chaos. I requested to be placed on the wait list for a 12:00pm scrub treatment. When I went to the desk at 11:45am to check on the availability, the woman informed me that the closest time they had was 1:00 p.m. which I said was too late for me, unfortunately. At 1:15, when I just happened to be in the locker room, another woman from the scrub desk came furiously seeking me and insisting that I go speak to the other woman who I then reminded that I had previously declined the time slot in question. Eventually she agreed to remove the charge from my account and let me out of the queue for the scrub. All that is to say, don't feel like you must be timid with the folks selling services.

The second and third floors in the uniform zone are where you'll find all of the saunas and this couldn't be more fun. Well, my friends got some services, I explored almost all of the saunas. The only ones I didn't get into were the pink salt room and the very very hot one which I can't recall the name of-- you'll know when you go. I saw folks lasting an average of about 10 seconds in that room. There's a large LED fire icon outside and a wee tiny arch-door.

I LOVED the Bul Ga Ma; Hinoki Room; Ice Room; and Gold Pyramid Sauna. The prettiest space is the Amethyst Crystal Sauna.

The Hinoki room is room temperature and I highly recommend using it and the ice room -- which is predictably very very cold, like less than 40° -- as resets in between the hot saunas.

I definitely want to go back now that I know...

I have been to many spas in Europe and Canada, some of them among the best in the world. I was excited to find this one and did not mind a 4 hour drive to get there, expecting a similar experience. I will say, they are trying, but they lack a lot of factors that can make the experience great. Firstly, difficult to buy tickets on line- have to register to buy, then have to go through all kinds of loops to buy more than one ticket, then it takes forever to get the tickets in the e-mail. Secondly, they seem to allow a lot of people at once- I estimate there were about 350-400 people in the facility when I went. That does create cramped saunas, pools, cafeteria etc. The central hall is opened to the second floor and the space is so noisy, makes it almost impossible to relax and detach. Spas are about relaxation, meditation, comfort- this place is not. It's a fun place people gather to chat and laugh. Thank God they don't serve alcohol. You lay down in a sauna and each time the door opens, you hear the loud voices from the sitting areas. There is a "silent" area, with comfy armchairs to lounge in- well, all you can hear is noise, laughter. Saunas are also supposed to be silent, but people are watching videos on their phones, you can hear message notifications, etc. It's ridiculous. In Canada, staff walk around with "Shh..." signs in to remind everybody they are in a quiet zone. You don't see phones in Canadian spa villages. You are told to lower your voice if you don't whisper. Well, not here. There are barely or no attendants in the common areas. They use all the staff for massages and scrubs, which have ridiculous prices (such as $500 for a couple bubble massage- whatever that is). Did I mention the ridiculous "uniforms"- ugly colors and designs, people look like they belong to a cult dressed in them. You have to wear them in saunas, then you have to change into the bathing suit to go in the pool, then you have to dry somehow and get back in the uniform. Just let the people be. Give them normal size towels or robes and let them circulate through the facility without having to change 15 times. The towels provided are the size of hand towels, they seem to be unlimited fortunately- no wonder, when a normal person has to use 3-4 to wipe down at one time. You can rent a normal size towel for $5.00- anything and everything to make an extra buck. The food and drinks at the cafeteria are overpriced- paid $70 for two simple meals and two drinks. The facility is clearly geared towards a younger generation. Almost all the saunas require one laying down on bare floor, for older people it can be a little difficult to get down and up. Some sitting places in saunas would be nice. Not mentioning it would save space. One room- the "ice" room is just a room with an AC blasting - no ice in sight. Other spas I've been to had snow showers- really cool things to experience. Pluses of this "spa" - I loved the room with wood cubes- pretty original and unique. I liked the variety of jets in the pool. I found the nude area pretty original as well. I really hope they can work on the noise part, on making the food and the massages more affordable, provide normal size towels and robes, add some seating options in the saunas. And all the other aspects I've wrote about. I would personally not return or recommend this place for the reasons...

So I’ve been here a few times! When the first opened and now recently. So I’ve been here over five times. I would say that the traffic has picked up! Love that for them! I would say the price of the body scrub has gone up. Used to be like 80/85 and now it’s $100 so the price done went uppppp as they say!

So recently I went on Friday- NEVER AGAIN. Whew the buzz was so strong I forgot I was at a spa! It gets busy! I was there at like 11am and left around 5 and it was just impossible for it to be quiet because of the amount of people around. The line for food- about an hour just to get through the line! Then some to wait. Now the food here is good :) I have to upload the menus because it’s hard to find it in its entirety. But food here is solid! Here’s a view! I love that lavender drink.

Okay for me the body scrub is a nice addition! Like yes rub that dead skin and sin off! They are very thorough with it and they do an amazing job! Like literally I can say I’ve never been disappointed with the body scrub. I paid for my mom to get the sports massage or whatever massage it was that you keep your clothes on and she loved it! The other massages were too long of a wait. TIP: if you plan to get an additional service please book at the beginning! Wait times vary so try to book when you get there to have the best chance at the time you want! Because sometimes the wait can be like three or four hours and likeeeee sometimes you don’t have all that time to wait if you’ve already been there for a few hours! Do book at the beginning!

Now I’m a ladyyy so I can only attest to the Ellen’s locker rooms but the pools in here are NUDEY! That’s right- the pools in the lady’s locker room you gotta be completely naked. First time was like a shock, but not im used to it. There’s three pools with varying heated temps, the cold pool, the showers and the sauna all NUDE. If you want to wear more clothes the saunas in the common area are coed and the spa gives you Clothes to wear in this area. The saunas are a fave and I love the heated floors. Knock a sister right out! Bring a book or bring ya laptop cuz there’s wifi and outlets. The outdoor pools are cute too! Where you can be coed and mixed :) heated pools as well. Today I went and the indoor coed pool was closed but I was here two weeks ago with my mommy and it was open so if that’s important tap in. Huge parking lot so parking is solid, check Groupon to see if you can get a discounted entry. Like I said I prefer weekdays like Monday through Wednesday. Tuesday Wednesday have been my better experiences. Just calmer. Weekends has been fullll whewwww. Takes away from the relaxing ambience for me but I know that’s just for me. Never again! Never going on a Friday to Sunday! Lol. Rooms were too packed to be relaxed- I wonder if there’s a capacity lol because them rooms was too much for meeee.

The sauna rooms all do what they gotta do. The gold room and the charcoal rooms are my favorites.

But this is a good for a self date, couples, group, birthday you name it! The place is clean and well attended to even after all this foot traffic! And the women who be giving body scrubs well they are just...