Kume Spa - Grand Avenue — Attraction in Oakland

Decided to finally write this after 4 months of personally going back to the spa to speak with the owner and emailing them, but receiving no response. I came here in March for the first time and had hands down one of the worst "spa" experiences I've ever had. I walked by it all the time and read some of the reviews, so I tried it. I booked a hair wash and massage right after. From the moment I walked in, the experience was so stressful and low quality, I was annoyed on the inside the entire time. Why? Here's the breakdown. They were 15 mins late. No one noticed or mentioned it until I said something. Because they were late, everything was rushed and hurried during my time - the opposite of how I wanted to feel having booked a massage to de-stress. The hair wash was not a sink but a "bed" where you have to get naked and then this woman washed your hair in the sink aggressively and with water splashing everywhere. I was freezing, having my head tugged around, and naked on this weird bed. It was also really a shock to my system to have to derobe in what looked like a large metal fridge type room, with the door slightly ajar. The room wasn't ready so they handed me one towel and I had to stand in this hallway / little room so they could get the room ready, hair dripping and body freezing during this whole time. No one spoke English so it was hard to communicate even though I tried multiple times. I think they tried their best to start my service but it was so hurried and rushed that it felt like shuttling cattle from one room to the next. My massage room was freezing with the bed not warmed, my entire body wet, and hair dripping. The room was dark so it was hard to feel around and the floor was dirty - I really didn't want to take off my shoes. I wanted to get dry, get warm, wrap my head or at least ring it out, and then step on the massage table. Instead it was wet, cold, dirty, and no one could understand what I was trying to say. I could hear everything happening two steps outside my room. The massage lady was sweet, really nice actually, but it was hard to communicate with her and she didn't understand what I was saying. She pushed really deeply in some places on my back and in other places used such a light touch it didn't feel good, just like someone was grazing my back. I also didn't want any first pounding on my back or body but she did that anyway. I was annoyed, stressed, worried, and so uncomfortable the entire time just waiting for the time to end. After the massage, I spoke with the front desk and let them know about my experience and that I would love to speak to the owner to explain the situation. Maybe we could work something and I could try another massage there or they could refund me some of the money. I know it's tough running a business, but when a customer comes back to you repeatedly to try to make things right without immediately going to the Internet to write a bad review, I would listen. I went back 4 times in person and then emailed the owner. I've never received any response and each time I go the staff is super apologetic and friendly, but I haven't been able to speak to anyone about it.

All in all, the staff is sweet but the experience, quality, and overall service was a serious disappointment...

Disappointing Decline in Quality

I’ve visited this spa several times, but the quality has consistently declined, and my most recent visit confirmed that it’s no longer worth returning to.

My appointment was for a 90-minute treatment (foot reflexology and body massage) at 6 PM. The issues started early. My first therapist, Charlie, ignored my instructions, spent more time massaging my calves than my feet, and used only one hand while glancing at the clock repeatedly. There was no reflexology technique in his “reflexology” massage. Frustrated, I politely asked him to stop after 20 minutes and went to the front desk to address the situation.

The front desk staff offered to rebook me with a different therapist, Ken, at 7:45. While Ken’s effort was slightly better, I still had to direct him multiple times to focus on reflexology, which he only incorporated in the last five minutes of the 40-minute foot massage.

The body massage that followed was even worse. The massage room was freezing cold, and the bed wasn’t heated—a huge oversight during winter, especially near the water. Ken seemed unaware that my treatment included hot stones (a recurring issue—this was the second time this happened during my visits). After I reminded him 25 minutes into the session, he left the room to retrieve the stones but slathered cold oil on my back before leaving. He didn’t cover me back up, leaving me shivering while he was gone.

When Ken finally returned, the stones were applied so aggressively it felt like I was being scrubbed or pummeled rather than massaged. At one point, he used a rough towel on my neck instead of oil, and I had to stop him and request he remove it. Throughout the session, I repeatedly had to ask him to slow down or adjust his technique, making the experience stressful rather than relaxing.

The spa environment itself added to the discomfort. The foot massage area is a communal room with no door, so employees and guests constantly walk back and forth. The staff made no effort to lower their voices, even though people were trying to relax. The noise and lack of privacy made it impossible to feel at ease.

After the session, I expressed my concerns to the front desk. They removed the charge for the hot stones but didn’t offer any meaningful apology or other compensation—just a vague hope that I’d return.

At this point, I don’t see a reason to give this spa another chance. The environment is chaotic, the therapists seem poorly trained or unprepared, and the overall experience is far from the relaxing, professional service I expect. Unless significant improvements are made, I’ll be...

I scheduled two 90-minute appointments for 3:00 PM. Shortly before arrival, I received a call informing me that both therapists were running late, and the new start time would be 3:15 PM. I arrived at 3:10 PM, but the therapists were not available until 3:36 PM.

At that point, I spoke with a woman at the front desk (Nel) and asked that both appointments be adjusted to 60 minutes due to the delay. Another staff member joined the conversation and confirmed, “Yes, 60 minutes.” My friend had not arrived yet, so I proceeded with my massage.

I was taken to an outdoor massage area that was dimly lit and had an unpleasant odor. Despite that, I was hopeful and looking forward to the session. Unfortunately, the experience was anything but relaxing. Employees were speaking loudly on the phone and laughing, someone nearby took a FaceTime call, and there was a TV or radio playing. The noise completely disrupted the atmosphere.

While Kevin, my therapist, was kind and did a good job technically, he did not speak or understand English, which made communication difficult. I kept asking if we were almost done, but he couldn’t respond.

After the massage, I went to the front desk to pay and inquired if my friend had arrived. I was told she never showed up and didn’t call. I immediately called her in front of the receptionist, and she explained that while trying to find parking, someone had attempted to assault her.

The receptionist could clearly hear our conversation, but showed no empathy or concern. Instead, she stated that there would be a 50% cancellation fee—charged as if the session were still 90 minutes. I was honestly shocked.

This was supposed to be my friend’s first visit to KUME. Thankfully, she didn’t go through with it, because the level of service was unacceptable. Nel (I may have the name wrong), the woman who initially checked me in, was extremely rude, passive-aggressive, and dismissive. She lacked both basic listening skills and empathy. The charge is not the issue! It's the experience during the massage, lack of customer service, accountability, and business etiquette.

I’m deeply disappointed by how this entire experience was handled. I plan to share this with my 9,000 supporters in Oakland. I understand businesses can have off days, but professionalism, empathy, and customer service should never be optional. It’s clear why your rating...