Mandara Spa at Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin Hotel — Local services in Bay Lake

I didn't give it one star because both therapists were extremely nice and attended to my needs; however, the facilities are nothing short of disappointing. For the price point I was expected to dish out, I left extremely underwhelmed. When I arrived around 9:30a, there was a construction crew of 3 guys in the men's locker fixing the water pipes. This wouldn't be a problem, however, the locker area is so tight, that I could barely get around them during the first hour of my visit. I made it worked and decided I'd spend some time in the steam room. Well, I should have taken a parka into the steam room because the temperature was extremely mild and the guest has no option to increase/decrease temperature, or even, kickstart the machine. Everything is controlled from a backroom that guests have no access to. O, did I mention the steam room is literally 4ft x 4ft. Seating for 2 people is almost impossible so don't even think of laying down to relax in the steam room. The men's room attendant did see me in there and he brought over a spray bottle (a very industrial, commercial like bottle) that had a eucalyptus scent so I could spray inside the steam room. Nice gesture by him, but at the moment you open the door, it took another 15 minutes before it got warm enough to enjoy the qualities of a steam room. I still had about 30 minutes till my first treatment, so I decided to slip into a robe and enjoy the communal common areas. Shouldn't you melt into spa furniture? For the most part, everything was extremely hard and it was difficult to get comfortable into any position. They boast an "outdoor sun deck," which I admit, it a nice feature; however, the furniture outside was full of mold and had very noticeable wear, some seats were even missing cushions. Okay, okay Alex, stop being so rough on the Mandara and go rinse off before your first treatment. I returned to the men's locker room to take a quick shower before my massage. You'd think the following would be the height of my disappointment, but stick with me. I turned the water on, trying to get a sense of the heat. Well, with the lever pulled all the way back to the hottest temperature, the only water coming out was cold. I moved to another stall, and then the last (there are only 3) and eventually, I was able to get a light trickle of warm water. O, and the best part of the 3 stalls, all were infested with multiple (at least 8 to 10) gnats in each stall. Yes, bugs! To think I have experienced all of the above and I still have yet to go into my first treatment. The reason I went early is so that I could enjoy the facilities. You'd think a spa that charges upwards of $400 to $500 for a couple of services, would have amenities to complement the charge. Please note, there is not gym facility to use, there is no WiFi, there is no sauna, there is no whirlpool/hot tub, there is no mixed nuts and fresh fruit, there is definitely no sense of luxury. Luckily, both my massage therapist and aesthetician were good, which is the reason for my 2 stars. This spa is located inside of the Dolphin Hotel on Walt Disney World (WDW) property near Epcot. It is not a WDW property and this spa is not affiliated with WDW. During my "relaxing" spa day, the hotel had schedule a site wide testing of the alarm system, which is wired into the spa, including the treatment rooms. Imagine, a relaxing massage, and for a period of about 15 to 30 minutes, you repetitively hear "WARNING: This is not an emergency. We are testing the alarm system." Accompany that with sirens and flashing lights. The relaxation was unbearable. Now, I don't blame that on Mandara, but obviously there is a lack of consideration and planning between the hotel and the spa company. Could this not be done before or after hours? Could the spa not fore worn their patrons this is going to be happening, even before scheduling their appointments? I imagine these sort of protocols are mandatory and planned in advance, so it would be up to the spa to keep aware of these exercises so they can properly inform their customers. I'd...

Past visits have been GREAT but came in today July 2018 to see a different spa but found out their director is no longer with them.

The people are super nice and sweet and I had a nice relaxing massage but the facility was very lacking!!!! Snack mix all over the lounge chairs, floor and window seal. A bandaid paper was on the magazines from the time I arrived and was still there when I left. The locker room was a little messy and the few things that really bothered me... no one checked on me, no blankets to cover up with in the lounging area and the showers were out of shampoo or conditioner and body wash!!😱 what’s up with that???

In 2017 Excitedly, we arrived and was escorted back to the locker room. We were given a quick overview of the spa facilities. We changed into our comfortable robes and proceeded to the quaint steam room . We were there were two other ladies and talked a bit. We then proceeded to go to the relaxation lounge and proceeded to relax in the beautiful...out of country.... sitting area that is glorious.

I started with a fabulous Elemis Cellutox Aroma Ocean Wrap with Massage with Ashley that included a foot ritual. It felt great! I'm not sure what the foot ritual was because I remember her just rubbing my foot during the massage.. she did a great job!!!

Then I went on to my Elemis Pro-Collagen Quartz Lift Facial. Starr did a great job. I just wish I didn't have to ask her, after each item she applied, what it was. My face looked radiant after I finished wiping off the residue she left behind on my face when I went to the restroom.

The two sitting areas are the most exquisite sitting areas I've ever encountered in a spa. Just gorgeous... and they offer you complementary nut mix, detoxing juice shots, hot tea, and fruit water. My favorite is the Hibiscus tea.

The girls at check-in and throughout the spa were just as friendly and sweet as could be. I like that it’s not stuffy here.

I wish I would've gotten the name of the lady who actually booked my appointments. She was very helpful and accurate with all her information.

So far this is my favorite spa (and the Loews) to visit when I'm in the area!!!!

Today March 2018 I visited again and it was glorious... the renovations are over... it’s beautiful... the people are amazing. The services are grande and so relaxing.... wonderful specials to choose from. The director has to be great because the staff is fabulous now. The locker room is quaint with all the amenities you need. Robes are comfy with lots of room for us healthy girls 😉. The waterfall shower is a must to start off with. Then relax in the most beautiful relaxing area, at a spa, with the best teas I have ever tried(none of that generic store stuff, most people have) and enjoy the views and patio while you eat until the calmly receive you for your massage or other service. Plan on a day of full relaxation...

First off, I’d like to give a shout out to Duane and Deziree. They are absolutely wonderful people who have incredible healing hands! Their massages were perfect. In terms of the spa itself, I am extremely upset and appalled. When we made the reservations on the phone this morning, we were told the time of our reservation, and the cost it would be for a couples massage, $390. My husband and I are on our honeymoon, and thought we’d treat splurge and ourselves to a couples massage. When we arrived on time for our appointment, we were told that we were supposed to arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the time of our appointment, and that our massage countdown had already started. When we notified the spa staff that the personnel on the phone who booked our appointment earlier didn’t tell us this information, we were rudely told that it’s just ‘what we’re supposed to do’. We were also told on the phone that since we paid over $100, that we would be able to get $25 off our bill. Thankfully the [manager?] accommodated us when we requested a later appointment, so we could enjoy the entirety of our massage (~$400 isn’t a cheap massage and we expect to enjoy the whole 80 minutes)! Everything went smoothly with our masseuses, the massages were amazing, but when it was time to check out, we were appalled that a substantial gratuity was enforced. My husband and I ended up paying just shy of $500 for 80 minute couples massages. We were also informed we couldn’t use the $25 off that we were told because we weren’t guests of the Dolphin Resort. All in all, if I could hire Duane and Deziree to do our massages while excluding the spa and it’s undisclosed overpriced fees, I would in a heartbeat. I guess all the money we spent goes to the spa itself, instead of fairly paying their masseuses. I am enormously underwhelmed but what the spa offers and provides for the price. I’m so disappointed. I do NOT recommend this spa, but I DO recommend Duane and Deziree’s massages, and to hide your wallets from this...