Lake Steam — Local services in Denver

I absolutely LOVE this bathhouse. It's a hidden gem for sure! Reasoning for 3 star rating:

1. the new scrub person on ladies days, Maddy, is horrible. I don't want to hurt her feelings, but I have watched her scrub and she does it with one hand mostly and seems preoccupied looking all around as if she has somewhere better to be. My step mom who was in town met me at Lake Steam and arrived before me, she paid for a scrub from Maddy and was very disappointed because she chose to get a scrub instead of a massage and felt that she wasted her money. For reference, over the years, my step mom has gotten scrubs from Mercy, Charlotte, Desiree, Julia & Amanda - all great scrubs! She said the pressure was very light, the amount of time spent on each limb was inconsistent (a couple minutes on one leg and 20 seconds on the other). When she was done, someone asked Maddy if she wanted any tips on how to scrub, she said No with an attitude. However, it's clear she's inexperienced and it's a big bummer that she's scrubbing during prime hours in the evening instead of someone else who is more skilled.
2. they use Fabulousa cleaning supply- the cost of entry keeps going up, but they can't afford a less toxic cleaner that isn't purchased at The Dollar Tree?
3. I think this issue is now resolved, but it took over a year to fix the door to the steam room. The door was consistently cracked open and couldn't fully shut, letting the steam leak out. **The current issue is the timer is set so that there's over 13 minutes (I timed it) between when the steam comes on. By the time the steam comes out again all the steam has dissipated. I've never been to another steam room where there's any pause. I'm not saying that has to be true here, but the timer used to be 5 minutes between maximum.
4. I never see any advertisements for this place and feel there's a huge missed opportunity, especially to boost attendance for ladies days. I overheard one of the male managers tell someone, "it's all about word-of-mouth" and while that used to be very true & valid, that's simply not the case these days. Something on IG, FB, TikTok, and Snapchat would go a long way. Additionally, a referral program for those who go regularly and Groupon are suggestions.

Reasons why I think everyone should go to this spa:

1. Best sauna ever! Spacious, heat comes from the ceiling and gets very hot!
2. The community here is genuine, women have a potluck on the 3rd Monday of every month and it's divine! Generations of families come here and it's just such a special place whether you're new, coming back after a long break or if you're grandma brought you your first time.
3. Very affordable! Memberships and punch cards are worth it 💯

I'll update my review & rating if Maddy gets trained or replaced & at least one other thing gets resolved (steam room timer/ cleaning supplies/ marketing)- Maddy seems really young, and makes me wonder if she's legally allowed to be working...

I went to Lake steam today during the morning to experience this bathhouse for the first time and get my very first 50 minute body scrub. Even though the facility is very dated in certain parts, the owners have done a good job keeping the interior tidy and well kept especially in the locker room, cool down areas and the front desk area, granted don't expect a 5 star bath house here, it's a local bathhouse that your paying $27 with a $3 locker key cost (if you don't bring your own locker key). The facility is very small not including the larger sauna room which is huge in comparison to the steam room which could only accommodate 4-5 people comfortably. The best part for me has got to be the $50 (plus tip) 50 minute body scrub done by Sergio, holy cow! He did an amazing job mixing in traditional massage with a body scrub, it felt so relaxing and the exfoliating gloves were amazing too, of course the body scrub is done in the bathhouse area on a folding massage table covered with linens due to the fact that the therapist needs water in order to use the gloves and perform the service effectively, but I didn't mind the noise of the bath house room, because I felt so at peace during the treatment. However after my body scrub massage, I went back into the steam room and noticed some guys doing inappropriate things with themselves and others, I ended up speaking out and telling them to stop and they ultimately stopped their act and left the room soon afterward, whenever I got my stuff back on I ended up speaking to the front desk and telling them of the incident and from what I heard is their going to put up a sign warning people to stop with inappropriate behavior, I'm just really glad the staff at Lake Steam is going to do something about it, because from reading a recent review on Yelp before coming, it looks to be a recurring issue especially on male days, just don't be afraid to speak out to both the people doing it and the front staff. Another tiny gripe of mine is the fact that the prices of the body scrubs, body massages, and other services such as the foot detox aren't listed online, the body scrubs start at $25 for 25 minutes and $50 for 50 minutes, if you have any questions it doesn't hurt to call the place and ask what the prices of the services are and ask any questions you may have, they were super friendly answering my questions over the phone regarding the price of the body scrub. Also, the parking lot fills up quickly during the busy hours so I'd recommend coming in early morning, so you're not rushing to find a spot on the street or in another spot close to...

I visited Lake Steam Sauna in Denver and had an extremely unpleasant experience. A significant portion of the visitors seemed to be gay men, which wouldn't bother me if the behavior wasn't so intrusive. While in the hot tub, a man attempted to grab my leg, pretending it was accidental. In the Finnish sauna, I witnessed inappropriate behavior—one man was performing a sexual act on another. This is completely unacceptable in a public space.

Additionally, the facility was quite dirty, which added to the discomfort. I’ve been to Russian banyas and Finnish saunas, Turkish steam saunas and different Scandinavian saunas, and I enjoy those experiences greatly. However, this place is far from what a proper sauna experience should be.

If you’re looking for a genuine sauna or steam bath experience, I’d recommend steering clear of this place.

Upd. after owner reply 12/22/24: Regarding your accusation that I was "trying to create a situation," this is entirely false and unprofessional. I visited your sauna expecting a relaxing and respectful environment, only to encounter inappropriate behavior that was neither addressed nor prevented by your staff. Allowing or turning a blind eye to cruising behavior in your sauna is unacceptable and should be actively prevented.

I originally considered visiting your facility with my son, and I’m grateful I didn’t. Your claim of being a "family place," is far from reality. In practice, the atmosphere was dominated by inappropriate behavior from a number of gay men, making it feel more like a gathering spot for such activities rather than a proper sauna.

As for cleanliness, the state of the facility was disappointing. The carpet was visibly dirty, but the most obvious evidence of neglect was the thick layer of dust on the lockers—clearly untouched for who knows how long. This level of uncleanliness is unacceptable in any setting, let alone a sauna where hygiene should be paramount.

Instead of deflecting criticism, perhaps you should focus on enforcing policies to ensure your guests feel safe and comfortable. Acknowledging issues and improving would go a long way in addressing concerns rather than dismissing...