We here at DCist are not fancy folk, but many people in Washington are. There’s a huge number of spas in D.C. and the surrounding area, some that cater to those in a rush, others that focus on all-day relaxation. Below are a few that friends of DCist can vouch for.
Photo courtesy Spa World
SPA WORLD: Spa World in Centreville, Va. is undoubtedly one of the best places in the area to soak in a communal bath, get a scrub down and enjoy a massage. But this one comes with a big disclaimer: The management once asked a transgender customer to leave. As the Fairfax Times reported, a Spa World representative told the Better Business Bureau their policy is to “not accept any kinds of abnormal sexual oriented customers to our facility such as homosexuals, or transgender(s).” Spa World eventually apologized. But even so, it may be hard to enjoy your pampering with that in mind. — From a previous DCist list
Spa World is located at 13830 Braddock Road A10 Centreville, Va.
SPA AT THE MANDARIN ORIENTAL: If you’re going to splurge on spa treatments, you may as well really go for it. The Spa at the Mandarin Oriental, like the hotel, is elegantly designed, while the spa treatments are top-notch. Again: This place is not cheap. The signature oriental harmony massage — where two therapists work on you — costs $450. But you can worry about that after you’re done relaxing.
The Spa at the Mandarin Oriental is located at 1330 Maryland Avenue SW.
BLISS SPA: Like the Spa at the Mandarin, Bliss is part of a hotel, in this case The W. Even if you don’t frequent spas, you may be familiar with Bliss’ line of skin and beauty products, which have fierce devotees. The D.C. spa is on the smaller side, but the quality of the massages, facials and waxings make up for it.
Bliss Spa is located at 515 15th Street NW.
Via Nusta’s Facebook.
NUTSA SPA: Move beyond the small waiting room in the “first LEED Gold-certified day spa” in the country and you’ll find a huge selection of “green” treatments. They offer long list of face treatments, including an “organic” facial and organic pumpkin face peel, as well as an organic manicure (where the hands are treated with fennel, birch and juniper) and a massage with organic creams. Basically, if it’s organic or the highway, Nutsa’s the spa for you.
Nusta Spa is located at 1129 20th Street NW.
The Spa Room. Via their Facebook page.THE SPA ROOM: The Spa Room offers a holistic approach to relaxation and healing. While they offer the basics — massages, a facial cleanse — the Spa Room also does CranioSacral therapy and Reiki. For those who think massage is out of their reach financially, they also offer “pay what you can” massage sessions.
The Spa Room is located at 4115 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 102.
TUSUVA: This Adams Morgan spa was described as one Yelper as “no frills — in a good way.” Despite offering a 24 karat gold facial, which features actual gold flakes, the prices are reasonable, with a 30-minute massage priced at $50, and the service excellent.
TuSuva is located at 2701 Ontario Road NW, Unit 2.
FREED BODYWORKS: This Southeast spot is not a spa. But we’ll include it on this list because they offer, hands down, the best massages in D.C. The staff is not only great at what they do, they listen and care about the person on the table. If you’re looking for a healing massage but don’t require a fluffy robe or champagne, this is the spot for you.
Freed Bodyworks is located at 1426 Pennsylvania Avenue SE.
